Oregon Public Broadcasting

The owners of a Columbia Gorge hot springs resort have reached a settlement in federal court for damaging wetlands on Forest Service land surrounding their site.  Pete Springer reports.

Bonneville Hot Springs resort owners Pete and Elena Cam agreed to pay a $30,000 penalty for the damage.

The resort, which is in Washington near the Bonneville Dam, will also have to pay for a new survey marking its property line, as well as for a previous survey.

A civil lawsuit charged the resort owners with removing those boundary markers as well as building trails on Forest Service land.

Emily Langlie is a spokeswoman with the U.S. Attorney's office in Seattle.

Emily Langlie: “They changed the water run-off, that came onto their land and around their land, they filled in wetlands and they burned some of the vegetation and used pesticides on Forest Service land.”

The resort owners are also required to restore damaged wetlands, remove non-native vegetation that was planted, and remove rock and fill deposited on surrounding public land. 

They face additional fines if the work is not completed on time.