BELLINGHAM –

After six years of failing to properly close four sewage sludge lagoons, San Juan County has completed cleanup and will pay a $10,000 fine to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).

The payment is part of a settlement agreement signed this week by Ecology and San Juan County. If the county did not meet the terms of the settlement agreement by Oct. 15, 2008, Ecology would have imposed the full $144,000 fine. The county was required to complete the closure and plant vegetation at two lagoons on Lopez Island, and remove sewage from two lagoons on Orcas Island.

“Our main goal is always to bring these kinds of facilities into compliance in order to protect human health and the environment,” said Peter Christiansen, manager of Ecology’s Solid Waste and Financial Assistance Program for the north Puget Sound region. “The county took action, allowing us to suspend what would have been a serious penalty for a serious violation.”

San Juan County Administrator Pete Rose said the county staff worked steadily and as quickly as they could, but they encountered numerous problems that caused delays.

“We consulted with Ecology and kept them informed of both our progress and delays throughout the project,” Rose said. “But we were unable to finish before the Ecology deadline.”

The four lagoons stopped accepting sewage in 2000. From that point, the state considered the sewage to be stored biosolids, starting a two-year time limit for temporary storage. Ecology can extend that time limit, as long as it receives an approved plan for future management.

By September 2005, it was clear the county had no formal plans to properly manage the waste. Through a series of correction notices and administrative orders, Ecology required San Juan County to finish work at the lagoons by April 10, 2007.

Although the county made substantial progress and spent $121,000 on the Lopez Island site, it missed the August deadline, and another deadline set for Oct. 15, 2007, finishing work on Aug. 8, 2008.