PORT TOWNSEND — Port Townsend Paper Corp. is seeking approval to upgrade a boiler to meet stricter environmental standards that go into effect in January 2016.
Written public comment on a proposed notice-of-construction order at the mill at 100 Mill Road will be accepted until Dec. 19.
A public hearing sponsored by the state Department of Ecology is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 15 at Fort Worden Commons.
It will begin with a short statement about the process followed by the opportunity for verbal comments from the public.
“We think this is a good project,” said Garin Schrieve, Ecology’s southwest region industrial resources section manager.
“Reducing pollution is a good thing, and the federal government is doing its best to reduce air pollutants in boilers across the country.”
Ecology is not calling for an environmental impact statement in this case, having determined that it will have no significant environmental impact.
“We are doing our best to pull everything together and put it in order,” Schrieve said.
“If people think that we’ve missed something, this is their chance to look at the proposal and give us comments,” he added.
“The Port Townsend community has always been engaged. We want to make sure they have a chance to take a look at this.”
Company spokesman Kevin Scott said he expects the order to be granted in February, with construction beginning in the spring and completed by the fall.
He estimates its cost as between $10 million and $12 million.
He said it will improve the combustion air system, which will reduce particulate matter by 60 percent.
According to Ecology figures, the upgrade will reduce PM-10 and PM-2.5 emissions from 124.17 tons per year to 46.21.
Carbon monoxide also would decrease, Ecology said, from 921.87 tons per year to 704.69.
Nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide emissions would increase.
Nitrogen oxides would rise from 262.72 tons per year to 274.75, while carbon dioxide would increase from 255,135 tons per year to 261,710.
The project will replace the existing wet scrubber and add a new wet electrostatic precipitator.
The upgrades would not change the current steam production capacity of the boiler and therefore will not affect the overall existing production capacity of the facility, according to Ecology.
The air supply system upgrade is expected to improve fuel distribution to the boiler and improve the boiler’s efficiency, cutting carbon monoxide, Ecology said.
The new scrubber and addition of the wet electrostatic precipitator would reduce the emissions of particulate matter including fine particulates, the agency said.
Emissions of hydrogen chloride, volatile organic compounds and total reduced sulfurs are expected to remain unchanged, Ecology said.
Sulfur dioxide emissions are also expected to remain unchanged but may decrease due to the ability to use less recycled fuel oil, the agency said.
Scott said particulate matter is already “very low,” and the public probably won’t notice the difference when the project is finished.
“The smell does not come from the boiler,” he said of the odor generated by the mill.
The mill, the largest private employer in Jefferson County, employs about 325 people.
For documents pertaining to the project, visit http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Boiler.
Comments can be sent by email to ptpc.comments@ecy.wa.gov, faxed to 360-407-6102 or mailed to Stephanie Ogle, Department of Ecology Industrial Section, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.