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Media Release 01/03/06: Citizen Lawsuit Filed Against Evergreen’s Humboldt Bay Pulp Mill

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Please click here to read the Complaint (100 kb pdf file).

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(San Francisco, CA) Two northcoast citizens groups filed suit in federal court today against Evergreen Pulp, Inc. (Evergreen) for significant and on-going violations of its pulp mill’s federal air quality permit.

In documents filed with the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District (NCUAQMD) requesting variances from its local air quality permit, Evergreen has admitted to exceeding emission limits for particulate matter and total reduced sulfur repeatedly since it purchased the mill in January, 2005. The company also reported numerous violations caused by breakage of equipment installed to correct the problems.

The groups filing the notice, Californians for Alternatives to Toxics (CATs) and Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), seek to enforce the Clean Air Act under provisions that allow citizens to file suit when government fails to act.

Noting that variances given to Evergreen by NCUAQMD cannot be used to weaken the pulp mill’s federal permit, Patty Clary of CATs said: “Evergreen could simply install equipment that’s able to keep its toxic waste out of our air and, by doing so, uphold federal law and become the good neighbor it claims to be.”

According to the U.S. EPA, exposure to the types of emissions produced by Evergreen’s Samoa pulp mill (very fine particles referred to as PM10), are most closely associated with health effects such as; increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits for heart and lung disease, increased respiratory symptoms and disease, decreased lung function, and even premature death. (For more information see http://www.epa.gov/oar/particlepollution)

“It was necessary to take this step because compliance was not forthcoming,” said Larry Evens of EPIC. “We feel the health of the community is at risk.”

The groups’ lawsuit seeks remedies provided under the Clean Air Act, including assessment of civil penalties and “other appropriate relief against Evergreen for all its violations and harm.”

A copy of the complaint is available at the website of Californians for Alternatives to Toxics www.alternatives2toxics.org

The Environmental Protection Information Center’s website can be accessed at www.wildcalifornia.org

A 1999 report by the Air Quality Management District explaining the kraft pulp mill process used at the Samoa site is available at: http://www.ncuaqmd.org/documents/ncpulp.pdf

Evergreen Fact Sheet

Kraft pulp mills, such as the Evergreen pulp mill, have the greatest potential to produce pollution when compared with other pulp making processes.

From January 2004 through May 2005, the Samoa/Evergreen Pulp Mill had 155 breakdowns and failures of equipment leading to excess emissions.

Tests in November and December 2004 showed the mill’s smelt dissolver was out of compliance.

In November and December 2004, the Samoa pulp mill’s smelt dissolver discharged over twice the particulate matter emissions allowed.

Knowing key equipment was out of compliance, Evergreen chose to continue pulp production almost as soon as it took over operations.

The “dirty water curtain” Evergreen has installed is not expected to resolve its violations according to District Air Pollution Control Officer, Lawrence Odle.
(Letter from Lawrence Odle to John Corbett, Chairman, District
Hearing Board, June 22, 2005)

- Older Information-

Media Release 11/01/05: Groups Notify Evergreen Pulp Mill of Intent to File Suit