DEQ fines Douglas County $35,270 for methane violations at Roseburg Landfill

ROSEBURG, Ore. - The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued a $35,270 civil penalty to the Douglas County Public Works Department for failing to properly monitor methane emissions at the Roseburg Landfill on McLain West Avenue.

According to a notice dated October 2, 2025, DEQ found that the county did not conduct required quarterly methane instantaneous surface emission monitoring, known as SEM, from December 2022 through the first quarter of 2024. State landfill gas rules require landfills with a certain level of methane generation to begin quarterly monitoring within 90 days of an initial methane report and to continue that monitoring until results show specific thresholds have been met or stricter control requirements are triggered. In this case, Douglas County reported an annual methane generation rate of 4,412.76 metric tons per year, well above the level that triggers SEM requirements, and was required to begin monitoring by December 30, 2022, 90 days after its methane report due date.

DEQ called the failure to monitor a serious violation. In the notice, the agency wrote that failing to monitor can delay taking corrective actions or making required upgrades to the landfill’s gas collection and control system, which is intended to keep methane emissions to minimum levels to protect public health and the environment. Excess methane emissions increase greenhouse gases and contribute to climate change. Methane is also classified as a hazardous air pollutant, and DEQ noted that many hazardous air pollutants are known or suspected carcinogens and can cause other serious health effects.

The agency also concluded that Douglas County gained an economic advantage by not performing the monitoring. Of the total penalty, $27,470 represents what DEQ calculated as the county’s avoided costs for six missed quarters of SEM work, based on an estimated $4,500 per quarter. State penalty rules are designed to remove any financial benefit from ignoring environmental requirements so that compliant facilities are not put at a disadvantage.

In addition to the main violation, DEQ cited two other problems but did not attach extra fines. The county failed to submit a required 2023 Instantaneous Surface Emission Monitoring Report, which should have been filed after four consecutive quarters of monitoring, and did not fully document which corrective actions were taken after some April 2024 readings exceeded the methane limit of 200 parts per million by volume. The report only generally stated that all areas returned to below regulatory limits following system adjustments, without connecting specific corrective actions to the locations that exceeded the limit.

DEQ did acknowledge that the county eventually conducted a SEM event in April 2024 and stated that this effort was considered when setting the penalty amount.

Douglas County has 20 calendar days from receipt of the letter to request a contested case hearing if it wishes to appeal. The notice explains how to file an appeal by mail, email or fax. If no hearing is requested in time, the penalty becomes final and due.

The county may also be eligible to reduce a portion of the cash payment by completing a Supplemental Environmental Project, or SEP. SEPs are approved projects that provide an environmental benefit in the community in place of part of the financial penalty.

Questions about the case were directed to Jenny Root at DEQ’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement. The full Notice of Civil Penalty Assessment and Order can be found here.