Port of Tacoma settles with EPA, Dept of Justice for CWA violations

The Port of Tacoma and two of its contractors have agreed to a half a million dollar fine and $3 million in restoration work to compensate for what sound like some pretty bad choices back in 2006 and 2008.

The Port apparently had a contractor raze 4 acres of Hylebos wetlands to get rid of invasive snails - not an approved procedure. The Port also had a different contractor dump 4,000 cubic yards of "urban fill materials" into 2 acres of the Hylebos wetlands - also not on the list of good ideas.

The proposed settlement has been filed with the court, and the public has a month to weigh in on the plan.