Ecology Fines Chinook Ventures for Columbia River Spill, Requires Partial Work Stoppage
OLYMPIA WA (2/26/2010) – The company responsible for a recent petroleum coke spill into the Columbia River is receiving a $40,000 fine and an order to stop all petroleum coke handling activities, the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) announced today.
Chinook Ventures spilled between 25 and 50 cubic yards of what’s known as pet coke while loading a ship on Feb. 2, 2010. Ecology testing confirmed the black, granular substance came from Chinook Ventures, located in Longview along Industrial Way.
At one point, pet coke was visible in patches nearly 10 miles along the river. Ecology estimates most of what spilled likely sank to the river bottom and along the shoreline.
The $40,000 penalty is based on the spill, on Chinook Ventures’ lack of response and on the failure to properly operate and maintain pollution control systems.
“Ecology, along with other local, state and federal partners, has invested significant effort to try to help Chinook Ventures meet its environmental responsibilities,” said Laurie Davies, whose Ecology program oversees permitting and compliance for Chinook Ventures. “This spill and results of recent inspections give us no other choice than to escalate our response with a penalty and stop-work order.”
The company receives pet coke by rail car, stores it on site, and eventually loads it onto ships using a conveyor system that extends over the river. The conveyor belt was constructed without required permits and has been a source of concern.
The Ecology order requires Chinook Ventures to halt all activities related to loading and unloading pet coke until certain conditions are met, including certifying that the conveyor system is safe and ensuring that measures are put in place to protect the river from pollution.
Pet coke is a byproduct of the oil refinery process. It’s primarily carbon with some tightly bound residuals of heavy oil and trace amounts of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Short-term environmental threats are mainly associated with its physical characteristics and amount spilled. Over time, the metals and petroleum compounds in the pet coke can be released and become a potential threat to fish and wildlife.
Since 2005, Chinook Ventures has violated Ecology-issued permits, orders and state regulations. In March 2009, Ecology penalized the company $150,000. The company is currently paying that penalty off in monthly installments. Other agencies have also taken enforcement action against Chinook Ventures.
The company has 30 days to respond to Ecology’s penalty.
Media Contact: Kim Schmanke, 360-407-6239 or kim.schmanke@ecy.wa.gov
Ecology’s Web site: http://www.ecy.wa.gov