Information and Alerts

Government Actions

State of Washington v. Northwest Environmental Solutions, Inc. d/b/a NES Demolition and NES, Inc., Core Environmental Group, LLC and Kevin Michael Wilkerson

The following describes a government action that has been resolved by either a settlement or a decision by a court or administrative agency.  If the matter is being appealed, it will be noted below.

On October 18, 2024, in the State of Washington Pierce County Superior Court, the State of Washington and Northwest Environmental Solutions, Inc. d/b/a NES Demolition and NES, Inc., Core Environmental Group, LLC and Kevin Michael Wilkerson, in his individual capacity (hereinafter, “Defendants”) entered into a Judgement and Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law. Wilkerson’s unlawful conduct violated the state Consumer Protection Act. Wilkerson and his companies must cease all unlawful conduct or face further penalties from the court.

Defendants were ordered to pay $360,741.91 in penalties and restitution for unlawfully charging gas station owners for unfinished, unnecessary, or shoddy work on underground fuel storage tanks.  The fine includes $195,000 in enhanced civil penalties for harming individuals in Washington based on their national origin. Wilkerson must pay nine gas station owners a total of $165,741, amounting to full restitution plus interest.

The judgment includes full restitution, plus interest, for nine gas station owners — all but one of whom identify as Korean or South Asian — who were scammed by Kevin Wilkerson and his companies, Northwest Environmental Services and Core Environmental Group. Wilkerson collected payment from the small businesses for work he did not perform or performed so poorly the businesses had to pay thousands more to other companies for the same services. In many cases, Wilkerson stopped responding to the owners of the gas stations when they attempted to contact him and refused to refund what they paid.

Wilkerson’s unlawful conduct affected small businesses in Pierce, King, Snohomish, Thurston, Grays Harbor and Lewis counties.

According to the complaint, Wilkerson’s companies advertise maintenance services for underground storage tanks, which are used by gas stations across Washington to store fuel. There are approximately 8,700 underground storage tanks located at more than 3,400 sites statewide. Gas stations, which are primarily independently owned and operated, are responsible for periodic testing, maintenance, and servicing for underground storage tanks. Service providers for this maintenance work must be certified, follow state regulations, and report the services they perform to the state Department of Ecology, which enforces regulations for underground storage tanks. Despite advertising a “skilled and certified in-house team” that “performs to the highest of standards,” Wilkerson and his companies have been taking advantage of small business owners since at least 2015, including:

• Accepting payment for services that were not completed or only partially completed;


• Completing services that violated regulations and exposed customers to liability for environmental damages;


• Misrepresenting certifications to customers;


• Persuading gas station owners to purchase and install unnecessary equipment and make unnecessary, expensive repairs; and


• Telling gas station owners they had submitted required documentation to Ecology when they had not.

In one instance, an Indian gas station owner in Toledo paid Wilkerson a $50,000 deposit to install new underground fuel storage tanks at his gas station. Six months later, the business owner learned that Wilkerson had not applied for the permits and, as a result, the work could not begin on time. The gas station owner had already purchased two new underground tanks, each capable of holding 25,000 gallons of fuel. With nowhere to install them, the owner had to pay an additional $7,000 to store them above ground behind the gas station. The gas station owner has hired a different contractor to complete the work, which will not be done until summer 2025. As a result, the business will lose a significant portion of monthly sales until then. The court ordered Wilkerson to repay the business owner $94,119 for this and other shoddy work, an amount that includes 12 percent interest. 

While the restitution provided by the court on Friday is limited to the nine impacted business owners who submitted declarations to the court, the Attorney General’s Office believes more businesses may have been harmed by Wilkerson’s conduct. Business owners who wish to report harm from Wilkerson or his companies should contact the Attorney General’s Office at [email protected] or toll-free by calling 1-833-660-4877 and selecting option 1. 

The Washington State Department of Ecology received repeated complaints over many years from gas station owners and operators regarding Wilkerson. He faced multiple complaints for shoddy work that increased the risk of environmental damages, such as underground fuel leaks. Despite the penalties, Wilkerson remains undeterred. Ecology continues to receive new complaints about similar conduct by Wilkerson. To report a complaint to Ecology’s underground storage tank program, email [email protected] or call the UST Hotline at 800-826-7716.

Anyone who believes they are the victim of unfair or deceptive business practices should file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office at https://www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint.

For more information, please contact the Washington Attorney General’s Office at https://www.atg.wa.gov/ or call (360) 753-6200.