The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and United States Department of Justice (DOJ) entered a
Consent Decree on January 22, 2020, resolving years of violations under the Clean Water Act (CWA)
at the Manke Lumber Company facility (Manke) located along the Hylebos Waterway, in Tacoma,
Washington. Under the Consent Decree Manke Lumber Company agreed to a civil penalty of $320,000
as well as a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) that consists of a land transfer of 38 acres of
undeveloped land from Manke to the City of Shelton, Washington that will be permanently set aside for
conservation. The SEP will protect a riparian zone along Goldsborough Creek providing many benefits
to the threatened Coho population that utilizes the creek for spawning habitat. Additionally the
Consent Decree contains significant injunctive relief to address the CWA violations at the facility
which include: building a new stormwater treatment system, training employees, implementing an
Environmental Management System (EMS), performing third-party audits of environmental
compliance, increased sampling, increased reporting, and hiring an Environmental Manager to oversee
the facility.