Potlatch, State May Soon Resolve 1994 Fines
Potlatch Corp. and state regulators may be nearing a settlement on nearly $2.7 million in fines proposed by federal and state environmental agencies in June 1994.
The proposed fines represent the largest enforcement action ever taken by state regulators.
The Idaho Division of Environmental Quality sent Potlatch a draft consent order Nov. 6 outlining a proposed settlement.
The draft follows more than a year of negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement without going to court.
Tim Trumbull, environmental enforcement manager for the state agency in Boise, said the state would not discuss the proposed settlement because it is an ongoing enforcement action and relates to legal negotiations.
Upon receipt of the settlement proposed by state officials, Potlatch will have 15 days to consider signing it.
The state would then consider signing it.
Potlatch spokesman Michael Sullivan said the company had no comment on the draft settlement.
The proposed fines of more than $1.45 million for 41 alleged state violations and more than $1.24 million for 14 alleged federal violations related mostly to record-keeping, releases of hydrochloric acid and Potlatch’s chlorine dioxide plant.
Meanwhile, Potlatch recently disclosed the list of pollutants released last year at the Lewiston mill complex, which includes a sawmill, pulp and paper mill and a consumer products manufacturing operation.
The information is submitted annually to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The report shows methanol, or wood alcohol, was the largest volume pollutant involved.
The 962,000 pounds of methanol released in 1994 was more than twice the 442,000 pounds released the year before.
The chemical is a byproduct of the pulping process, and the increase reflects some changes in pulp production at the Lewiston mill, Potlatch said.
The company also reported 1994 releases including 2,200 pounds of chlorine; 11,900 pounds of chlorine dioxide; 104,700 pounds of chloroform; 200 pounds of ethylene glycol; 2,700 pounds of glycol ethers; 37,400 pounds of hydrogen chloride; and 499,700 pounds of zinc compounds.