A lawsuit brought by Puget Soundkeeper Alliance in 2020 against Carlile Transportation has led to a settlement.
The lawsuit accused the company of violating industrial storm water requirements on the Tacoma Tideflats by discharging storm water into the Hylebos Waterway, reported Tacoma News Tribune.
Carlile Transportation is a 24.8-acre freight transfer terminal operating on land leased from Port of Tacoma, supporting large shipments of supplies by vessel to Alaska. The lawsuit alleged that the freight transfer terminal violated the Clean Water Act (CWA) and its permits from the Department of Ecology.
The consent decree filed with Carlile Transportation on the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma will result in the installation of an advanced storm water treatment system and $325,000 in reparations paid to local communities, plus legal fees and costs, according to Puget Soundkeeper.
“Despite repeatedly triggering permit requirements to make substantial onsite updates to ensure cleaner storm water, Carlile delayed solutions for years,” said Puget Soundkeeper Alliance in a news release. “The settlement requires (at long last!) installation of an advanced storm water treatment system to filter and clean the runoff water before it reaches the Hylebos. It also requires enhanced sweeping and storm water plan updates. Carlile will pay Soundkeeper’s legal fees and costs, and $325,000 to the Rose Foundation for local third party environmental projects.”
The lawsuit sought daily penalties against the company for each violation. According to the suit, the company failed to: meet water quality standards, use best management practices, take corrective actions, make a suitable storm water pollution prevention plan, take or analyze quarterly samples, and meet visual monitoring requirements.
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