Ponderay Newsprint fined for running diesel engines without permits

Ponderay Newsprint Co. was fined $24,000 for operating diesel engines without proper permits at its Usk, Washington, facility since November 2015.

The Washington Department of Ecology, which announced the fine Friday, levied it against the company for uncontrolled releases of diesel exhaust.

Diesel engine exhaust contains fine particles that can cause health problems for people who are exposed frequently and at high levels, officials said.

Ponderay’s Newsprint’s contractor, Plummer Forest Products of Post Falls, Idaho, also was fined $3,000 for not getting a permit. The company provides engines to run wood-chipping and log-debarking equipment.

The engines can be operated without a permit for up to 12 months. However, the companies continued to operate the diesel engines without a permit beyond the one-year time frame, even after they were notified about the need for permits, Ecology officials said.

Both companies may appeal the fines to the state’s Pollution Control Hearings Board within 30 days.