What's New List Serve Post Display

Please consider the following joint ARB/USEPA/North Coast Unified
Air Quality Management District press release regarding a recent
settlement with Evergreen Pulp, Inc.
Thank You
Dimitri Stanich
ARB/PIO

__________________________________________________________________

United States Regional Administrator           
Region 9

Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam, American Samoa,
Northern Marianas Islands

Environmental Protection Agency  
75 Hawthorne Street              
San Francisco, CA 94105-3901     

For Immediate Release: Oct. 2, 2007
Contact:  Lisa Fasano 415-947-4307,
fasano.lisa@epa.gov

U.S. EPA announces $5 million Clean Air Act settlement with
Northern California pulp mill 

$4.1 million toward emission control equipment, $900,000 in
fines

     SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Air Resources Board, the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,and the North Coast Unified
Air Quality Management District today announced a $5 million
settlement with Evergreen Pulp, Inc. that will protect air
quality in the Eureka, Calif. area by reducing emissions of
particulate matter and hazardous air pollutants from its wood
pulp mill by approximately 340 tons annually.

     Evergreen Pulp allegedly violated the federal emission
standard for hazardous air pollutants by approximately 230
percent, and violated monitoring, reporting, and recordkeeping
requirements. The company also allegedly violated state air
pollution control laws for nuisance, opacity, and air pollution
control equipment maintenance requirements.

     “Emissions from pulp mills can have a significant impact on
air quality in the immediate area around these facilities,” said
Deborah Jordan, director of the EPA’s Air Division for the
Pacific Southwest region.  “Today’s settlement reduces harmful
air emissions by nearly 340 tons each year, providing a clear
environmental benefit for the surrounding community.”

     “The people of Eureka and surrounding communities along
Humboldt Bay will breathe easier thanks to this team effort by
local, state and federal regulators,” said ARB Chairman Mary
Nichols.

     Under the settlement, Evergreen will pay a combined
penalty
totaling $900,000 to be shared equally among the three
regulatory
agencies.  The company also spent approximately $4 million to
install a pollution control device on its lime kiln that uses
electric charges to capture and collect tiny particles of air
pollution.  Recent source tests show that the device is reducing
harmful particulate emissions.

 The company also spent about $100,000 in 2005 to install and
operate an additional pollution control device on its smelt
dissolver tank.  The company also agreed to continue monitoring
the performance of air pollution controls of the company’s smelt
dissolver.

     “The hard work of all parties to reach a settlement in this
case is significant to both air quality conditions and our
economy.  In particular, I am appreciative of Evergreen’s
willingness to work toward much needed improvements and to our
local Air District staff who have diligently pursued the
necessary resolution to this matter.” said John Woolley, North
Coast Air District Board member.

     Particulate matter adversely affects humans -- principally
through inhalation and the deposit of particles in the nose,
throat, and lungs. Health effects from chronic exposure to high
levels of particulate matter range from nasal irritation to
bronchitis to emphysema.  Young children and the elderly are the
most susceptible to the adverse effects of particulate matter
exposure because of their relatively limited ability to
eliminate particulate matter once it is deposited in the body.

     Pulp mills also emit toxic metals including, antimony,
arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, manganese,
nickel, and selenium.  Health effects associated with exposure
to these toxics metals can include cancer, reproductive and
developmental effects, gastrointestinal effects, damage to the
nervous system, and irritation to the eyes, skin, and
respiratory system. 

     The Evergreen settlement was lodged today in the U.S.
District Court for the Northern District of California and is
subject to a 30-day public comment period.  A copy of the
consent decree will be available on the U.S. Department of
Justice Web site at
http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.

                                  ###

Lisa Fasano
Acting Chief, Press and Congressional Affairs
desk: 415-947-4307
cell: 415-760-5421