Oregon
Oregon hikes Port of Morrow water pollution fine to $2.1M
The Port was discovered to have violated its water high quality allow a complete of two,155 instances from late 2020 to early 2022. The world is burdened with groundwater air pollution.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Division of Environmental High quality has elevated the Port of Morrow’s groundwater contamination fantastic to $2.1 million following further wastewater violations.
The company added $800,000 to the Port’s authentic $1.3 million fantastic Friday for over-applying nitrogen-rich wastewater on agricultural fields within the Decrease Umatilla Basin, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
The world is burdened with groundwater air pollution and is the first ingesting water supply for Morrow and Umatilla counties.
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DEQ spokesperson Laura Gleim mentioned the company knew about further violations initially however needed to get documentation so as.
Gleim mentioned the Port violated its water high quality allow a further 626 instances — making a complete of two,155 violations throughout winter months between November 2020 and February 2022.
The company discovered the Port added 96 further tons of extra nitrate to close by agricultural fields for an estimated 261 tons whole. The fantastic is the second largest within the company’s historical past.
Port Govt Director Lisa Mittelsdorf mentioned the corporate acknowledges groundwater contamination has been a significant issue for many years. However she mentioned it’s additionally a group drawback that can require a group resolution.
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“By the DEQ’s personal evaluation, the Port’s industrial wastewater reuse program is answerable for lower than 5% of the realm’s nitrates,” she mentioned in an emailed assertion. “We are going to proceed to work with DEQ to collaborate on an answer that can deal with what occurs to industrial wastewater throughout winter months with out shutting down the industries producing that wastewater.”
Final week, Morrow County declared a neighborhood state of emergency after personal properly water testing confirmed excessive ranges of nitrate contamination. Ingesting excessive ranges of nitrate may cause well being dangers, together with respiratory infections, thyroid dysfunction, and abdomen or bladder most cancers.