Ash Grove faces new pollution standards
Firm employs people from Baker, Malheur counties

By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
LarryM@argusobserver.com
Saturday, August 22, 2009 11:23 PM PDT

DURKEE—Ash Grove Cement Company’s efforts to limit mercury emissions by 75 to 85 percent at its Durkee plant are apparently not enough for the Environment Protection Agency and some environmental groups.

Now the EPA proposes new standards that will require a 99 percent reduction in mercury emissions, raising the specter the plant — which employs people from Baker and Malheur counties — may be closed.

The company and its supporters want the EPA to create a mercury emissions subcategory that would recognize and address the variations in naturally occurring mercury among cement plants. In its statement on the proposed new EPA’s emissions standards, the company said, “Adding a sub-category would allow EPA to separately consider Western cement plants, like Durkee, that rely on limestone containing elevated levels of mercury.”

At least one environmental group, though, asserts the Ash Grove Cement plant is a major polluter. According to a statement on the Web site of Earthjustice — an environmental public interest law firm — the “Ash Grove Cement Plant in Durkee, Oregon has the dubious distinction of being the worst mercury polluter of any kind in the country.”

Earthjustice also sued the EPA on behalf of several environmental organizations to force a new emission standard.

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The company claims the proposed standard is based on the lowest mercury-emitting cement.

“Our position is that mercury in the limestone is naturally occurring,” Jackie Clark, Ash Grove Cement public affairs representative, said.

The proposed emissions subcategory would require that mercury emissions be reduced by up to 85 percent, she said.

“We can achieve that,” Clark said.

Ash Grove said it is already moving ahead with specific measures to reduce emissions. For example, the company said it is installing Activated Carbon Injection (ACI) mercury control technology to reduce those mercury emissions. The company and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality chose that as the best technology, Clark said.

“Wet scrubbers do not remove mercury,” she said.

Ash Grove and the DEQ signed a a mutual agreement and order to formalize the emissions reduction plan using ACI technology. The DEQ has not decided yet what its position on the subcategory request will be, Joanie Stevens-Schwenger, DEQ spokesperson, said.

Initially, the ACI technology will reduce emissions by 75 percent, but the company will work toward the high level, Clark said.

“We are the first cement plant to install ACI technology,” she said.

The EPA indicated that if the new mercury emission limit is adopted, plants like the one at Durkee may have to close, which would have a major impact on city and county services.  Employing 116 people, the Durkee plant has an annual payroll of $9 million and an annual operating budget of $40 million, Clark said. The plant pays more than $800,000 in property taxes.

“We have broad community support,” Clark said.  Both state Rep. Cliff Bentz and state Sen. Ted Ferrioli have sent letters to the EPA supporting the company’s request for the subcategory.

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