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DEQ Fines Seafood Processors for Polluting Columbia River by Tracy Loew Statesman Journal, January 11, 2023

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined two Astoria seafood processors a total of $42,200 for repeatedly violating the limits in their permits to discharge wastewater to the Columbia River.

DEQ fined Bornstein Seafoods $32,000, saying it found the company exceeded its permit limits 41 times between April and July 2022.

"Dating back to 2016, Bornstein repeatedly violated the interim effluent limits in a previously applicable Mutual Agreement and Final Order and now it has failed to meet the conditions of the permit," DEQ wrote in its penalty order.

The state fined Astoria Pacific Seafoods $10,200, after finding it exceeded permit limits 51 times between August 2020 and June 2022.

"Astoria Pacific Seafoods continues to have serious, repeated and ongoing issues meeting the effluent limitations set forth in the permit," DEQ wrote.

Andrew Bornstein, who is listed as the contact for both companies, did not respond to an interview request.

17 fines levied during November

The fines were among 17 DEQ levied during November, totaling $182,505.

Recipients can appeal their fines by requesting a hearing within 20 calendar days of receiving their penalty letter. DEQ sometimes reduces or eliminates fines after appeals. Recipients also may be able to resolve part of their penalties by completing or sponsoring an environmental project instead of paying a fine.

Here are the other fines:

Vander Pol Investments, Portland, $38,505: For multiple construction stormwater permit violations, and for causing pollution to the Columbia River Slough at its Oak Harbor Freight Lines Project in northeast Portland.

City of Bend, $30,333: For discharging more pollution than allowed by its sewage treatment plant's wastewater permit, and for failing to collect required monitoring data.

Oak Lodge Water Services, Milwaukie, $26,700: For discharging about 475,000 gallons of untreated sewage and stormwater into the Willamette River during three separate sewer overflow events.

City of Yoncalla, $16,042: For discharging more pollution than allowed by its sewage treatment plant's wastewater permit.

Kraft Heinz, Ontario, $9,600: For failing to submit an operations, monitoring and management plan for its industrial wastewater reuse system. DEQ previously issued the company a warning letter for the violation.

Waste Management Disposal Services of Oregon, Arlington, $3,900: For disposing of prohibited waste at the Columbia Ridge Landfill. The waste, a 275-gallon container of liquid machine coolant, should have gone to a hazardous waste landfill.

City of Dayton, $3,475: For multiple violations of its sewage treatment plant's wastewater permit, from December 2019 through March 2022. The city discharged more pollution than allowed by the permit, submitted inaccurate data reports, and failed to submit complete noncompliance reports.

City of Clatskanie, $2,800: For exceeding its sewage treatment plant's wastewater permit limits for E.Coli, total suspended solids and biological oxygen demand. DEQ previously issued the city a warning for violating the same permit limits.

Even Better Homes, Estacada, $2,250: For starting construction on 10 lots at Currin Creek Estates without obtaining a required stormwater permit.

Balzer Painting, Tualatin, $1,500: For operating a painting facility without a required air quality permit.

Orchid Orthopedic Solutions, Oregon City, $1,500: For operating an iron and steel foundries facility without a required air quality permit.

Stack Infrastructure, Hillsboro, $1,500: For operating a data processing facility without a required air quality permit.

Turner Lumber, Turner, $1,200: For failing to timely submit an annual report as required by its air quality permit.

Permapost Products, Hillsboro, $600: For operating a wood preserving facility without a required air quality permit.