Oil Company in Oregon Fined for Contamination
Oil Company in OR Fined for Contamination
According to recent reports, state environmental officials recently charged a White City oil company with the second largest fine given in the state of Oregon. The agency claimed that the Colvin Oil Company failed to properly monitor the benzene contaminated groundwater and soil on their property for the last eight years.
The DEQ environmental law specialist monitoring the site revealed that two wells that were installed in 2000 displayed high concentrations of the harmful chemical, benzene. Benzene is a known carcinogen that can cause various cancers such as leukemia to anyone who is exposed.
High Concentration of Benzene
In a test conducted by the DEQ earlier this year, benzene concentrations of 20,000 parts per billion were found in the water and soil. The federal limit for drinking water set by the government 13,000 parts per billion.
Since Colvin Oil has neglected the monitoring of their site, the DEQ isn’t sure of the amount of benzene that has contaminated the area. The DEQ also discovered that the company installed only two monitoring wells, when three are legally required.
Despite several letters to the DEQ, the agency claims that Colvin Oil didn’t provide sufficient samples from the wells and failed to collect any soil samples.
Colvin currently faces an estimated $10,000 a day for their continuing violations and for putting workers and local residents at risk for benzene exposure.