DEQ Penalizes Men $6,000 for Burning Mobile Home, Tires in Joseph
By Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality has issued penalties to Wallowa County residents Roger David Wagner and his son, Todd David Wagner, for burning prohibited materials including a mobile home, treated wood and tires at Roger Wagner’s property at 83552 Joseph Highway in Joseph in early March.
Todd Wagner, who ignited the burn pile on March 3, received a $3,000 penalty. Roger Wagner was penalized $3,049. The Wallowa County Fire Department responded to a local complaint about the blaze that day and later referred information about the incident to DEQ.
State law prohibits burning of such materials because they normally emit dense smoke and noxious fumes when burned. The open burning of prohibited materials creates a nuisance and poses a threat to the environment and the health of the young, elderly and those with respiratory conditions.
The Wagners appealed the penalties on May 31 and will schedule a meeting with DEQ to discuss the matter further.
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