Potlatch, WA – A Hood Canal homeowner was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay significant penalties after admitting to lying to federal authorities about the construction of an illegal beachfront bulkhead. Jon Walter Koloski, 74, pleaded guilty in July 2015 to one count of making a false statement, a federal felony under 18 U.S.C. 1001, and has now completed a year of probation as of November 16, 2015.
The case, investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with assistance from multiple state and federal agencies, revealed Koloski knowingly proceeded with construction in September 2011 without securing the necessary permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Despite being informed by both Mason County officials and the Corps that a permit was required, Koloski forged ahead with the project, which extended ten feet beyond the permitted boundary.
According to court documents, Koloski initially attempted to obtain permits, submitting paperwork in 2010 indicating the bulkhead would be ten feet past the ordinary high water mark. When the application stalled, he allegedly revived the process but ultimately bypassed it entirely, hiring a contractor and completing the construction. In April 2012, six months *after* the bulkhead was built, Koloski falsely emailed the Army Corps of Engineers claiming he no longer intended to build the structure due to financial constraints and requested withdrawal of his application. A subsequent inspection by the Corps exposed the deception.
“The defendant made false statements designed to mislead government authorities,” stated Lance Ehrig, Acting Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Washington. Ehrig emphasized that Koloski, a principal founder of an environmental engineering firm and a geologist, was acutely aware of the permitting requirements, making his actions particularly egregious. U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes added, “Not only did this defendant knowingly proceed without a permit, he lied to federal officials in an effort to hide his wrongdoing.”
Environmental Impact & Penalties
The unpermitted construction resulted in the loss of critical habitat for endangered salmon populations in the Puget Sound. As part of a settlement resolving both criminal and civil violations of the federal Clean Water Act, Koloski agreed to pay a combined $120,500. This includes $60,000 in civil penalties and $60,500 to the Hood Canal Coordinating Council for salmon habitat mitigation. Furthermore, the settlement mandates habitat restoration at the site of the illegal bulkhead to address the environmental damage.
The EPA collaborated with Mason County, the Washington Department of Ecology, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to bring the case to resolution. David Allnutt, Director of the Office of Ecosystems, Tribal and Public Affairs in the EPA Seattle office, underscored the importance of permitting for shoreline development, stating, “It is imperative that developers who work on sensitive shoreline habitats have permits that allow for development to proceed in a way that protects the environment.”
Key Facts
- Defendant: Jon Walter Koloski, 74
- Crime: Making a false statement to federal authorities (18 U.S.C. 1001) and violations of the Clean Water Act
- Location: Hood Canal, Washington
- Year: 2016 (Plea entered 2015, sentencing completed 2016)
- Penalty: 12 months probation, $60,000 civil penalty, $60,500 for habitat mitigation, and required habitat restoration.
- Impact: Loss of endangered salmon habitat
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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