Request ORCAA/Simpson Public Hearing

SIMPSON AIR OPERATING PERMIT UP FOR RENEWAL
COMMENT PERIOD ENDS MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 2011

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Katherine Price Mason County Progressive

Shelton and Mason County have learned a lot in the past year and a half.

We have learned that most of our LOCAL political leaders have their own agendas, which rarely reflect the concerns of their constituents, but almost always mirror the needs and desires of their corporate campaign donors.

We have learned that government agencies we thought existed to protect the citizens and enforce federal clean air and water standards, instead primarily seem to act as facilitators for corporations to obtain permits to pollute in the name of business as usual.

We have learned that we live in an amazing modern time where the citizen can actually learn things we never knew we needed to know. Things like PM2.5 being harmful for children and other living things, and there being no safe level of consumption of dioxin for humans (and there is a lot of dioxin in our harbor).

We have learned that we live in a community where, when the medical professionals share their EXPERT opinions on the health hazards of burning in populated areas, they can be ignored by the Port, the Chamber Pot, the EDC, the County Commissioners, and the City Commissioners.

And because we have learned these things, we have also learned that we cannot stop watching and learning.

Simpson Timber Company's Air Operating Permit is up for renewal. This is a five (5) year renewal. The permitting agency, ORCAA (Olympic Regional Clean Air Agency), never met a permit it wanted to deny, so you can expect the five year renewal to be smooth sailing for Simpson.

However, I have a great many questions as must many citizens of Mason County. I have questions that were addressed to ORCAA re: the ADAGE proposal that never got answered as the ADAGE proposal was withdrawn.

These unanswered questions pertain equally to the Simpson Timber Co. Air Operating Permit.

In order to have such questions answered, ORCAA will provide us with a public hearing...but ONLY if they get enough requests for such a hearing.

It is up to US to request a public hearing.

Also, we need to specifically ask ORCAA to publish notice of the hearing in the Journal, rather than the Olympian, as the persons affected are strictly in Mason County on this one!

AND

I suggest that each of us should also ask to be added to ORCAA's list of "persons of interest", so we all can get plenty of notice about a hearing, as we did from the City on the Air Operating Permit renewal.

Comments and hearing requests must be submitted in writing by 8/15/11 to:

Fran L. McNair
ORCAA Executive Director
2940-B Limited Lane NW
Olympia, WA 98502
Fax: 360-491-6308
Email: fran.mcnair@orcaa.org

SHELTON BLOG NOTE:

Link to Simpson AOP info on ORCAA website:
http://www.orcaa.org/public-involvement/draft-air-operating-permits/#simpson