Friends of the Earth, an environmental nonprofit, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing Western Towboat Company of illegally polluting Elliott Bay and Puget Sound by discharging industrial waste during barge operations without proper permits.
Filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the complaint alleges that Western Towboat has repeatedly violated the federal Clean Water Act by releasing rock, sand, gravel, dust, and other particulates into the water during bulk material transfer operations.
The nonprofit is seeking a court order to stop the alleged discharges, require cleanup, and impose civil penalties…