The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued 23 penalties totaling $617,581 in August, including two to companies in Crook and Deschutes counties.

On Aug. 5, NW Premier Inc. in Prineville was fined $1,255 for the open burning of demolition waste – lumber and woody debris – at 821 NW Locust Ave., without a permit. The company paid its fine on Aug. 16, according to a DEQ news release.

On Aug. 6, the Truax Corp. in Bend was fined $13,225 for failing to protect underground connected piping from corrosion as part of underground storage tank system at 912 NW Newport Ave., according to DEQ. The company appealed the fine Aug. 23.

Two of the largest penalties for August involved serious water quality violations that occurred over the past year during construction of a 60-mile natural gas pipeline between Coos Bay and Roseburg.

On Aug. 9, DEQ issued a total of $205,658 in penalties against MasTec North America Inc., the company that originally contracted with Coos County to install the pipeline. Most of the violations involved failing to install adequate erosion controls along the pipeline construction route, allowing soil and muddy water to enter local creeks, rivers and streams and harm aquatic habitat.

To date in 2004, DEQ has issued 100 penalties totaling $1.3 million, according to a news release from the agency.

The civil penalty actions reflect alleged violations of state and/or federal laws designed to protect human health and the environment, according to DEQ.

Penalties are for violations of permits or prohibited activities affecting air or water quality, or the safe handling and disposal of hazardous or solid wastes. Penalty amounts vary depending on a variety of factors.