Amendments
to Oregon Smoke Management Plan and the Oregon State Implementation Plan for
Air Quality
Oregonians
have the chance to comment on the Oregon Smoke Management Plan, a document that
outlines ways to manage and minimize the impacts of smoke all across the state.
The plan specifically aims to reduce the public health risks caused by
prescribed forest burning, while at the same time trying to reduce forest fuels
that can cause major wildfires. Each year the Department of Forestry manages
approximately 150,000 acres of prescribed forestry burning across the state,
much of which in close proximity to populated areas. Many residents
contact DEQ about smoke in their community, and this is an opportunity for
people to comment on the proposed changes to the plan. Some of the
proposed changes include:
·
Additional
provisions to protect visibility at Crater Lake National Park and the
Kalmiopsis Wilderness, both Oregon Class I areas.
·
Additional
provisions to encourage greater use of alternatives to burning and emission
reduction techniques.
·
Eliminating
the La Grande Special Protection Zone and reducing the size of the Medford SPZ
boundary.
·
Smoke monitoring
for prescribed burns over 2,000 tons.
DEQ and ODF will hold several public hearings at
these locations on this rulemaking:
1.
La Grande, Oregon
The La Grande
Library, 2006 4th St
Time: 6 p.m.
Date: Tuesday, February
25, 2014
2.
Bend, Oregon
DEQ Eastern Region
Office
475 NE Bellevue, Suite
110
Time: 6 p.m.
Date: Wednesday,
February 26, 2014
3.
Veneta, Oregon
Lane Fire
Authority, 88050 Territorial Hwy
Time: 6 p.m.
Date: Tuesday,
March 4, 2014
4.
White City, Oregon
Jackson County
Roads & Parks, 200 Antelope Rd
Time: 6 p.m.
Date: Wednesday, March
5, 2014
5.
Klamath Falls, Oregon
CU Auditorium, OIT, 3201
Campus Dr.
Time: 6 p.m.
Date: Thursday, March 6,
2014
Click here to view the rulemaking
documents. Oral and written comments will be accepted at the hearing. There
will be a brief presentation of the proposal before inviting your spoken
or written comment. Written
comments may be submitted anytime to DEQ through the online comment forms
accessible through the website or as described in the rule packages, but
comments must be received no later than 5:00 pm on March 12, 2014.
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