Longview grain terminal settles lawsuit over storm water discharges

LONGVIEW — A Longview grain terminal will pay nearly $1 million after settling a lawsuit with the Columbia Riverkeeper that claimed the terminal operated without necessary permits meant to monitor river pollution.

Export Grain Terminal, LLC., which operates a grain terminal out of the Port of Longview, will pay Seeding Justice $715,000 to benefit water quality projects after it settled with Columbia Riverkeeper on June 14 in the U.S. District Court.

It will also pay $220,000 to cover the Riverkeeper’s legal costs, the Longview Daily News reported.

The lawsuit claims EGT violated the Clean Water Act by not getting an industrial storm water permit that would have required it to monitor and report discharges from its facility.

EGT disputed the claims in a statement Wednesday, adding the Department of Ecology told EGT it did not need the industrial permit to operate.

“EGT is committed to be being a good corporate citizens, making operational decisions built on a foundation of ethical leadership, accountability and environmental stewardship,” EGT said.

In the settlement, EGT agreed to get the permit, send quarterly reports of storm water discharges to Riverkeeper for three years, draft a pollution prevention plan and reroute one of its spouts away from the Columbia River.