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Department of Ecology News Release - January 4, 2010
10-002
SPOKANE - Northeastern Whitman County grain farmer, Monte Roth, and Roth Farms, Inc. have received a fine of $40,000 from the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) for illegally burning three large, wet piles of broken bales of wheat and grass straw without a permit.
The fires were burning or smoldering between April 27, 2009, and May 1, 2009, near a home adjacent to the property. The adjacent homeowner complained to Ecology, and air quality investigators documented burning on five days, April 27 through May 1, 2009.
The neighbor reported that one of the fires was within 100 feet of his home and the smoke was in his house whether the wind was blowing or not.
A large component of emissions from burning agricultural piles is fine particles (soot), which often carry toxic and carcinogenic materials. The small particles remain suspended for long periods of time and travel significant distances. They can travel deep into people’s lungs where they can cause structural and chemical damage.
Monte Roth or Roth Farms Inc. can appeal the penalty to Ecology or to the state’s Pollution Control Hearings Board with 30 days.
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