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Department of Ecology News Release - June 19, 2008
08-173
BELLINGHAM - The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has fined a construction company $8,000 for its repeated failure to prevent erosion and stop sediment from flowing off a state highway construction project into a nearby creek.
Bellingham-based IMCO General Construction is the primary contractor working on improvements to State Route 539, or Guide Meridian, that runs from Bellingham to the international border.
An Ecology inspection verified reports that muddy water was allowed to flow off the construction site into Ten Mile Creek - a salmon-bearing stream - on Oct. 18, 2007. The inspection also revealed erosion and poor sediment management throughout the project area.
The company has also failed to properly prevent similar pollution of state waters at three other sites in Whatcom County during the last year.
"These kinds of discharges can be prevented through simple adherence to established pollution prevention measures," said Ecology water quality inspector Mak Kaufman.
The poor construction practices on the SR 539 project violate the state construction stormwater permit, issued by Ecology to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Ecology fined IMCO because WSDOT - through its own inspection and reporting - has repeatedly notified the company about the runoff problems and instructed the firm to fix them. WSDOT has provided Ecology with regular reports of discharge violations, as required by the permit.
"WSDOT has operated appropriately throughout this construction project," Kaufman said.
IMCO has cooperated with the investigation and conditions on the site have improved.
Water with excessive mud or silt can harm aquatic life by damaging fish gills and clogging stream bed gravel.
The company may appeal the penalty to Ecology or to the Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board within 30 days.
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Media Contacts:
Larry Altose, Ecology media relations, 425-649-7009; pager 206-663-1785
Mak
Kaufman, water quality inspector, 360-715-5200
Richard Grout, Bellingham Field
Office manager, 360-715-5200
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
