EQCMinutes19780816

DETP/19/48683

''Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 12:02:04 PM (GMT+07:00) Goldstein, Meyer:'' eqcmeeting Eqc environmental quality commission minutes 8/16/78 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE OREGON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMISSION August 16, 1978 On Wednesday, August 16, 1978 a special conference telephone call meeting of the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission was held. Connected by conference telephone call were Mr. Joe B. Richards, Chairman, in Junction City; Mr. Ronald Somers, in The Dalles; and Mr, Albert Densmore in Medford. Present in DEQ offices in Portland were Mrs. Jacklyn Hallock, DEQ Director William Young, Mr. Dave Nelson of the Oregon Seed Council, members of the Department staff and representatives of the news media, Present in DEQ offices in Eugene were Mr. Scott Freeburn of the Department's Air Quality Division, DEQ staff and representatives of the City of Eugene. Commission Vice-Chairman Grace Phinney was unavailable for the call. FIELD BURNING Mr. Freeburn said that when the Commission adopted field burning regulations in May 1978, they set the date of August 15, 1978 when a moisture content of straw rule was to go into effect, and a review to be made of the smoke intrusions to that date. He said that at this time the EQC was to make a determination whether the annual acreage allocation should be lowered from 180,000 acres to 150,000 acres. Mr. Freeburn said that the Department had been studying the moisture content testing procedure for several weeks and had not been able to come up with an accurate test the farmer could use in the field. He recommended that the moisture content be determined by the normal smoke management practices presently in use, and the staff would continue taking moisture samples throughout the season and use the information to determine whether or not burning should be allowed on a given date. This way, he said, the moisture content rule would be enforceable. Mr. Freeburn pointed out that the moisture data collected to date had been through a relatively dry part of the summer, Chairman Richards asked if the seed growers and the City of Eugene had been advised of Mr. Freeburn's recommendations. Mr. Freeburn replied that they had. Mr. Freeburn said that the smoke intrusion rule stated if smoke which was significantly attributable to field burning caused nephelometer readings in the Eugene/Springfield area to exceed 13 hours on the average, then the Commission would reduce the annual acreage allocation from 180,000 to 150,000 acres. To date the total average was 7 1/2 hours, Mr. Freeburn said, and it did not appear the Commission would be required to reduce the acreage. Mr. Dave Nelson, Oregon Seed Council, commented that all parties involved did an exceptionally good job in the smoke management program. He said they were concerned about the implementation of the moisture content rule with the established level of 12%. Chairman Richards said that if Mr. Nelson was suggesting a substantial modification to the rule then it would have to be addressed at the regular meeting of the Commission. He asked what harm would be done if the Commission adopted Mr. Freeburn's recommendation and deferred any other action until the next regular meeting which would .be held August 25. Mr. Nelson replied that in his estimation the greatest impact would