Pollution Update

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sent a pre-enforcement notice to Herb Vloedman of Fern Ridge Self Storage Jan. 26 for illegally “discharging sediment laden or turbid flows of stormwater … to surface waters” at its facility on Luther Lane in Veneta. DEQ characterized this as a serious violation, and also cited Fern Ridge Self Storage for “failure to conduct and document visual monitoring and inspections.” Pre-enforcement notices like this one refer violations to DEQ’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement for more formal enforcement, including potential assessment of civil penalties.

Doug Quirke/Oregon Clean Water Action Project