SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) — The City of Seattle is facing a lawsuit over an alleged discharge of pollutants into Lake Union and the Puget sounds.
Waste Action Project filed a complaint May 22 in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington against the City of Seattle alleging violation of the Clean Water Act and other claims.
The plaintiff alleges in its complaint that the City of Seattle is illegally discharging pollutants from its public utilities North Transfer Station SEA into the state's navigable waters and into the King County sanitary sewer system. The plaintiff specifically claims that Seattle's facility has "multiple distinct points of discharge" which allow stormwater and other pollutants to eventually enter Lake Union and the Puget sounds.
It alleges that Seattle's actions violate the conditions of their permit granted for industrial activities as well as state and federal environmental laws. The plaintiff claims the defendant has failed to comply with numerous requirements and complete corrective actions in compliance with water quality standards including record-keeping and water testing. It alleges Seattle's violations amount to civil penalties of $59,973 per day for each violation.
The plaintiff seeks monetary relief, interest and all other just relief. It is represented by Richard Smith and Savanah Rose of Smith & Lowney PLLC in Seattle.
U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington Seattle Division case number 2:23-CV-00756