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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Oct. 12, 1998
98-177
Contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509)
575-2610
Lynnette Haller, air quality engineer, (509) 457-7126
YAKIMA - SDS Lumber Company of Bingen has been issued an air-operating permit by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), following a year of public comment and review by both state and federal officials.
In addition, the sawmill and plywood manufacturer has added emission controls to its hog-fuel boiler that should reduce the smoke leaving the mill.
"Citizens in the area have been concerned about plumes of dense smoke coming from the hog-fuel boiler," said Lynnette Haller, an air quality engineer for Ecology. "Now, when the boiler is in operation this plume should be barely noticeable."
Citizens throughout the gorge area were an integral part of the permitting process, participating in two public hearings before the final permit was approved.
The federally required five-year permit organizes all the lumber company's air quality obligations into one document, and is enforceable by Ecology, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and citizens.
The permit does not allow for any new pollution to occur. It does outline specific monitoring, record-keeping and reporting mechanisms to show the company is operating within acceptable emission limitations and standards.
To aid in assuring compliance with the new permit, SDS Lumber Company has installed a new air-pollution-control device on the existing hog-fuel boiler that burns sawdust, wood chips, bark and scrap. As well as reducing the amount of particulate matter entering the atmosphere by 80 percent, the new device should reduce visible emissions.
Haller praised SDS Lumber Company for installing new emission controls. Emissions from the new air-pollution-controls will be tested within the next six months and results analyzed by the state for compliance.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
