EQCMinutes19770830

DETP/19/48666

''Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 12:02:09 PM (GMT+07:00) Goldstein, Meyer:'' eqcmeeting Eqc environmental quality commission minutes 8/30/77 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE OREGON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMISSION August 30, 1977 At 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 30, 1977, a special conference call meeting of the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission was convened. Connected by conference telephone call were Commission members: Mr. Joe Richards, Chairman; Dr. Grace Phinney, Vice-Chairman; and Mr. Ronald Somers. Commissioners Al Densmore and Jacklyn Hallock were not available for the conference call. Representing Department staff were its Director, Mr. William Young, and Mr. Scott Freeburn in Eugene. Hardship Field Burning Applications Mr. Scott Freeburn said that in accordance with ORS 468.475(6), the Department was presenting to the Commission applications for hardship open field burning. Mr. Freeburn said that the Department had received eight applications for consideration of the Commission at this time. He further stated that the staff had taken the position that phase-out of open burning would cause some hardship in itself, and that growers must prove that their particular hardship was extreme compared to what might normally be expected from not being able to open field burn. Mr. Freeburn said that the staff did not feel that any of the eight applications submitted had shown this extreme hardship. Mr. Freeburn reviewed for the Commission the background on the application of Mr. Larry Warfel, indicating that after the staff had recommended denial of the application, Mr. Warfel requested an informal hearing on the matter. As a result of this request, Mr. Warfel met with Mr. Freeburn and Director Young. Mr. Freeburn said that at that meeting they were furnished with some additional information by Mr, Warfel which had not been distributed to the Commission. Mr. Freeburn said that this additional information from Mr; Warfel 's banker indicated what financial losses would be as a result of not being able to open burn, however an overall analysis of Mr. Warfel 1s financial position was not presented. In response to Commissioner Phinney, Mr. Freeburn said that the information recently received was in support of the $51/acre loss that was indicated in the information previously sent to the Commission. Mr. Freeburn also said that he had ascertained that chemical control would not be available for the control of weeds, wild oats and rat tai 1 fescue problems on Mr. Warfel 's acreage. Director Young said that as a result of his meeting with Mr. Warfel and Mr. Freeburn, he had concluded that an extraordinary hardship did not exist. Commissioner Phinney said she understood that growers would only be eligible for approximately 68% of their allocation, but that some applications reflected closer to 75%. She asked if that was the case throughout the state. Mr. Freeburn said that an additional 10% above allocation was allowed to growers who were unable to burn last year.