An Idaho fish farm in Buhl is facing up to $177,500 in fines for five years of violations of the Clean Water Act, the EPA reports today. The agency said the ARK Fisheries Tunnel Creek operation, which the operator says has capacity to raise up to 275,000 pounds of trout and 80,000 pounds of sturgeon a year, has polluted a tributary of the Snake River. “EPA has provided assistance to ARK Fisheries on numerous occasions over several years to help them comply with their permit,” said Kim Ogle of the EPA in Seattle. “Unfortunately, the Tunnel Creek facility continues a trend of incomplete or late reports, instances of non-reporting, and discharge permit violations.” The agency cited violations from discharging pollutants without a permit for two months in 2005 to failing to submit annual reports for 2008 and 2009 to exceeding permit limits for phosphorus in January of 2010.

Meanwhile, another Idaho business, the John C. Berry & Sons, Inc. oil storage and distribution facility in Idaho Falls, has agreed to pay a $15,000 fine for Clean Water Act violations; that plant is 800 feet from the Snake River.