PORT ANGELES — Nippon Paper Industries USA’s new biomass boiler exceeded one-hour carbon monoxide limits twice Feb. 27 and once Feb. 28, without compromising the health of factory workers or city residents, according to the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency.
Meanwhile, agency personnel expect to receive results of air quality tests on the $85 million biomass cogeneration project by Monday, said Mark Goodin, a professional engineer for the agency known as ORCAA.
The excessive levels for one-hour averages of carbon monoxide were recorded inside the stack, tripping off an alarm and causing an immediate shutdown.
“It was something they resolved to ORCAA’s satisfaction,” Goodin said.
“These wouldn’t have made a measurable difference on the ambient air quality that could be breathed by Port Angeles citizens or workers at the site.
“By the time this thing hits the ground, things are dispersed.”
Mill Manager Steve Johnson said Nippon is working to improve the boiler’s operation.
“We have burning problems in the boiler, and we are working on that,” he said.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, toxic flammable gas formed by incomplete combustion.
The company is finding it difficult to consistently feed fuel to the boiler in a way that keeps carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide emissions within permitted levels, Johnson said.
Air quality permit
“The challenge is learning how to control the boiler within our emissions permit,” he said.
“This is probably the tightest air quality permit in the state of Washington, so we are breaking new ground here.”
Hanady Kader, spokeswoman for the federal Environmental Protection Agency, said it would be difficult to determine if that’s the case, adding that regional bureaus such as ORCAA issue the permits.
ORCAA, one of seven such agencies in the state, covers Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties. It was established in 1968.
The agency issued the permit under the federal Clean Air Act.
“This is probably the most reviewed and tightest permit our agency has produced,” agency spokesman Dan Nelson said Thursday.
“Since it’s new technology, it’s a new process that required our engineering staff to make sure every issue was addressed and fully researched.”
Nippon’s boiler burns biomass — woody debris — at high temperatures to generate electricity for sale and steam for the paper-making plant.
The releases occurred following air quality tests Feb. 17-19 on the problem-plagued biomass cogeneration plant, which began operating in limited capacity after a dedication ceremony in late 2013.
A leaky, cracked mud-drum — a key component of the boiler — had to be replaced, prompting competing lawsuits.
Breach of contract?
A $6.2 million breach-of-contract lawsuit was filed by project contractor Factory Sales & Engineering Inc. of Covington, La., against Nippon.
Nippon filed a $10.85 million negligence and breach-of-contract counterclaim against FSE.
A 12-day trial on FSE’s lawsuit against Nippon has been scheduled for March 7, 2016, in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.
A mediation session last fall failed to resolve the dispute.
Johnson said it is likely that both cases will be combined.
“I’m sure that when it’s all done, there will be one trial with all the issues,” he said.
The likelihood also increases that a settlement will be reached the closer Nippon and FSE get to trial, Johnson added.
He also said 60 of Nippon’s 159 hourly and salaried workers who were furloughed beginning April 10 while the mill shuts down production for annual maintenance and cleaning are still scheduled to return to work April 27.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
