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Click Here 40 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, February 4, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend June 20, 2003 Thanks in part to reduced smokestack emissions from mills such as Medford's Timber Products, Jackson County's air quality advisory group has recommended the standards be loosened further to encourage industry. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Healthy industry or clean air County commissioners disagree on the issue after advisory committee proposal By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Two Jackson County commissioners are at odds over a proposal that would degrade air quality while potentially stimulating industry in White City. Commissioner Dave Gilmour, citing potential risks to the community from more polluted air, said, "I would rather err on the side of public health." Speaking at a staff meeting with fellow commissioners Thursday, Gilmour, a physician, said children with asthma, cystic fibrosis and other ailments are particularly susceptible to even the slightest increases in pollution. The proposal, approved by a local advisory committee to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recently, would eliminate so-called "offset requirements" on industry. Advertisement As the rules stand now, a new factory that produces 10 tons of pollution must make up the difference by purchasing "clean air credits" amounting to 12 tons from another industry, causing a 20 percent improvement in air quality. However, industry leaders say there are no clean air credits available, making expansion or new industry unlikely. That’s particularly difficult for the White City area, which has a lot of vacant industrial land. "You and I disagree about the 20 percent," said Commissioner Jack Walker, speaking to Gilmour, who is a member of the air quality advisory committee. Walker argued that the county falls far below Environmental Protection Agency limits for air pollution, giving the area some leeway when attracting industry. Walker said any decision will have an impact on the business community and on urban renewal efforts in White City. "They will all be affected by any decision we make," he said. Gilmour said the county has made great strides in improving air quality and shouldn’t go backward. "We need to allow enough safety margin for public health issues," said Gilmour. Commissioner Sue Kupillas said she needs time to reflect on the issue before taking a stand. David Collier, air quality planner with DEQ, said health versus the creation of jobs has been a major topic of debate in Jackson County. "There are good arguments on both sides of the issue," he said. The better the air quality the fewer respiratory problems people have, he said. "There is the philosophy that cleaner is better," he said. "There needs to be more of a discussion among the community of balancing different priorities." The community, he said, needs to decide how far below the federal standards the county should remain. According to EPA guidelines, particles of 10 microns or less — far smaller than the diameter of a human hair — are particularly irritating to the lungs. To meet federal standards, an area cannot exceed an annual average of 50 micrograms of these tiny particles for every cubic meter of air. Also, the average cannot exceed 150 micrograms in any 24- hour period. Most parts of Jackson County fall well below those levels, but on occasion some parts of White City rise above the limits. Collier said the recommendation to eliminate offsets will be debated at public hearings this summer. The commissioners and others will be invited to weigh in with their own recommendations, he said. Annette Liebe, DEQ manager of air quality planning in Portland, said the county’sair quality advisory board still must decide what level of air quality degradation would be acceptable if new industries moved into the area. Despite the Rogue Valley’s generally clean air, it was named the second worst airshed in the state last June as part of an EPA study, she said. Jackson County isn’t the only area that has considered lifting offset requirements. Grants Pass and Klamath Falls have eliminated the requirement, a step that required state approval, she said. If new industries came to Jackson County, they would still be required to install state-of-the-art equipment to curtail pollution, although it is impossible to eradicate all pollution, she said. Timber mills, which used to be one of the biggest polluters in the valley, have installed equipment to significantly reduce toxins in recent years, she noted. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! 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