  |
|
|
Department of Ecology News Release - February 27, 2008
08-048
BELLEVUE – The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has fined the Westbrook Heights construction project $24,000 for numerous violations of its construction stormwater permit and allowing polluted stormwater to enter a steam that flows to Lake Washington.
Ecology stormwater inspectors have made several visits to the three-acre site at 19625 -19633 55th Ave NE since October. The site repeatedly lacked measures commonly required at construction sites to prevent silty or muddy stormwater releases. These included:
During an inspection on Jan. 4, Ecology measured turbidity – cloudiness from mud and silt – in water flowing from the site at levels many times higher than state’s water quality standard. Highly turbid water can harm the ability of fish to breathe by damaging their gills.
“The standard stormwater practices required in all permits for construction projects one acre or larger are designed so builders can prevent this sort of problem,” said Kevin Fitzpatrick, the regional supervisor for Ecology’s water quality program. “You have to follow the permit, and Westbrook Heights wasn’t doing so after repeated inspections and warnings.”
Stormwater from the project drains to a small Lake Forest Park waterway that flows to Lake Washington, which drains to Puget Sound.
“We're carefully reviewing the order and will work with Ecology to resolve any problem that has not already been corrected,” said Young Chong, a partner in TerraView Ventures, LLC, the project owner.
Permit assistance and enforcement is part of Ecology’s support for the Puget Sound Partnership’s target of restoring the sound’s environmental health by 2020.
Terra View Ventures, LLC, of Bellevue, may appeal the penalty to Ecology or to the Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board within 30 days.
###
Media Contact: Larry Altose, public information officer, 425-649-7009
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
