PORT TOWNSEND — State Department of Ecology officials vowed Wednesday to better handle complaints from residents regarding paper mill air quality issues in Port Townsend.
“We haven’t done a very good job of that at Ecology,” said Merley McCall, supervisor of Ecology’s industrial division, to about 150 at Port Townsend High School commons.
“We promise that we’re going to do a better job of tracking complaints.”
McCall also urged residents to also contact the mill’s odor-tracking team with concerns.
That pledge was offered during an information and public comment hearing Wednesday night before Ecology officials, who gave detailed answers to a number of questions regarding toxicity levels of emissions from Port Townsend Paper Corp.’s kraft paper mill, which employs about 320.
The information session and public hearing was set up mainly because of large-scale public interest, Ecology officials said.
It is also timed with Port Townsend Paper executives seeking renewal of the 75-year-old mill’s five-year air operating permit.
McCall explained that the mill’s permit, which expired in November 2005, covers seven units and involves emission control requirements.
Units covered include the mill’s recovery furnace, the smelt dissolving tank, lime kiln, digester, evaporators, condensation stripper, and three power boilers, one of which is shut down.
