EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A west Eugene company will help pay for a school rain garden to settle a federal lawsuit alleging stormwater runoff from its facilities illegally flowed into the Willamette River.
Real Wood Products denied wrongdoing in the case, but agreed to pay $4,500 toward a planned rain garden at Creslane Elementary School in Creswell as part of the settlement.
Willamette Riverkeeper had sued the deck and fencing material manufacturer last fall, accusing the company of discharging unfiltered runoff without required state and federal permits.
Company owner Steve Sogge told the Register-Guard last week the company was in the process of obtaining those permits when the lawsuit was filed. He said the company now has those permits and tests show runoff from company facilities meets government standards.
