Georgia-Pacific fined for Coos Bay discharge

COOS BAY, Ore. — Georgia-Pacific Wood Products of Coos Bay entered into a Clean Water Act settlement after being accused of five violations.

In an announcement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week, this settlement is the result of the EPA uncovering a number of violations of its Oregon industrial stormwater permit at Georgia-Pacific Wood Product’s Coos Bay facility, The World of Coos Bay reported.

Georgia-Pacific agreed to comply with existing Oregon industrial stormwater regulations and pay a $79,394 fine, the release said.

The EPA first uncovered the violations when a representative did a compliance investigation Nov. 28 to determine if the Georgia-Pacific facility was in compliance with its 2012 general permit.

The inspector found the facility discharging stormwater via six outfalls into the Isthmus Slough and the discharges contained pollutants, the settlement said.

Because of the pollutants that entered into the slough, which is a tributary to Coos Bay and the Pacific Ocean, it now has “impaired” water quality and “does not meet the state of Oregon’s water standards,” the release said.