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43 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, October 10, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds 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 Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 28, 2004 DEQ scraps pollution plan By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Clean-air advocates in Jackson County claimed victory Tuesday after the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality dropped a proposal to relax the toughest industrial pollution standards in the state. "That’s a nice little win," said White City resident Oscar Murphy. "Every once in a while the good guys win." Central Point resident Chris Pellett, an asthma sufferer, said, "It makes you a believer in what people can do if they organize." The DEQ, faced with the largest opposition to any air plan in its recent history, will continue with rigorous regulations that have prevented any new or expanding large industry from locating in the valley. "We decided to err on the conservative side," said David Collier, DEQ air-quality planner. "It is not a good time to ease the air-quality status in the valley." Advertisement In 2003, the DEQ proposed eliminating a stringent emissions requirement on new industry that produced five tons or more of fine particles. The DEQ theorized that the valley’s air had improved enough to allow more pollution while still not exceeding federal standards. But the DEQ proposal met with stiff opposition locally, generating more than 5,000 written and oral comments. "It’s a tremendous response," said Collier, who said the opposition was the main impetus for dropping the proposal. Contributing to the decision is the fact DEQ is eyeing potentially tougher federal standards in the future for even finer particles of pollution. The strict standards for new industry are not only the toughest in the state, but could well be the strictest in the nation. "I’ve never heard of another area that is more stringent," said John Becker, local DEQ air-quality manager. The staff recommendation, which requires approval from the state Environmental Quality Commission, will make it more difficult for the valley to attract some industries. "The business community will not have near the flexibility it had under our initial proposal," said Becker. Gordon Safley, executive director of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc., called the DEQ’s decision "prudent" in light of public reaction. However, he said it will mean some new industries will locate elsewhere. "It will certainly make it more difficult for industry to create higher-paying jobs," he said. But Safley said no large industries have expressed interest recently in moving to the valley even if the emissions rules had been relaxed. "Look at what happened in Klamath or Josephine County," he said, referring to the two counties that have opted to lessen their emissions requirements. "Large emitting companies have not rushed to be there." Safely said that even if the DEQ had changed its rules, local land regulations would have limited the amount of industrial development in the valley. "It wouldn’t make all that much difference," he said. County Commissioner Dave Gilmour applauded the DEQ recommendation. "I think it was the right decision," he said. "It will ensure that air quality will not get any worse in the near future." Medford resident Gary Brauer said the public needs to stay attuned to air quality issues. "I feel really happy it paid off, but we have to continue to be diligent," he said. The valley, he said, has been getting away from a reliance on heavy industry for years, attracting more businesses like the medical industry that thrive in a cleaner environment. To usher in another era of heavy industry, Brauer said, "would be like killing the goose that laid the golden egg." Clean-air credits run out Under existing emission rules, new or expanding industries that generate five or more tons of pollution annually have to purchase so-called clean-air credits. These credits can be created when existing companies reduce pollution by shutting down factories or adding new technology to clean up their emissions. But Department of Environmental Quality officials say there are no clean-air credits available to purchase. In some cases, industries have shut down but didn’t make the credits available to other industries. The credits can only be banked for two years, also limiting the amount available. These pollution regulations help limit the amount of small particles released annually inside Jackson County. These fine particles, which can cause a variety of health problems, measure 10 microns or less in diameter, or at least seven times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. The federal government is looking at standards in the future for even smaller particles of 2.5 microns or less. 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. 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