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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 January 15, 2004 Air studies reveal the dirt Relaxed pollution controls, tighter EPA regulations could have far-reaching effects By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune A proposal to relax industry emission standards would result in air so dirty that it could exceed federal limits in Medford and White City, according to one scenario prepared by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. In another scenario, an even wider area stretching from south Medford to Central Point to White City would exceed federal limits if tighter regulations under discussion by the federal Environmental Protection Agency are also enacted. County Commissioner Dave Gilmour said the DEQ has misled the public by using outdated maps to make the case that pollution levels won’t rise significantly if regulations on new or expanding industries are removed. Gilmour, a member of the Medford-Ashland Air Quality Advisory Committee, said, "They keep going back to the old maps, which aren’t accurate." Advertisement But David Collier, air quality planner with DEQ, said, "With all respect to Commissioner Gilmour, I am somewhat surprised with some of the conclusions he is going off with." He said the graphs, prepared last summer at the urging of Gilmour, don’t reflect that the DEQ will require an air standard that is slightly tougher than federal standards. "These are not our projections of what will happen," he said. "There are no circumstances where industry would be allowed to have impacts over the (federal) standard." Collier said that while the area won’t exceed federal limits, it’s difficult to gauge exactly what effect looser standards would have. "I don’t know the future." Under existing regulations, new or expanding industries that produce five or more tons of fine particles annually have to buy so-called clean air credits, which the DEQ and industry representatives say are not available. Responding to concerns that industry can’t locate in the valley, the DEQ, working with the local advisory committee, created a plan that would allow industrial growth, potentially resulting in more pollution. Collier, who said it has been difficult to explain the complicated proposal to the public, also acknowledged that other charts and graphs prepared by the DEQ have added to confusion because they don’t accurately reflect pollution projections. Under existing regulations, which are the toughest in the state, most of the valley produces less than half the federal standard for fine particles, limited to 50 microns per cubic meter. The new regulations would create a "growth allowance" that would permit industrial pollution that could raise current levels an additional 17 microns per cubic meter. Complicating the issue, the EPA is at the same time discussing a new overall pollution limit of 30 microns or less. To help it understand potential impacts, the DEQ produces worst-case scenarios that take into account the valley’s growth to 2015. Under the scenarios released by Gilmour, the DEQ calculated the air quality based on industry producing the maximum allowable pollution levels. Theoretically, it rarely if ever does that. Both Gilmour and county Commissioner Jack Walker pressed for a resolution next week either supporting or opposing the proposal. Walker said he supports the DEQ’s plan. Commissioner Sue Kupillas has indicated in the past that she thinks vehicles are the major source of fine particles — not industry. However, Cond� Cox, a Jacksonville resident who has been an outspoken critic of the plan, has criticized the DEQ for not taking into account the effects on health of particles measuring 2.5 microns or less. The DEQ proposal looks at particles measuring 10 microns or less. Ten microns is seven times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. According to information from the EPA, vehicles produce only 10 percent of these particles, which are considered the most problematic particles for human health. The EPA reports that industry, woodstove smoke and other non-mobile sources account for 72 percent of this pollution. Cox said the extra pollution generated by industry would ultimately drive away business. "This proposal is unhealthy for the economy, and for the long run in this valley it is unhealthy," he said. John Becker, DEQ regional air quality manager, agreed that the figures for fine particles came from the EPA Web site, but he disputed whether they reflect the major sources of pollution in this area. "Does that apply to Rogue Valley? I don’t think so," he said. However, Becker said he didn’t know what the major pollution sources for these fine particles are for this area but would look into it. Gilmour, a Central Point doctor, said the more he looks at the DEQ proposal, the more he dislikes it. "I’m a little bit nervous about adopting standards that are not in compliance (with federal limits), and would affect health standards," said Gilmour. The DEQ has come under increasing criticism for its backing of a plan that would increase pollution locally. "We’re listening very carefully to what the people are saying," said Collier, who added that the DEQ is not trying to sell this plan. "I wouldn’t say the proposal is fixed in stone." Public meeting set on air-quality regulations The DEQ has scheduled a public meeting on its air quality proposal next week. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday21 at South Medford High School's auditorium. A copy of the plan is available at www.deq.state.or.us/aq/index.htm . Written comments may be mailed to David Collier, Oregon DEQ, Air Quality Division, 811 S.W. Sixth Ave., Portland, OR 97204-1390. Comments may be faxed to Collier at 503-229-5675 or sent to collier.david@ deq.state.or.us. For information from opponents of the plan, the Citizens for Clean Industry in the Rogue Valley has a Web site at www.rogueair.com . 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! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times