Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Snake River Water Keepers has issued a 60-day notice to the Town of Garfield in a letter dated March 15. It states that the town has 60 days to comply with the parameters of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or potentially face a lawsuit seeking a $37,500 penalty per day, a maximum fine set by the Clean Water Act.
Formed in 2014 in Boise, Snake River Water Keepers has tracked the town's self-reported daily monitoring reports (DMR), through public information requests.
Garfield went under an administrative order three years ago from the Washington State Department of Ecology, regarding issues at its wastewater treatment plant. Requirements included the need for a Level-II operator, submission of certain data and operational improvements.
With a Level-II operator in place since last September, the town continues to address the other matters.
“I think it's fair to say that they are continually making progress,” said Brook Beeler, spokesperson for DOE. “We're seeing improvements.”
The Snake River Water Keepers organization suggests it is not enough.
“I would assume it's because of inadequate or aging infrastructure,” said Buck Ryan, executive director, referring to data from the Garfield plant. “The effluent is horribly polluted going into the river.”
Is this related to the DOE's administrative order on Garfield since 2014?
“I'm not aware of that, no,” said Ryan.
Diana Washington, a water quality permit unit supervisor of Washington Department of Ecology, appeared at the Garfield town council meeting March 22 to explain the situation.
“She was there to let them know, that when something like this (letter) comes in, we don't change what we do,” said Beeler.
Garfield Mayor Ray McCown said Tuesday that the town is in the process of setting up a meeting with representatives of the Snake River Water Keepers, the DOE and the Town of Garfield.
The Clean Water Act of 1972 allows for a third party to take action against an entity with an NPDES permit, or the issuers of the permit. The permits – a federal requirement to discharge in a waterway – are put forth by each state's Department of Ecology.
The Garfield wastewater plant discharges into Silver Creek which flows into the North Fork of Palouse River, a tributary of the Snake River, at Elberton.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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