HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-90 - Res. Washington Correction Center Air Quality StandardsRESOLUTION 1-90
WHEREAS, clean air affects all citizens and burning bans for all homes and
businesses in western Washington are increasingly more common; and,
WHEREAS, the Washington Correction Center has been cited by the Olympic Air
Pollution Control Authority for stack emissions from their coal-fired boilers of
almost twice the allowable limit; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Corrections has plans to enlarge their operations
and prison population in Mason County; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Corrections has proposed a compliance schedule
calling for expenditures in excess in excess of $1.5 million and delays of over
three years before air quality standards can be met; and,
WHEREAS, there are no guarantees that the Legislature will appropriate these
funds; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Corrections has spent $50,000 over the last
several years on consulting reports dealing with the feasibility of alternative
fuels such as wood pellets and natural gas; and,
WHEREAS, Mason County has an abundance of wood waste suitable for the
manufacture of pellet fuel; and,
WHEREAS, the Washington State Penitentiary at Walla Walla has converted the
intitution's heating system from coal to wood pellet fuel and has successfully
operated for the last two years meeting all state and federal air quality
standards.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mason County Board of Commissioners
encourage that the Department of Corrections take immediate action to bring the
Washington Correction Center facility within existing air quality standards.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department of Corrections should follow the
advice of their consulting engineer regarding their recommendation of conversion
of the fuel supply at the Washington Correction Center from coal to wood pellets.
A test burn of wood pellets at this time is certainly in order.
DATED this 2nd day of January, 1990.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Annette S. McGee
Chairperson
Michael D. Gibson
Commissioner
v
=2;°7
60/4/,,//
William a. Hunter
Commissioner
ATTEST:
Clerk of the Board L
c: File
Economic Development Council
Department of Ecology
Olympic Air Pollution Control Authority
Washington State Department of Corrections
wp50 resolute q-z wcc.1