Growers Fined For Environmental Damage

Jacob Willis, John Francis popped for leaking fuel tanks and hazardous waste dumping

Humboldt Sentinel
12/16/08
By Sentinel Staff

EUREKA -- Two rural Humboldt County property owners must pay penalties of $50,000 each, along with completing a full clean-up of environmental violations associated with a cannabis growing operation.

Jacob Willis and John Francis signed consent agreements in October with the Division of Environmental Health due to separate administrative enforcement actions initiated by the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services. DEH inspectors identified numerous illegal activities, including:

- The installation and operation of unregistered above-ground storage tanks without preparing a spill prevention, control and countermeasures (SPCC) plan. Tanks at both properties released significant quantities of diesel fuel and used motor oil to the ground.

- The collection and storage of hazardous waste in unapproved containers.

- Improper handling and disposal of hazardous waste.

- Failing to report to authorities the release of hazardous materials to the environment.

- Failing to provide the necessary reports for the storage of hazardous materials.

To their credit, both Willis and Francis contracted the services of environmental consultants to correct nearly all the violations, with the majority of contaminated soil having been removed and properly disposed of. In addition to the combined $100,000 worth of penalties, their clean-up efforts must be completed and some costs incurred by DEH in their investigation must be paid off by the respondents.

Any breach of either consent order, however, would cause a unilateral order to be in effect, with full penalties attached, according to Melissa Martel, the supervising environmental health specialist for DEH.

Over the past ten years, DEH has become increasingly concerned with chemical releases associated with the cultivation of cannabis. Releases of diesel fuel and waste oil continue to be common at cannabis growing operations due to improper storage and handling of these chemicals which are toxic to humans, aquatic organisms and other wildlife, threaten drinking water, and can present an increased risk of uncontrolled fires.

For more information, contact DEH at (707) 445-6215.