2018-07-11 Meeting with SWCAAMeeting with SWCAA
July 11, 2018
1:33 p.m.
Present: Commissioner Fund, Commissioner Jackson, Lee Napier, Bill Teitzel, Southwest Clean Air
Agency (SWCAA) Executive Director Uri Papish, Commissioner Stamper (2:16 p.m.)
Recorder: Rieva Lester
Uri Papish gave a Powerpoint presentation on air pollution. He discussed an air monitor station atop
Chehalis City Hall, which he said is the county’s lone monitor. He said SWCAA pays universities (NW
AIRQUEST) to model the air quality for surrounding areas.
Uri said there are four or five monitors for the five counties SWCAA serves.
Uri said outdoor burning, as well as one’s proximity to industrial areas or freeways, will decrease air
quality.
Uri said SWCAA provides the following services: complaint response, permitting, inspections,
enforcement, air quality monitoring, air quality advisories, outreach, asbestos and gasoline tanker
certification.
Uri said SWCAA has a staff of roughly 15 and serves a population of more than 638,000. Uri said the per-
capita rate is 43 cents, which will increase to 53 cents per person in 2019. He said the budget is around
$2 million and that Lewis County pays about 1 percent of that. He said the counties’ contributions pay
for about 15 percent of the budget and that the remainder is made up through fees and some grants.
Commissioner Jackson said the county should have been informed about work SWCAA performed to
avoid a “non-attainment” designation for Lewis County regarding TransAlta’s air quality.
Uri said SWCAA issued TransAlta fines based on its self-reported mercury violations.
Commissioner Stamper joined at 2:16 p.m.
Uri said civil penalties were issued to TransAlta regarding the BART order related to NOx.
Uri said the fine totaled $331,000. He said TransAlta is meeting with SWCAA the following week to
discuss penalties and violations. He said TransAlta has a right to appeal.
Uri said it appears part of the problem was a calibration issue.
Uri said fees were not increased for 10 years. He said permit fees may be increased incrementally.
Commissioner Jackson noted that federal cuts Uri had cautioned about did not materialize. He said he
has a problem with the back-to-back cost of living adjustments (COLAs) SWCAA staffers gave
themselves. Uri said SWCAA doesn’t do step increases. Instead, he said, it gives merit pool increases and
COLAs. Commissioner Jackson said he is concerned that while facing possible funding cuts, SWCAA
increased spending rather than tightening its belt.
Meeting ended at 2:37 p.m.