“The waste stream generated by the pulp and paper mill . . . is capable of producing leachate or emissions that have the potential to negatively impact soil, groundwater, surface water or air quality and thus the PTPC waste stream cannot satisfy the criteria for inert waste,” concluded the report.
Posted on website
The report, signed by Jared Keefer, environmental health and water quality director for the department, and posted on the Health Department's website Monday, was dated Dec. 28.
The final findings underlined earlier county rulings, and Port Townsend Paper officials repeated their intention to appeal it to the state Pollution Controls Hearing Board.
“We believe we have a very strong case,” said Port Townsend Paper President Roger Loney in an email.
“We will continue to pursue a resolution of this issue with the involvement of state and county officials as we seek to operate our facility in an environmentally responsible and economically sound manner,” he wrote.
The Dec. 28 formal denial of the permit starts the 30-day clock of the appeal process to the Pollutions Control Hearing Board.
Loney said the denial was not surprising, since it is largely a restatement of the department's Oct. 17 decision.
Inert-waste permit
Port Townsend Paper — the county's largest private employer, with nearly 300 workers — requested in September an extension of its inert-waste permit, which had been in effect since 1989.
The county health department said Oct. 17 that the company should be required to attain a more stringent limited-use permit.
The mill appealed the decision Oct. 22, triggering a Nov. 27 hearing to review the decision.
Dr. Tom Locke, public health officer for Jefferson and Clallam counties, issued a denial of the appeal Dec. 3. "
Source and Full Article
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20130103/NEWS/301039995/jefferson-county-issues-formal-denial-of-port-townsend-paper-permit
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