PORT ANGELES — Biomass opponents were given a reason to celebrate Tuesday.
Port Angeles City Councilman Max Mania said at that evening’s council meeting that he would like the council to discuss a moratorium on Nippon Paper Industries USA’s $71 million biomass energy project, which he has consistently opposed, to better understand potential health effects.
“I think we need to discuss this,” he said.
The proposal was met by applause from several audience members who spoke during public comment against the project. Some appeared surprised.
“I’m really happy,” said Diana Somerville, a Port Angeles freelance writer.
“I think it’s a wise move.”
Mania’s proposal did not prompt any comments from the rest of the council.
Mayor Cherie Kidd said Wednesday she will talk with City Manager Kent Myers about placing the issue on a future agenda for discussion.
“We represent the community,” she said.
“We all have different opinions.”
“If he wants it on the agenda,” Kidd added, “we will put it on the agenda.”
Harold Norlund, mill manager, could not be reached immediately for comment.
Shoreline development permit nixed
The City Council had approved a shoreline development permit for the project in December 2010. Mania then voted no.
He said he raised the issue Tuesday because he continues to hear concerns from North Olympic Peninsula residents over emissions, including ultra-fine particles.
“As we get closer, the public’s concerns have gotten . . . louder,” Mania said.
Mania, in an interview, also questioned whether Port Angeles should have “great smokestacks” on the waterfront when it is trying to make it more tourist-friendly.
Nippon’s biomass project, the only one in Port Angeles, would produce about 20 megawatts of electricity, for which the mill could sell credits.
Burning biomass, slash from logging sites and unused wood from mills, is nothing new for Nippon.
It currently burns wood in a 1950s-era boiler to produce steam.
For the project, a new boiler will produce both steam for Nippon’s paper-making process and electricity.
When it is finished, expected to be in April 2013, the mill would double the amount of biomass it burns.
Concerns over air quality
That has raised concerns over air quality from environmental activists.
“When that stuff goes in the air, it does come down somewhere,” Somerville said.
Norlund has said the new boiler would overall decrease its regulated pollutants, even with more wood being burned, because of the use of more modern technology.
That does not take into account carbon dioxide emissions, which would increase by 231,000 tons a year, according to the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency.
The mill’s air emissions permit from ORCAA is under appeal to Thurston County Superior Court.
Its permits previously have been appealed to the state Pollution Control Hearings Board, state Shoreline Hearings Board and City Council.
The permits have been upheld at each stage.
The groups that have filed the appeals are Port Townsend AirWatchers, Olympic Forest Coalition, Olympic Environmental Council, No Biomass Burn of Seattle, the Center for Environmental Law and Policy of Spokane, the World Temperate Rainforest Network and the Cascade Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Port Townsend mill
Many of those groups also have participated in appeals of Port Townsend Paper Corp.’s 25-megawatt biomass project, which would allow that company to sell credits for electricity.
One appeal is now before Thurston County Superior Court.
In other action, the council accepted up to $2,500 from the Port of Port Angeles to assist the city in a lawsuit between the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Wildlife Federation.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
