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http://www.omniture.com --> Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend May 10, 2006 State fines contractor on Gold Hill pumping station By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune GOLD HILL — A state environmental agency has fined a local contractor nearly $30,000 for water quality violations in building the city's new water intake station, which will begin pumping from the Rogue River on Thursday. The Department of Environmental Quality has levied a $29,500 fine against Johnny Cat Construction for forcing the temporary closure of the city's drinking water intake and causing pollution to state waters, said Les Carlough, senior policy adviser for the DEQ's office of compliance and enforcement. The violations occurred while Johnny Cat was attempting to create a dry building platform in the river for construction. "Penalties are calculated based on Oregon's administrative rules," said Carlough. About one in 10 violations receives financial penalties, he said. "We don't issue them for minor infractions," said Carlough. John Holmes, owner of Johnny Cat, did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Tuesday. Johnny Cat is appealing the fine, levied on March 24, Carlough said. Attorneys for the company said in their written response to the notice of violation that Johnny Cat crews were acting under permit, did not violate turbidity regulations and were also following directives from the Department of State Lands. News of the fines came as a surprise to Royal Gasso, Gold Hill public works director, and Ed Hodges, project manager for Lee-Pace Engineering, which designed the intake station. Hodges said Tuesday he was unaware of the fines, but acknowledged Johnny Cat had struggled with the in-water portion of the project. "There were some significant issues with how the contractor built and maintained their coffer dams," said Hodges. Despite initial problems, city officials were pleased with the final result of the $1.2 million project, which will allow the city to pump more water, especially during peak-demand summer months. "We are scheduled to go online Thursday morning at 8 a.m.," Gasso said. "The city is very pleased with the final result." The Department of State Lands shut the intake project down for several days in July 2005 after Johnny Cat crew members punctured temporary construction dams, sending murky water spilling into the Rogue River. In September 2005, the DEQ received further complaints of muddy plumes from anglers and officials from Valley of the Rogue State Park and the city of Grants Pass. DSL has the ability to levy fines, said Hodges. "But I have no idea if they will," he said. Bob Lobdell, natural resources coordinator for the DSL, said in October 2005 that his agency previously had informed Johnny Cat the coffer dams were constructed of illegal, unauthorized material. The agency ordered Johnny Cat to pull 3,000 cubic yards of rock out of the river at the construction site Sept. 28. There were also significant challenges in designing and building an in-river structure that would withstand strong flow around the project's deep water location, Hodges said. The job was shut down for two and a half months after December 2005 floods while construction crews repaired damage, Hodges said. Engineers redesigned parts of the plan so the facility could withstand repeated floods, he said. The project's completion takes the city once step closer to compliance with state and federal officials' orders that Gold Hill relocate its water-intake site and remove its diversion dam, considered to be the second-worst barrier to fish passage on the Rogue River, said Gasso. The majority of funding for the diversion dam removal is already in place thanks to grants acquired through the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, said Gasso. Gasso said he was relieved the city had been spared DEQ fines. "I am glad the city of Gold Hill was not assessed any penalties by the DEQ," said Gasso. "(We) have no means to control the means and methods used to construct the project in accordance with design specifications or permit requirements." Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail [email protected] . Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy