Oct 28 2010
The State Department of Ecology has provided the go-ahead signal to Port Townsend Paper to build an electric power generating facility next to its mill. In May this year, the company had made an application seeking permission from the Department of Ecology to upgrade its power boiler and to erect a steam turbine. The company has sought permission to run the boiler utilizing biomass or hog fuel to produce around 25 MW of electricity.
Earlier the Ecology department had invited public comments on the project till September this year and subsequently extended the comment date to October 5th. The project received resistance from PT AirWatchers, an environment group, which has conveyed its fears about air and water pollution that will be caused by the mill. Laurie Davies, Ecology program Manager, supervising the air and water permissions of the mill project, said that the department appraised every aspect of the mill project and looked in to the details of more than 140 comments received on the project, which includes comments received during the extended period and the petitions on reducing the noise level. He added that Ecology could not find a valid reason to refuse permission for the project. The permission order issued by the Ecology imposes stringent emission limits for the newly upgraded boiler than the limits issued earlier. According to Al Scalf, Director of County Community Development, the mill will be required to fulfill the building and water quality norms set for the project which is set to begin in 2012.
Eveleen Muehlethaler, Vice President for Environmental Affairs, said that his company has made an all-inclusive up-gradation for the project including that of air pollution checking equipment to produce green power. He added that the installed equipment will prevent pollution by saving on the burning of over 1.8 million gallons of fossil fuel every year.