Is this pumpkin patch safe to visit? Farm owner objects to county public health warning
Thurston County issued a warning to the public Wednesday to stay away from a local farm due to a hazardous debris pile, but the owner told The Olympian he removed the pile last Saturday.
The property is located at 17909 Lawrence Lake Road SE, next to the Deschutes River. The county issued the notice amid an ongoing dispute with the property owner over the debris pile and his activities along the river.
The debris pile was confirmed to have asbestos-containing wastes as of Sept. 15, according to a county news release. The county claims the owner has been hosting events at the property despite the hazard and has removed warning signs public health staff posted on Oct. 10 and 15.
The owner and his family operate Deschutes Valley Farms on an adjacent parcel. The farm has hosted a pumpkin patch since Oct. 10.
“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 states.
Asbestos is a mineral fiber found in rocks and soil that was once used in building materials. Once disturbed, these fibers may be released into the air where they pose a risk to people, according to the Washington state Department of Health.
“Asbestos is a dangerous substance and should be avoided,” the release states. “There is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Breathing in these fibers can lead to serious diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.”
Chuck Rogers, the property owner, is disputing the county’s version of events. When reached for comment, Rogers told The Olympian he appropriately removed the debris pile on Saturday and the public has not been allowed near the debris pile.
“The county is using a matter on my personal property to affect our farm business,” Rogers said.
The farm is at 17845 Lawrence Lake Road SE, which is centered roughly 0.2 miles from debris pile on the adjacent property, according to Google Maps.
When asked if he believed his farm was safe for the public, he said, “Absolutely.”
The asbestos was detected in the remains of an “old, dilapidated camp trailer” that was found in the woods of his property, Rodger said. He said the county asked him to test it for asbestos before he threw it away in a dumpster.
“I did that, and they found 10 square feet of linoleum that was in the floor of that camper trailer that had asbestos in it,” Rogers said.
He said he followed the county’s guidance and placed a tarp over the pile and notices around it that read “dangerous area containing asbestos.”
Rogers said the county wanted him to hire a professional contractor to remove the asbestos, but the cost was too high. Instead, he said he got a hazardous waste container from LeMay, a local waste company, for a fraction of the cost. He said the company hauled it off on Saturday. Images shared with The Olympian show bare, flat dirt where the pile used to be.
“We gave the county all the proper paperwork that shows LeMay took care of it and now the county’s mad because I didn’t follow their orders of having a contractor do it,” Rogers said. “We didn’t think we needed to because I’m the homeowner and I have every right to do my own asbestos work.”
Rogers said he purchased the property in 2021 and has been cleaning it up since then. The property was seemingly abandoned for decades prior, he said.
“When my farm was dormant for 20 years, it was used as a dumping ground,” Rogers said. “We have been cleaning up garbage and putting it in this pile.”
When asked about the removed health notices, Rogers said he did not personally remove them as the county claims.
“They put notices on my neighbors’ property,” Rogers said. “And the neighbors are upset with the county as well, because they know what the county is doing to me. So, I would presume the neighbors or somebody, whoever’s property they were put on, they took them down. I’m not sure.”
The Olympian asked the county to respond to Rogers’ objections. Thurston County Public Health and Social Services spokesperson Renae Miller said the county had not been notified about any debris removal.
“Removal must be performed by a certified asbestos removal contractor, per (Olympic Region Clear Air Agency’s) Regulatory Order, issued Sept. 30, 2025,” Miller said. “The county has repeatedly been denied access to the property, including when we last contacted them on Oct. 15, 2025.”
When asked why the county conflated Rogers’ property with that of the adjacent farm, Miller said the two properties are owned by the same trust, are less than 0.2 miles apart and there’s no physical barrier between them.
“There is no safe distance from exposed asbestos that could become airborne,” Miller said.
Lastly, Miller maintained PHSS staff saw Rogers’ remove public health notice signage from the entrance of his property at 17909 Lawrence Lake Road SE.
Rogers is contending with enforcement action from other government agencies as well. The Olympic Region Clear Air Agency also has been involved in the issues over the debris pile.
“The state and federal Clean Air Acts empower ORCAA to enforce regulations regarding asbestos in our jurisdiction. We appreciate the opportunity to work with Thurston County and the state’s Department of Ecology to protect public health,” ORCAA Executive Director Jeff Johnston said in the county news release.
The county alleges Rogers has failed to address numerous hazards and violations on his property. To enforce compliance with environmental and public health regulations, the release says public health staff are actively working with the county Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and other agencies.
Notably, the Washington State Department of Ecology fined Chuck and Austin Rogers $204,000 earlier this year for unpermitted shoreline development along the Deschutes River.
“Chuck and Austin Rogers damaged the river’s sensitive shoreline ecosystem by building unauthorized structures in protected areas, illegally placing fill in and around the river, and unlawfully clearing and grading its banks,” Ecology shared in a July news release.
When asked about the fine, Chuck Rogers said he has appealed the fine and his activities have not been within a 200-foot setback of the river.
He said he cleared his logging activities with officials from the Washington state Department of Natural Resources and Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Rogers shared documents with The Olympian that show he engaged with those two agencies as well as the Thurston Conservation District as he developed his property.
Rogers said his goal has been to develop a farm to support his family and bring some agricultural tourism to the area. Now, he said he feels caught in the middle of several different government agencies.
“We’re trying to do everything the right way,” Rogers said.
