Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Sept. 30, 1999

99-199

Contact: Larry Altose, public information officer, 425-649-7192
Bruce Smith, air-quality planner, 360-407-6889

Ecology seeks comment on revised open-burning proposal

OLYMPIA -- In response to public comment, the Washington Department of Ecology has redrafted proposed revisions to the state's open-burning regulations to give air pollution control agencies more flexibility in deciding whether a geographic area has a "reasonable alternative to burning."

"We got a clear message from the public that our original proposal was too restrictive and didn't make enough allowances for local conditions," said Mary Burg, who manages Ecology 's air-quality program. "We've made changes to address those concerns."

Under state law, certain types of outdoor burning must be prohibited in any area with a reasonable alternative to burning, and the proposed rule establishes a process and some criteria for identifying such areas.

Ecology's original criteria would have prohibited burning in any area within 15 miles of a municipal composting facility or within 15 miles of another alternative if the alternative cost less than the median of all solid waste tipping fees in the state.

The revised criteria will allow air-pollution-control agencies to establish boundaries for each prohibited area based on the capacity of the alternative, and then make adjustments as needed to define practical boundaries for the area.

Ecology invites comment on the changed proposal and has set four public hearings around the state, all scheduled for 7 p.m.:

Oct. 7 in Lacey -- Department of Ecology Auditorium, 300 Desmond Dr.
Oct. 12 in Mt. Vernon -- Northwest Air Pollution Authority Conference Rm,
1600 S. 2nd St.
Oct. 13 in Moses Lake -- Big Bend Community College Auditorium,
7662 Chanute St.
Oct. 14 in Vancouver -- Clark College North Conference Room,
1800 E. McLoughlin Blvd.

Washington's Clean Air Act began phasing out residential and land-clearing burning in 1991, beginning in areas with air-quality problems. Starting Dec. 31, 2000, the phase-out extends to all cities with a population over 10,000 and to the urban-growth areas for cities with populations over 5,000.

The phase-out applies to these and other types of burning when a reasonable alternative to burning is found to exist. The phase-out deadline for the urban-growth areas of most cities under 5,000 is Dec. 31, 2006.

State and local agencies receive more than 27,000 citizen complaints about open burning each year regarding health effects, poor air quality, odor and visibility.

Natural vegetation would remain the legal fuel for open burning. The proposal would not change the existing ban on burning garbage or other materials that produce excessive smoke or obnoxious odors. The proposal would clarify that construction debris, including lumber scraps, may not be burned. Fire containers would have to be brick or concrete; steel burn barrels could not be used.

Tumbleweed burning in most counties and residential burning in rural parts of less-populated counties would not require a permit. Burning of storm and flood debris could be permitted, even in areas where residential and land-clearing burning are banned.

The open-burning rule does not affect agricultural or silvicultural (forest management) burning, which are covered under separate regulations. Ecology's proposal would clarify that the rule does not apply on Indian reservations, except by intergovernmental agreements.

Citizens may obtain a copy of the proposed regulation or submit written comments by contacting Ecology via:

Mail -- Dept. of Ecology, Attn.: Bruce Smith, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, Wash., 98504-7600.
FAX -- Attn: Open-Burning Comment; 360-407-6802.
E-mail -- Please enter "Open-Burning Comment" in the subject line, brsm461@ecy.wa.gov

The draft rule change and other information also can be viewed on the Internet at http://www.wa.gov/ecology/leg/activity/wac173425.html. Written comments will be accepted through Oct. 22, 1999.

Additional details: http://www.wa.gov/ecology/leg/activity/wac173425.html

Additional contacts:

Benton Clean Air Authority (Benton County)
Contact: 509-943-3396

Northwest Air Pollution Authority (Note: Link updated on May 31, 2002 and Mar. 1, 2008.) (Island, Skagit, Whatcom counties)
Contact: Julie O'Shaughnessy, 360-428-1617, ext. 210 or Laura Curley, ext. 202

Olympic Air Pollution Control Authority (Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Mason, Pacific, Thurston counties)
Contact: 360-438-8768

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (Note: Link updated on Feb. 10, 2003.) (King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish counties)
Contact: 206-343-8800

Southwest Air Pollution Control Agency (Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties)
Contact: 360-574-3058

Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority (Spokane County)
Contact: Eric Skelton, 509-477-4727, ext. 121

Yakima Regional Clean Air Authority (Note: Link updated on Apr. 1, 2003 and Aug. 8, 2005.) (Yakima County)
Contact: 509-574-1410