Washington state issues violation notice to Port Townsend Paper Company

The Washington State Department of Ecology has issued a notice of violation to the Port Townsend Paper Company regarding two unauthorized wastewater discharges that occurred in November 2025. The company has 30 days to respond to the notice, after which the department will consider enforcement options, such as monetary fines or corrective action orders.

The first incident occurred on November 7, 2025, during a planned power outage. The mill reported that electric pumps failed and backup diesel pumps also failed to start, resulting in approximately 600 gallons of untreated wastewater overflowing into Port Townsend Bay.

A second incident took place on November 20, 2025, when workers discovered thick sludge being discharged into the bay via a saltwater overflow line. An internal investigation by the mill identified a hole in a collection box at the sludge thickener area as the cause. This notice follows a recent investigation into the severity of the spills.