Water rules could affect paper plant
A water quality improvement report for the Spokane River and Long Lake issued by the Washington state Department of Ecology last month may have a significant impact on the city of Millwood.
Monday night’s Millwood City Council meeting included a discussion of how the report mandates Inland Empire Paper Co., as well as other “dischargers” of waste along the Spokane River, to reduce phosphorus levels.
Inland Empire Paper is a subsidiary of Cowles Co., which also owns The Spokesman-Review. IEP’s plant is in Millwood.
“It is a significant reduction,” Ginny Darrell, permit unit supervisor in the Department of Ecology Water Quality Program said regarding the required limits in a post-meeting telephone interview. Darrell was not in attendance at the council meeting.
During public comments at the council meeting, Shirene Young, representative of IEP, said the company is working toward a resolution and may go the route of appeals.
“We’ve been going through review and will be working towards some type for resolution,” Young said. “We are pursuing technology options. As of right now, that is not available to us.”
During the legal report, City Attorney Brian Werst said the issue might come before the council to decide if the city wants to participate in the appeal process and voice concern by filing a legal brief.
“As a city there is a clear recognition this could have a big impact on the city from a financial standpoint,” Werst said. “We probably need to participate and make that clear through the process as well.”
Currently the report is in the hands of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval. According to Darrell, after document approval, her department will issue permits to the dischargers, and IEP will have 10 years to be in compliance.
•In other city news, Spokane Regional Solid Waste System director Russ Menke presented a revised Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan in hopes the city would adopt the revised 20-year plan.
“We are now in process of taking it to the cities for adoption,” Menke said about the 2009 update. “We’re asking you to adopt it tonight or whenever you can work it in your schedule.”
According to Menke, the city is not required to adopt Spokane County’s plan, but is required to adopt some kind of waste management plan. “You are obligated to adopt a plan,” he said, “It doesn’t have to be this plan.”
Originally drafted in 1984, the plan is reviewed every five years.
The council approved the plan unanimously. Menke hopes to receive approval from all participating cities by the end of the month.
During his presentation, Menke outlined revised recommendations including a provision to maintain the Waste to Energy facility after the bond retirement next year. Other elements to the plan feature multi-stream recycling collection, expanding the solid waste tipping fee rebate and changing the governance options to increase oversight from participants.
The council also confirmed the appointment of Tom Richardson to city clerk and Debbie Matkin as treasurer, as well as approved the salaries for each position. Last month, the council approved an ordinance separating the formerly joint positions.
The annual contract extension for Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service was approved without changes to the contract or fee structure.
During the planning report, Richardson presented a drawing of a proposed LED reader board for the west side of City Hall. The proposed sign will have a panel visible from each direction on Argonne. Richardson plans to put the design out to bid this week.