Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) officials have announced a public health risk revolving around asbestos in an “exceptionally large pile of debris” in an effort to continue addressing “long-standing hazardous waste” issues on property in rural Thurston County south of Yelm, according to a news release.
The specific property is the Deschutes Valley Farms, located at 17909 Lawrence Lake Road SE along the bank of the Deschutes River. The farm encompasses four parcels totalling 66.69 acres along the banks of the river, according to the Thurston Council Parcels website.
“While this has been an ongoing situation for several years, the increase in public events hosted at this property and recent confirmation of asbestos, with a lack of remedial action by the property owner, has elevated the risk to warrant a public health and safety response,” the release stated. “Warning signs were posted by PHSS staff on Oct. 10 and again on Oct. 15, 2025, to inform the public of the health risk; however, the signs were removed by the property owner.”
PHSS officials urged anyone planning to visit the farm to be aware of the situation and to take appropriate precautions given the danger of asbestos exposure — which can lead to lung cancer, mesothelioma or asbestosis.
According to the Deschutes Valley Farms Facebook page, the farm has been open to the public throughout the weekends in October with a pumpkin patch, corn maze and more for visitors.
PHSS officials added they are “actively working” with the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and other agencies to enforce compliance with environmental and public health regulations addressing “the numerous hazards and violations at the property.”
Earlier this year, in July, the proprietors of Deschutes Valley Farms, Chuck and Austin Rogers, were given a $204,000 fine from the Washington state Department of Ecology — stemming from state Shoreline Management Act allegations they built an “unpermitted shoreline development along the Deschutes River,” and in the process, built structures in protected areas and illegally placed fill in and around the river.
Ecology officials claimed the farm owners failed to seek necessary permits from either Thurston County or Ecology, as previously reported by the Nisqually Valley News.
“We have obtained all permits necessary for the work we have done on the farm. We have not altered, removed, placed anything in the river or within its buffer zone,” Chuck Rogers said in an email on July 17.
Additionally, Ecology officials alleged a large amount of construction debris was being stored next to the river as a part of a commercial hauling business also owned by the Rogers. Chuck Rogers claimed the debris was from an old farm house on the property they got property permits to demolish.
The construction debris had been left on the property after the Rogers had to appeal a fine through the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency after an asbestos report.
Chuck Rogers also told the Nisqually Valley News the farm had been inspected by officials from both the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) following a request he made with the DNR back in January to obtain a logging permit to be able to grow Christmas trees on 5 acres of the farm.
He claimed the WDFW and DNR verified the work he was doing on the farm was within their permit standards and there were no violations pertaining to the river or ponds on the property. He also felt he was in the middle of a possible dispute between Ecology and the WDFW and DNR.
“I’m raising my family here. I’m not going to pollute or hurt my ground on the farm,” Chuck Rogers said in July. “My kids are here, you know?”
He added everything grown on the farm is organic and free of pesticides and herbicides, and planned to appeal the Ecology fine.
