March 7, 2003
With Conditions to
Minimize Air Pollution
Responding to a serious
fire danger near Lake Arrowhead and Idyllwild, the Southland’s air quality
agency today approved the burning of an estimated 500,000 tons of wood from
trees killed by the drought and a bark beetle infestation.
“AQMD prohibits most
open burning as it adds air pollution to our already smoggy region,” said Barry
Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management
District.
“However, due to the
imminent threat of wildfire to thousands of homes, we are permitting the burning
of wood to mitigate the fire hazard. We are also imposing several conditions
and the use of a special device to minimize air pollution.”
A prolonged drought and
subsequent bark beetle infestation have killed millions of trees across more
than 150,000 acres in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, particularly near
the communities of Lake Arrowhead and Idyllwild. With fire season just around
the corner, the number of dead and dying trees is rapidly increasing.
After dead trees are cut
down, useable lumber will be trucked to a saw mill. But the sheer volume of
small branches, needles and wood waste cannot be practicably disposed of in
short order except by burning.
Following today’s
action, the U.S. Forest Service will be permitted to use a maximum of eight
special incinerators to burn waste wood from felled trees for up to two years.
The incinerators, known as air curtain destructors, blow a curtain of air over
an open pit or above-ground container to minimize smoke and increase combustion
efficiency.
The devices have been
used effectively in such areas a Los Alamos, N.M., to prevent further wildfires
following a devastating blaze there in 2000.
AQMD will require the
Forest Service to follow conditions to minimize air pollution from the burning,
including:
- Disposing of as much wood as possible without burning, including
sending trees to saw mills, giving away firewood and composting waste;
- Locating incinerators at least one mile from towns, hospitals,
schools and other areas where smoke could be a nuisance or irritant; and
- Hosting community meetings with AQMD to inform residents about the
project.
In addition, AQMD
inspectors will regularly monitor the operation to ensure that smoke does not
become a public nuisance.
Although the
incinerators reduce smoke, the burning may impact visibility in localized areas
and result in a small, temporary increase in ozone levels. Incinerator
emissions will be a fraction of those that could be created by a wildfire if the
dead trees are not felled and disposed of.
In other action today,
the Board:
- Set a public hearing for May 2 to amend Rule 1469 – Hexavalent
Chromium Emissions from Chrome Plating and Chromic Acid Anodizing Operations,
and adopt Rule 1426 – Emissions from Metal Plating Operations. The proposals
were developed during a groundbreaking and successful negotiated rule making
process that included AQMD staff, industry and environmentalists;
- Approved $2 million in projects to reduce diesel emissions at the
Port of Los Angeles;
- Received the annual audit for the RECLAIM program; and
- Received the annual report for the AB2588 Air Toxics “Hot Spots”
Program.
AQMD is the air
pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles,
San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
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