Salem, Oregon – The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has taken aggressive action against a wood treatment business in Yamhill County, giving it a civil penalty of more than $1 million for breaking environmental laws more than once. State investigators found that Stella-Jones Corp., which runs a wood processing site in Sheridan, had broken many rules about water quality, hazardous waste, and spill response. As a result, they were fined.
The fine of $1,055,825 is because the corporation didn’t follow the rules and put the environment at risk, and it also made money by breaking the law. The DEQ says that $877,225 of the total is the money that Stella-Jones saved by not following the rules. Regulators said that wood treatment chemicals that are not handled properly are hazardous for people’s health and the environment, so punishment is necessary.
The company has been investigated before. In the last two years, DEQ sent out three pre-enforcement letters about problems at the Sheridan plant. The agency also required the corporation to take corrective action in 2023, which they did. Even after those efforts, state officials decided that more punishments were needed to make sure people followed the rules in the long run.
“This enforcement not only addresses the company’s past violations, but also requires the company to revise its operations plan, conduct additional monitoring, and take other preventative measures to ensure it stays in compliance going forward,” said Erin Saylor, Interim Manager of DEQ’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement.
“Enforcement of environmental laws is critical to deterring future violations, ensuring a level playing field, and ultimately protecting public health and the environment. DEQ hopes the magnitude of this enforcement will further these goals and result in long-term compliance at the facility.”
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The enforcement order lists 23 different infractions. Stella-Jones needs to fix issues with reporting hazardous waste, paying fees, and storing waste. It also needs to enhance how it handles stormwater, keep an eye on more chemicals, and modify its systems so that they don’t overflow and hurt surrounding rivers.
This civil penalty is only one of the company’s recent legal problems. In August 2025, Stella-Jones negotiated a deal with the Oregon Department of Justice. They admitted to 10 misdemeanor counts of illegal water pollution that were connected to their state water quality permit. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also secured a $98,000 settlement with the corporation earlier this year.
Stella-Jones has 20 days from the date of the DEQ’s enforcement action to file an appeal. State authorities say the size and scope of the penalty show how serious the infractions were and how long they want the corporation to follow the rules. It’s not clear if the company will go that way.
Read DEQ’s full Notice of Civil Penalty Assessment and Order.
