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Pollution issues on health agenda

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By Kelly Mori, Staff Writer 9:11 PM Thursday, March 18, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Clark County businesses will share the cost of air pollution monitoring after the County Commission stated it could no longer bear the cost alone.

Clark County Health Commissioner Charles Patterson said on Thursday, March 18, the County Health District has been working with the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency (RAPCA) in setting a fee schedule for some 150 Clark County businesses. The fees are determined by the type of pollutant a business is licensed for, such as dry cleaners, gas stations and power plants.

RAPCA receives federal and state funding which must be matched locally, said RAPCA Administrator John A Paul. Clark County’s portion of that match is approximately $27,000.

“We’ve gotten a couple of inquiries,” Paul said. “They’re not exactly loving to pay a fee but we have not gotten any complaints about it.”

In other pollution-related business, Patterson announced the US Environmental Protection Agency has recommended the industrial barrel waste at the Tremont City Barrel Fill be excavated, evaluated and disposed of properly — a plan the local health district had lobbied for for nearly three years.

The agency made the decision on the recommendation of the National Remedy Review Board, which reviews remediation plans for Superfund sites, such as the long-closed barrel fill, Patterson said. The NRRB had rejected an earlier proposal that would leave the site intact but would add a pump-sump type system to monitor any potential toxic waste that would leak from the aging barrels.

He said he expects the businesses that had used the site and are potentially responsible to fund any clean-ups to appeal However, he said health officials were excited the EPA and NRRB had agreed with the board of health’s recommendation.

Board President Susan Weaver agreed.

“That’s what the board of health is supposed to do. Protect the health of the citizens,” she said. “This is good news.”

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