Delta Ponds Summer Construction to Open Waterways Temporarily Closes Trails

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P,ri ter Friendly - [Cities Settle Dumping Lawsuit] Page 1 of 1 ~ri ter Friendly - [Cities Settle Dumping Lawsuit] i i~ PRINT ities Settle Dumping Lawsuit uesday, June 26, 2007 06:10 PM Y BEN MCKEE ANE COUNTY, One. - A collection of public agencies has agreed to settle a lawsuit over the alleged unnecessary and ' otentially negligent dumping of raw sewage into nearby rivers. The suit was filed in 2006 by a local group called Oregon iverWatch. he group accused Eugene, Springfield, and the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Agency of violating the Clean Water ct. RiverWatch says -the three agencies allowed raw sewage into waterways. Facilities say they couldn't handle the heavy ater-flow during the winter months. regon RiverWatch said local sewage treatment plants had nothing in place to monitor the amount of raw sewage going into earby waters. The lawsuit also cited a lack of training - to monitor the dumping of raw sewage. efendants deny any wrongdoing against the Clean Water Act, but they say, they decided to settle out of court, to keep rates low or rate-payers. side from $120,000 in settlement fees, the agencies now have 3 years to finish upgrading their facilities - to ensure raw ewage goes through the full treatment. "If they're releasing sewage into the river, whether it's intentional or negligent," said iverWatch President John Bergland, "Than that should be stopped. And that's why we sued." ' Iso behind the settlement, public agencies will also have to monitor *any* raw sewage seeping into waterways. A plan needs to a in place to train new employees about monitoring. $120,000 dollars for RiverWatch's attorney's, and finally, the agencies will ive $65,000 to the Long Tom Watershed Council. enmckee@kezi.com i,, I I'~ i I i i I I ~ htt~://www.kezi.com/popwin. cfm?popupView=print&contentID=17196 6/27/2007