Are Simpson & Olympic Panel OperatingWithout Current Permits?
Submitted to Shelton Blog by Katherine Price Mason County Progressive
When I inquired about the air operating permits for Simpson and Olympic Panel, I was directed to ORCAA's website. From ORCAA's website, I downloaded and printed the Air Operating Permits issued to Simpson and Olympic Panel for the operations they conduct in the Shelton Harbor. These two separate permits, for these two separate businesses, contain the following (identical) information on their face:
Issuance Date: February 3, 2005
Expiration Date: February 3, 2010
Since it is now April 2011, the question may be asked: Are Simpson and Olympic Panel operating without current air operating permits? Robert Moody of ORCAA says they are not. However, a review of the documents on the ORCAA website do indicate otherwise.
I suggest we investigate this and inquire further of ORCAA, including a request that they update their records to reflect why and/or how the expiration date of February 3, 2010, is not correct.
How would I, Jane Doe Citizen, expect the process for renewing my own air operating permit to go?I wonder what a Freedom of Information Request to ORCAA would tell us about the process for renewing an air operating permit if you are Simpson or if you are Olympic Panel? Does it look anything like what I think it should look like?
Prior to the expiration of my air permit, I would expect to have to complete and submit some lengthy documents for the permitting agency that would convince them that I should have my permit renewed, preferably prior to my expiration date.
This would be followed by a visit from some officials of the permitting agency who would inspect my operations, review my data, and ask me to provide some additional information, because there are newer, different, more stringent CLEAN AIR ACT requirements in 2011.
I would provide the additional information requested in a timely fashion.
The permitting agency would then hold a public hearing, to be sure that the permit requested was still something that served the residents of the area affected by my continued pollution.
Then, if I were lucky, I would receive the appropriate renewal of my permit BEFORE my existing permit expires.
Given how far science and medicine have come in connecting air pollution with its terrible health effects on humans, one would expect the process for renewing these permits to be more stringent today than they were in 2005 when the permits in question were last issued. I certainly hope that turns out to be the case.
I also hope that something a great deal more significant is required to have an air operating permit renewed than just a letter to ORCAA requesting that the permit be renewed.
I suggest we investigate this and inquire further of ORCAA, including a request that they update their records to reflect why and/or how the expiration date of February 3, 2010 is not correct.
Are Simpson and Olympic Panel operating without a permit? Inquiring minds want to know.
SHELTON BLOG NOTE:
Link to expired Simpson ORCAA Air Operating Permit:
http://www.orcaa.org/index.php/download_file/view/267/119/
Link to expired Olympic Panel ORCAA Air Operating Permit:
http://www.orcaa.org/index.php/download_file/view/261/119/
Great catch, Katherine! Let's pursue this matter with a vengeance.
ReplyDeleteIt would appear, at first glance, that while air-breathers were busy ferreting out small – Devil in the details – minutia in an effort to enlighten the barbarians at the gate, the barbarians themselves might have left the barn door open. Way to go, Katherine
ReplyDeleteThe air permit addresses the threshold of specific pollutants yet is stunningly lax in scope and monitoring requirements. Page 19, "Compliance Monitoring Systems," speaks to a Opacity Survey, which is good for a laugh but makes about as much sense as trying to count the number of passengers in a plane flying at 35,000 feet.
ReplyDeleteRidiculous; ridiculous; and more ridiculous.
ReplyDelete"Opacity Survey?"
It's like the ORCAA nose coming to town; but it's ORCAA's eye(s) this time!!
The makeup of the board of ORCAA has got to be changed. It is presently made up of politicians and corporate insiders... how can the citizens feel their interests are represented when they do not even have a seat at the table?
A wise man in our air-breathing community recently suggested that the board of ORCAA might better serve the citizens if it were made up of - wait for it - CITIZENS; with a smattering of environmental organizations represented as well.
I have just added the following item, Item #369, to my to do list:
Find out what would be required to change the make-up of the board of ORCAA so that citizens and environmental groups are represented. Then ORCAA's mission statement would have meaning, and clean air and the health of the citizens would be the primary concern of the agency.