News Release - WA Dept. of Ecology News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 1, 1999 99-135 Contact: Sandy Howard, public information, 360-407-6239
OLYMPIA - The largest dairy in Southwest Washington has been fined a second time in seven months for failing to properly manage its animal-waste discharges.
The Department of Ecology (Ecology) issued a $60,000 fine to the Black River Ranch of Littlerock. Ecology inspections found fecal coliform bacteria from the 2,400-head dairy to be threatening nearby groundwater, water quality and trout and salmon habitat of Mima Creek. The creek is a tributary of the Black River in the Chehalis watershed.
Sea-run cutthroat trout in the Black River are proposed for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act, and the river's coho salmon are candidates for listing.
Ecology also ordered the owner to either obtain additional acreage or reduce the size of his herd.
''About three-quarters of the dairies in the state are successfully managing dairy waste,'' said Megan White, the water-quality manager for Ecology. ''Dairy operators who don't protect the environment reflect poorly on the entire industry.''
The penalty stemmed from recent Ecology inspections that revealed fecal-coliform bacteria in a drainage swale at 2,300 times the state's maximum limit. The inspectors also found liquid waste covering and pooling on and alongside a road on the site, and found manure visible in a small drainage swale, but not reported to Ecology as required under the dairy's permit.
The dairy's owners have 30 days to appeal the penalty and order with the state Pollution Control Hearings Board.
Manure-management problems at Black River Ranch date back to 1989, and resulted in a $11,000 fine as recently as October 1998. The dairy has not yet paid the fine.
In January, three Chehalis-basin dairies received Ecology's Dairy Contribution to Clean Water Award for actively managing their farm operations to protect water quality. The award-winning dairies were Odie's Acres Dairy Farm of Olympia; DeYoung Dairy Farm of Onalaska and the Austin Dairy Farm of Oakville.
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