A bipartisan group of Oregon lawmakers is asking state environmental regulators to pump the brakes on enforcing a set of civil fines against Pacific Seafood while the company appeals.
Last month, the state Department of Environmental Quality levied $3.2 million in combined civil penalties against three Pacific Seafood-owned processing facilities for allegedly discharging fish guts, chlorine, oil and grease into waterways up and down the Oregon Coast.
Pacific Seafood criticized DEQ’s permit requirements, calling them unreasonable and impossible with current technology.
DEQ officials counter that other seafood processors have had no issues installing the necessary equipment to comply with regulations…