DEQ release - The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued 11 penalties totaling $540,262 in May for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at ordeq.org/enforcement. Fines ranged from $6,400 to $260,700. Alleged violations included an individual operating a waste tire storage site without a proper permit; a wastewater treatment facility violating its wastewater disposal permit by failing to conduct required monitoring, submitting inaccurate monitoring results and exceeding pollution discharge limits; and an electric utility company exceeding its plant site emission limits. DEQ issued civil penalties to the following entities: LTM Inc., Roseburg, $24,371, stormwater; Washington County Capital Projects Services, Hillsboro, $17,356, stormwater; C & J Super Service Inc., Medford, $30,637, land quality; Manjit Inc., dba Stayton Chevron, Stayton, $36,081, underground storage tank; Portland General Electric Co., Boardman, $260,700, air quality; Rice Hill Owner's Association Inc., Yoncalla, $97,732, wastewater; Eduardo Bedolla and Maria Bedolla Vazquez, North Powder, $22,552, waste tires; City of North Powder, North Powder, $10,923, wastewater; City of Maupin, Maupin, $10,292, wastewater; Oregon Industrial Lumber Products Inc., Springfield, $6,400, stormwater; Ryan Hall, Prospect, $23,218, solid waste and waste tires. Recipients of DEQ civil penalties must either pay the fines to the state treasury or file an appeal within 20 days of receiving notice of the penalty. They may be able to offset a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon’s environment. Learn more about these projects at ordeq.org/sep. Penalties may also include orders requiring specific tasks to prevent ongoing violations or additional environmental harm. DEQ works with thousands of organizations and individuals to help them comply with laws that protect Oregon’s air, land and water. DEQ uses education, technical assistance, warnings and penalties to change behavior and deter future violations.