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Department of Ecology News Release - April 29, 2009
09-095
OLYMPIA – A Chehalis mill that produces animal feed is being fined $14,000 by the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) for ongoing industrial stormwater violations that threaten the health of Dillenbaugh Creek.
Draper Valley Farms is located at 575 West Main Street. It releases water from its industrial activities into a tributary of Dillenbaugh Creek which drains into the Chehalis River. The creek and river are already struggling with high fecal coliform bacteria counts, warm temperatures and low amounts of dissolved oxygen that fish need to survive.
The violations Ecology found are factors that are likely to be contributing to problems with low dissolved oxygen and with fecal coliform bacteria.
The mill has been inspected five times since August 2003. Each time, Ecology noted permit violations and provided the facility's management inspection reports and detailed the necessary corrections.
The penalty and order stem from violations, documented during a January 2009 inspection, which were not corrected by a follow up inspection a month later.
“Ecology takes a cooperative approach with permit holders in order to correct problems and help businesses comply with their stormwater permits,” said Garin Schrieve, Ecology's Water Quality Program regional manager. “But when the same problems are noted repeatedly, as in this situation, a penalty is an appropriate step to draw attention to a serious issue.”
Among the problems Ecology documented in January and February 2009:
Spilled animal feed can lead to several issues, including decomposing in the water, reducing dissolved oxygen levels and attracting animals that add fecal contamination to the tributary.
Ecology is also issuing Draper Valley Farms an order outlining specific actions that should be taken to fix ongoing problems.
Draper Valley Farms has 30 days to respond to Ecology's penalty. The company can pay the fine, request Ecology's reconsideration or file an appeal with the Pollution Control Hearings Board.
The money collected from water quality penalties is placed in a subaccount of the Coastal Protection Fund. Ecology uses the fund to provide grants to local environmental enhancement and restoration projects sponsored by local governments, tribes and other state agencies.
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Media Contact: Kim Schmanke, 360-407-6239 (desk) or 360-791-9830 (cell)
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
