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Department of Ecology News Release - October 23, 2007
07-319
BELLEVUE – The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has fined JPS Holdings of Normandy Park $85,318 for discharging stormwater from the Brandon Meadows construction project in Auburn without a permit, and for violating an Ecology order to apply for a permit.
Ecology gave written and verbal warnings to the company – starting in September, 2006 – that construction projects larger than one acre that drain to surface water require a construction stormwater permit, which outlines proper pollution controls. The Brandon Meadows project – at 130th Ave. SE and SE 309th Place – is 10.2 acres.
An Ecology order in November, 2006 directed the company to apply for the permit by December 3. An application was not filed until July 2, 2007.
Department inspectors observed silty stormwater discharging from the project during six different visits to the site from November, 2006 to February of this year.
Ecology fined JPS Holdings $21,000 in March for similar violations at the company’s Cristelle Ridge construction project in Renton. That penalty is under appeal.
“It is rare for a company to receive notices and warnings, and even a recent fine, and continue committing the same violations,” said Dave Peeler, who manages Ecology’s water quality program. “All construction projects one acre or larger that drain to surface water must have a stormwater permit and they need to comply with this permit. This regulatory requirement has been in place for years and it is clearly understood by all responsible developers, contractors and consultants in this industry.”
Muddy water interferes with the ability of fish and other aquatic organisms to obtain oxygen and the silt can smother salmon spawning areas. Water from the Brandon Meadows projects drains to a tributary of Big Soos Creek, a salmon-bearing stream. Parts of the creek do not meet state standards for dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform bacteria.
Water from the creek flows by way of the Green and Duwamish rivers to Puget Sound.
JPS Holdings may apply to Ecology for a penalty reduction or appeal the penalty to the Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board within 30 days.
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Media contact: Larry Altose, public information officer, 425-649-7009
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
