Kaiser’s Tacoma Smelter Is Under Fire

A Seattle environmental group says Kaiser Aluminum Co. committed 851 violations of the federal Clean Water Act during the past six years at its Tacoma aluminum smelter.

The Waste Action Project on May 29 notified Kaiser and the state Department of Ecology that it intends to sue the aluminum maker within 60 days for allegedly exceeding discharge levels under the Act.

The threat comes on the heels of Friday’s announcement by Houston-based Kaiser that it settled similar allegations at its Mead smelter by another environmental group.

In that case, brought by the Kettle Falls, Wash.-based Citizens for a Clean Columbia, Kaiser pledged to pay $35,000 to the Washington Toxics Coalition, the Colville Indian Tribe and the U.S. Treasury.

However, Kaiser on Monday repeated assertions that it has not polluted waterways or harmed the environment in north Spokane and Tacoma.

“We don’t believe that these claims are justified,” said spokeswoman Susan Ashe. “We’ve worked with the Department of Ecology on all our permits and we’re conscious of our responsibility to the environment.”

Mike Palko, supervisor of industrial programs at Ecology, said that while Kaiser technically exceeded discharge limits at Mead, the department found no evidence that factory metals, chemicals or sewage polluted Dead Man’s Creek or the Little Spokane River, the tributaries that receive Kaiser wastewater.

Palko also questioned Waste Action’s claims. He said the organization did not account for the fact that recording instruments outside the Tacoma smelter often were submerged during flooding.

“They’ve misinterpreted the data,” he said.

Attorney Richard Smith, representing Waste Action, said flooded instruments is no excuse.

“This is a large company that should be doing this right and not skimping,” Smith said.

Waste Action is an 18-month-old organization of 100 members. It sued Dawn Mining Co. in February for alleged discharge of radioactive runoff near Ford, Wash.

The majority of claims against Kaiser in Tacoma involve alleged discharge of wastewater exceeding permitted pH levels and water temperatures into the Hylebos Waterway. Waste Action also claims the smelter released excessive quantities of nickel and cyanide 15 times since July 1991.

, DataTimes