Sludge critics lobby air board

Staff photo by Aaron Aupperlee:

Terry Williamson addresses the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District governing board and the audience at Monday's meeting in Victorville. Barstow City Council member Steve Curran and Rebecca Valentine

I was very impressed by a number of board members who listened and expressed their concerns about Nursery Products outdoor composting facility. I had an opportunity to speak and question the wind profile, smell and Nursery Products prior experiance with the City of Adelanto and the court order. Barstow Council member Curran sits on the board and represented his community well, I was also very impressed with Apple Valley Town Counilmember Bob Sagona. Joe

March 27, 2007 - 7:22AM By AARON AUPPERLEE Staff Writer Hinkley residents push for stricter air regulations VICTORVILLE - Opponents of the proposed Nursery Products facility near Hinkley found another chance to air concerns during a Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District's governing board meeting. "We are here because we are concerned about air quality. We're not against composting; we're not against recycling," said Hinkley activist Norman Diaz. "It needs to be done, but it needs to be done safely so in 20 to 30 years, my kids aren't standing in front of your kids asking, 'What were our parents thinking?' " Many Hinkley residents asked the board to impose stricter air-quality regulations before Nursery Products begins building and operating the site. The board already promised the California Air Resource Board, a statewide air quality board, that they would consider the tougher regulations on or before August 2008. "2008 is too far away," Hinkley resident Terry Williamson said. "Today is the day the facility has to be covered or not out there at all." Approximately 20 Hinkley area residents attended the meeting at the district's office in Victorville. After a presentation by Eldon Heaston, the executive director of the management district, about what the management district can and cannot do, the board heard comments from 13 residents, including Chris Seney, project manager for the proposed site. In February, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors upheld the Planning Commission's decision to approve a plan presented by Nursery Products to compost biosolids from wastewater treatment plants into fertilizer on a 160-acre site near Hinkley. Nursery Products must now receive the appropriate permits from various state and local agencies, including the Mojave Air Quality Management District, in order to operate the facility. Eldon Heaston, the executive director of the management district, said he must grant Nursery Products the proper permits to operate their equipment if the facility meets the requirements. The governing board sets the requirements, he said, but cannot order Nursery Products to cover the facility. "We can put a RACT (reasonably available control technology) rule in place that will set emission limits for that facility," Heaston said. A reasonably available control technology, according to Heaston, is one that reaches the required limit in a cost-effective manner. He said the board does not subscribe a specific type of technology, only an emissions limit, because the business usually knows how to reach the limit in the best manner. Bob Sagona, vice chair of the board and Apple Valley Town Council member, however, attempted offered Seney the chance to cover the facility. "Would you like to invite the organization (Nursery Products) to voluntarily enclose this facility?" he asked. "If you do this, you're going to solve a lot of problems." Seney hesitated and responded that he would take the idea to Nursery Products. He said that the mitigations added by the Planning Commission - paving the road - and the Board of Supervisors - adding a liner - have already raised the cost of the facility by $2 million and covering the facility could push it over the threshold. Sagona said the board does not yet know how far they can reach into this project. He requested that the matter be placed on the agenda for the next air board meeting. That meeting will be on April 23 at the district's office in Victorville.