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Department of Ecology News Release - May 11, 2004
04-083
OLYMPIA - The state has fined Longview Fibre $130,014 for a string of air pollution problems last winter.
The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) documented more than 150 separate air-permit violations by the pulp-and-paper maker from November 2003 through January 2004.
Longview Fibre's pollution problems stemmed from a seasonal fuel shift at one of its boilers. That shift, from natural gas to a less expensive fuel oil, increased ash in the boiler's emissions. The boiler makes steam, which is used to produce pulp and paper.
Ecology noted the air violations from routine reports submitted by the plant, as required by its air operating permit.
In late January, the company changed the way it operates the boiler and cleaned up its emissions.
"Longview Fibre clearly enjoyed an economic advantage during the period of the violations, and that is why the penalty is so large," said Carol Kraege, who manages Ecology's industrial section. "These kinds of economic gains cannot be made at the expense of the environment."
Ash emissions are measured in terms of "opacity," which is a measure of the amount of light blocked by the emissions. Violations occur when the state's threshold for opacity is broken.
Longview Fibre has 15 days to apply for relief from the penalty and 30 days to appeal it to the state Pollution Control Hearings Board.
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Contact: Sandy Howard, public information manager, 360-407-6239
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
