Seattle, WA

November 7, 2013
3:00-6:00 pm PST
Henry M. Jackson Federal Building
915 2nd Ave.
Seattle, WA 98104
Register
Point of contact: Caryn Sengupta – (206) 553-1275

http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards/public-listening-sessions

We encourage you to attend!

On Thursday November 7, 2013 from 3-6pm in Seattle, the EPA will hold one of its 11 “public listening sessions across the country to solicit ideas and input from the public and stakeholders about the best Clean Air Act approaches to reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants.

“The Clean Air Act gives both EPA and states a role in reducing air pollution from power plants that are already in operation.  The law directs EPA to establish guidelines, which states use to design their own programs to reduce emissions.  Before proposing guidelines, EPA must consider how power plants with a variety of different configurations would be able to reduce carbon pollution in a cost-effective way.

“The feedback from these 11 public listening sessions will play an important role in helping EPA develop smart, cost-effective guidelines that reflect the latest and best information available.  The agency will seek additional public input during the notice and comment period once it issues a proposal by June 2014.” (from the EPA website )

Comment from a correspondent: “Biomass is being offered by the forest industry as an “interim bridge” for power plants to meet the new proposed EPA carbon limits:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/04/business/power-plants-try-burning-wood-with-coal-to-cut-emissions.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131104

”

As we’ve seen by evaluating data from EPA’s eGGRT (electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool), the first set of industries in Washington State that were required to submit data reported nearly 32 million metric tons of CO2e emissions (primarily carbon dioxide and methane). However, these facilities are able to report a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions because current EPA rules allow them to simply omit any emissions from wood-based fuels from the calculations without eliminating any CO2 from the air! It’s even worse in the case of pulp and paper mills. The figure is closer to 80%. For instance, Port Townsend Paper reports actual emissions of 32 million metric tons of CO2e, but if the EPA only counts emissions from fossil fuels, 25.5 million metric tons or 82% of their CO2 emissions are definined away — again, without eliminating any CO2 from the air!

We don’t call that cleaning up the air. We call it magical thinking.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/working-steadily-on-sustainable-paper-mill-228294311.html

The alleged clean air didn’t seem to materialize for more than a few days. But I hope that you opened your windows and breathed deeply then.

Then it was back to reeking as usual and the winds are clocking back to their fall directions which  means more coming over Port Townsend, WA. During September and October 2013, PT Paper is testing a protocol of adding O2 (liquid oxygen) to their wastewater treatment basin (known as the ASB or “aerated stablization basin”) in an attempt to clean up or neutralize the “odor.” (The basin is not a “pond” –  at 35 acres, it’s smack at the mid-size of all lakes in Jefferson County). Will it work? Or, will it merely remove what we can smell and leave what harms us? I certainly don’t know! Here’s Charlie Bermant’s 8/21/2013 article in the PDN: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130821/news/308219985/port-townsend-paper-mill-seeks-applicants-to-review-odor-trial-results

Semi-tech alert: Much of the odor is mercaptans and other similar chemicals rising up from the ASB. These are chemically similar to the odorants added to natural gas to alert you when that odorless, colorless toxic chemical is present enough to harm or kill you. Some chemists on the citizen review panel are trying to look into the chemistry of the ASB. Failure of the test will be obvious enough; partial or signicant success gets us into the territory to ask is it “fixed, some degree of partial solution, or masked”. Until outcome shows otherwise, I’m willing to keep an open mind and accept that this as an earnest enough effort.

The inside of my nose (still) swells up when the plume comes around. I had nosebleeds a couple of days right around September 9 and a couple of townspeople mentioned that they had had unexplainable nosebleeds around then as well. No nosebleeds for me lately, although inflamed nostrils and the occasional nausea are problematic.

Be sure to report Mill Stink to Ecology’s Mill Stink line at 360-407-7393, whether you smell it strongly or faintly, and especially if it affects you in some way whether health, irritation, discomfort or change of plans. You’ll reach Angie Fritz in the Industrial Section, who is great to work with. One of our members suggests putting the number on speed dial. It works great! Push a button, call Angie, log your odor report, help build the record for Ecology that says yes, the mill’s toxic emissions affect our daily lives and we support fixing it!

For two weeks, from September 9 to 23, 2013, Port Townsend Paper has announced that it is shutting down for annual maintenance.   Which means…..

¿¿ ABOUT TWO WEEKS OF FRESH AIR ??

Do we think that they will NOT be running the equipment while they clean it? Let’s check it out carefully this year. Meanwhile, take this opportunity to make the most of it.

Ride your bike or walk on the Larry Scott Trail — and feel safe breathing. Row, sail or paddle into Port Townsend Bay! Shop at our “gateway” businesses in comfort! Sleep peacefully all night WITH YOUR WINDOWS OPEN!

We hope that we are not remiss in saying —

ENJOY!

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