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Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

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Compliance and Enforcement Activity, 2006-08

These tables provide a general summary of DEQ’s compliance and enforcement activities for 2006 to 2008. Inspections and complaint response form the core of DEQ’s enforcement efforts. DEQ regularly conducts inspections of projects and facilities to determine compliance. Violations during these inspections are then the subject of enforcement. DEQ also investigates complaints received from the public and other agencies about possible violations. In some cases where actual or potential harm to the environment is small, DEQ issues a warning letter. For more serious or repeat violations, DEQ takes formal enforcement action, usually by assessing monetary civil penalties.

These statistics, drawn from DEQ’s environmental programs throughout the state, are not complete but represent the best-available data, collected by reviewing individual program databases and files. N/A indicates not applicable.  For example, the open burning program does not conduct inspections per se, but only complaint response. Technical assistance inspections include only those formally designated as such.  During an official technical assistance inspection, DEQ evaluates the facility’s compliance status and offers advice, but cannot take enforcement action on violations documented. A number of programs, such as solid waste, don’t perform official technical assistance inspections but offer technical assistance informally during compliance inspections and through other contacts.

2008 DEQ ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY

Program Inspections Technical Assistance Inspections Complaint Responses Warning Letters Formal Enforcement Referrals Field Citations (UST only)
Asbestos 165 N/A 48 26 29  
Permitted air pollution sources 342 N/A 197 44 10  
Open burning N/A N/A 369   18  
Dry cleaners 13 3 3 13 10  
All water quality programs     334      

Domestic wastewater

179 14   146 62  

Industrial wastewater

64 1   42 28  

Stormwater

220 1 44 12  
Underground storage tanks 644 18 13 104 33 100
Hazardous waste 177 110 52 94 18  
Solid waste 272 N/A 170 27 4  
Oil and hazardous material spills 70 49 245 5 0  
2008 - all programs 2146 196 1431 545 224 100

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2007 DEQ ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY

Program Inspections Technical Assistance Inspections Complaint Responses Warning Letters Formal Enforcement Referrals Field Citations (UST only)
Asbestos 236 N/A 52 49 31  
Permitted air pollution sources 262 N/A 163 40 15  
Open burning N/A N/A 387 184 17  
Dry cleaners 11 3 3 11 1  
All water quality programs     355      

Domestic wastewater

181 6   98 57  

Industrial wastewater

46 2   16 23  

Stormwater

41 0 13 32  
Underground storage tanks 522 12 14 7 16 114
Hazardous waste 231 140 124 139 32  
Solid waste 208 N/A 140 20 9  
Oil and hazardous material spills 59 46 240 1 3  
2007 - all programs 1797 209 1478 578 236 114

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2006 DEQ ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY

Program Inspections Technical Assistance Inspections Complaint Responses Warning Letters Formal Enforcement Referrals Field Citations (UST only)
Asbestos 192 N/A 56 44 52  
Permitted air pollution sources 240 N/A 102 51 9  
Open burning N/A N/A 353 152 35  
Dry cleaners 27 3 3 27 0  
All water quality programs     414      

Domestic wastewater

200 8   126 50  

Industrial wastewater

62 2   51 13  

Stormwater

44 4 88 21  
Underground storage tanks 504 9 14 33 45 86
Hazardous waste 226 235 114 136 37  
Solid waste 193 N/A 122 32 11  
Oil and hazardous material spills 59 46 240 2 5  
2007 - all programs 1747 307 1418 742 278 86

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For more information about the Office of Compliance and Enforcement, call 503-229-5340.

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Headquarters: 811 Sixth Ave., Portland, OR 97204-1390
Phone: 503-229-5696 or toll free in Oregon 1-800-452-4011
Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service: 1-800-735-2900  FAX: 503-229-6124

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is a regulatory agency authorized to protect Oregon's environment by
the State of Oregon and the Environmental Protection Agency.

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