Oregon Wood Products Company Fined $250,000 for Repeated Toxic Chemical Discharges Into Waterways
After pleading guilty to multiple counts of water pollution by discharging pentachlorophenol unlawfully, the wood products manufacturer Stella-Jones Corporation was handed a stiff fine and ordered to clean up the affected area.
The Stella-Jones Corporation admitted to repeatedly discharging pentachlorophenol, a toxic chemical used in treating wood products, that exceeded legal limits with criminal negligence between December 2022 and March 2023.
The Oregon Department of Justice filed several charges documenting a pattern of permit violations across multiple months relating to cutting corners and pollution of the state’s rivers and streams, which harms communities, natural resources, and public trust.
Attorney General Dan Rayfield said, “Oregonians expect businesses to follow the law and protect our environment.”
The company pleaded guilty to 10 misdemeanor counts of Unlawful Water Pollution in the Second Degree for violations of its state-issued water quality permit yesterday, resolving the larger set of charges. Stella-Jones must:
- Pay a $250,000 fine, $50,000 of which will be suspended if it avoids permit violations involving pentachlorophenol during its three years of probation.
- Implement corrective actions to bring its facility operations into compliance with state environmental standards.
- Clean up potentially impacted areas in and around the facility.