Pollution Update

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sent Lane County Central Receiving Station an “expedited enforcement offer” (EEO) on Dec. 10 for violating its Clean Water Act industrial stormwater permit. The EEO outlines multiple instances in which stormwater monitoring failed to meet permit requirements related to monitoring protocols, timing, or frequency, and allows Lane County to pay a $1,600 penalty in lieu of more formal enforcement. Lane County has 30 days to accept or reject DEQ’s offer. The monitoring that was conducted for the 2017-2018 monitoring period indicates seven instances in which copper, lead or zinc levels in discharges exceeded permit levels. — Indigo Sherck/Oregon Clean Water Action Project