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Cooperation on Burning Issues
A multi-agency collaboration of local fire marshals, fire chiefs, Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Southwest Clean Air Agency has coordinated to improve response to illegal burning in Clark and Cowlitz Counties. The workgroup also established new guidelines to improve fire safety and public education. Read more.
Weyerhaeuser Landfill
The Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA) has made a preliminary determination to issue Air Discharge Permit number 08-2772 to Weyerhaeuser Co. for the operation of a landfill gas collection and treatment system located at 3434 South Silver Lake Road in Castle Rock. There will be a Public Comment Hearing on the Weyerhaeuser Landfill permit at the Southwest Clean Air Agency office on June 5, 2008 during the Board of Directors meeting at 3:00 p.m. To read the Weyerhaeuser Landfill permit, click here, or to learn more about the Public Comment Hearing, click here.
Residents to Dispose of Natural Material
A series of yard waste composting and chipping events will be held throughout Lewis County this spring and fall. Lewis County Solid Waste, Lewis County Firewise and LeMay Inc. are sponsoring at least nine events to give residents an alternative to outdoor burning of yard waste.
"This is a real opportunity for residents that want to rid themselves of the storm damaged trees and limbs that may serve as fuel for wildfire this summer," said Gregg Pohll, a fire education and prevention specialist for Lewis County. "We also want to give residents in No-Burn Areas an alternative to burning or placing the material into a landfill," Pohll continued.
Dates have been set for nine events throughout the county, but the exact locations will be set as each event approaches. The dates for each community are as follows:
Sun. April 13th - Packwood
Sat. April 19th - Chehalis/Centralia "Re-Use" Fair
Sun. April 27th - Toledo
Sat. May 10th - Napavine
Sat. May 31st - Mossyrock
Sat. May 31st - Morton (no chipping available)
Sun. Sept 7th - Packwood
Sat. Sept. 20th - Pe Ell
Sat. Sept 27th - Winlock
All residents of Lewis County are encouraged to plan ahead and participate in these free events. Residents can bring their yard waste and be prepared to unload their own materials at the site. Only yard waste will be accepted (leaves, grass clippings, branches, weeds, scotch broom, etc.). For more information, visit firewiselewiscounty.org or call Lewis County Firewise at 1-800-562-6130, ext. 2751.
Guidance for Flood Victims Cleaning Up Asbestos
In light of the recent floods that ravaged southwest Washington, the Southwest Clean Air Agency is making an effort to facilitate the clean-up process. If you own and reside in a single-family home, you are allowed to do your own asbestos removal during home renovation projects, but asbestos demolition and removal notification forms must be filed with the Southwest Clean Air Agency. Read more.
No-Burn Areas Expanding in Clark County
On January 1, 2008 the permanent No-Burn Areas of Ridgefield, La Center, Battle Ground and parts of Vancouver expanded to reflect the changes in Clark County's new Comprehensive Growth Management Plan, as approved on September 25, 2007. The Yacolt No-Burn Area will not be expanding at this time. Read more.
EPA Issues
Final Rule for Paint Stripping
and Surface Coating Operations
Your facility may be subject to a new EPA rule for paint stripping and surface coating operations. This rule, titled National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations at Area Sources, recently became final. For more information about this new rule, read the entire ruling (external PDF link).
Bright
Idea
If every American household replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY
STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than
3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy
costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of
more than 800,000 cars.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs use about 75% less energy, last up to 10 times longer and produce 90% less heat than standard incandescent bulbs. Using a compact fluorescent light bulb can save more than $30 in energy costs over the lifetime of the bulb.
For more information, visit EnergyStar.gov.
Funding to Assist Outdoor Burning Alternatives
The Washington Department of Ecology has received $2 million for a
Coordinated Prevention Grant program to fund projects that provide
alternatives to backyard burning of organic materials. The state legislature
appropriated these funds to assist impacted urban growth areas of
less than 5,000 population. The Southwest Clean Air Agency has notified
affected communities about this potential funding and where they can
receive assistance with the application process.
Turn your yard waste into a resource:
-
Compost or chip your yard debris
- Use yard debris chips as mulch for weed control and water retention
- Season limbs for use as firewood
For more information about the grant program and process, click here.
Update: Cleaner School Buses
Since
the Washington State School Bus Retrofit Program was funded in 2004 by
the Washington state legislature, more than 500 school buses in southwest
Washington have received diesel oxidation catalysts. Thanks to this program,
retrofitted buses now emit 30 percent less air pollution in the form of
fine-particles coming out of the exhaust pipe.
The next step for this program will be to install Closed Crankcase Ventilation Systems (CCVS) on school buses. This equipment will reduce the amount of diesel fumes that build up inside the buses and will further protect the lungs of our school children.
Retrofits for Local Governments
The Southwest Clean Air Agency is beginning to expand its diesel emissions
reduction program to local government fleets. Through funding from the
Department of Ecology and the Southwest Clean Air Agency, diesel oxidation
catalysts are planned to be installed on C-Tran, City of Vancouver, City
of Longview and the Vancouver Fire Department vehicles.
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Changes
to Outdoor Burning
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Outdoor
Burning Advisories
* Click here for more information. |
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