Last summer there were DEQ public hearings regarding the PGE/Boardman power plant, a coal-burning facility built over 30 years ago that has very little emission control technology. The hearings had an impact on how DEQ handled situations with PGE, but only because there was a large and loud public response at these hearings. We also benefited from a sympathetic reporter, Michael Millstein, who wrote well in the Oregonian on the issues and will almost certainly be at the hearing on Thursday evening.
This Thursday is a great opportunity for you to have an effect. The hearing is a Title V renewal hearing for the PGE/Boardman power plant. Title V is the part of the Clean Air Act that provides large polluters a permit to pollute and this hearing is the public's opportunity to comment on PGE's 5-year renewal of that permit.
Our DEQ has so far failed to require that PGE install sulfur and nitrogen pollution controls that are common equipment in power plants across the country. Recent studies have shown that pollution in the gorge is directly attributable to Boardman. This pollution damages the health of Oregon's fish, ecosystems and people and is one of the causes of asthma in our children.
I ask you to join me at this hearing. Your presence alone is valuable. Any written or oral comments you can give would be that much better, even brief ones.
Thank you for being an advocate for our childrens' health.
Tile V Permit Public Hearing:
Thursday night at 6 p.m. at DEQ headquarters: http://www.deq.state.or.us/news/publicnotices/uploaded/070417_2015_PGEhgt4202007.pdf
Thursday, May 31 6:00 PM
Department of Environmental Quality
Room EQC A on the 10th floor
811 SW Sixth Avenue,
Portland, Oregon
Eric R. Miller, PT, MHS Sellwood
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