Fire Hazards prompt DNR to ban outdoor burning
Land Clearing burn ban effective July 1 for Clallam, Jefferson, Crays Harbor, Pacific, Mason and Thurston County
July 1, 2009
Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has raised the fire danger forecast to MODERATE in all ORCAA's counties. According to DNR regulations, burning is not permitted when on-the-ground conditions reach moderate fire danger. Because ORCAA adheres fire-safety restriction issued by DNR and other fire protection agencies, all land clearing is prohibited as of today in ORCAA's jurisdiction, until further notice.
For more information about the burn status in your county, visit DNR's fire safety page here.
For additional information, please contact Olympic Clean Air Agency at 1-800-422-5623.
Clallam County's Fire Safety Burn Ban Starts July 1
June 29, 2009
Leon W. Smith, Clallam County Fire Marshal, is announcing that a county-wide burn ban will take effect Wednesday July 1st, 2009. The burn ban will remain in effect until October 1, 2009, unless conditions at that time require the ban to be extended. The end date of the ban could also be reduced if moisture conditions are favorable in September.
This burn ban is strongly supported by the Clallam County Chiefs Association. Every summer, emergency response agencies respond to a significant number of outdoor burn incidents and complaints. A majority of these responses are due to confusion with the current status of burning regulations. In order to reduce the confusion that has surrounded multiple burn bans during previous summer periods, this ban will take effect annually on July 1st, ending October 1st.
This burn ban applies to outdoor burning only. Recreational fires are still allowed unless further banned by extreme conditions. As has been the law for many years, burn barrels are illegal in the State of Washington and there is no burning allowed in the City of Port Angeles or any other designated Urban Growth Area.
Alternatives to outdoor burning can be found here.
Additional Information available on ORCAA's Woody Biomass Research Project
June 17, 2009
Last month, the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) issued a Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) to analyze and quantify life-cycle air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions of various options for using or disposing of woody biomass generated in conjunction with forest management and land clearing operations in the Pacific Northwest. Today, ORCAA offers some clarifying information on the project, following a series of questions that have been asked. To see the FINAL RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS, click here.
The estimated length of the project is one (1) year. Proposals are due to ORCAA by 3:00 p.m., local time, on June 26, 2009, in the office at the address listed below. ORCAA is an equal opportunity employer and minority and women-owned businesses are encouraged to reply.
For further information and to obtain a copy of the RFQQ click here or contact:
Olympic Region Clean Air Agency
Attention: Mark Goodin, Engineer
2940-B Limited Lane NW, Olympia, WA 98502
Phone: (360) 586-1044
FAX: (360) 491-6308
mark.goodin@orcaa.org
Next generation of Bio-Fuel flows from pumps
Ethanol made from straw now available in Ottawa
June 10, 2009
Most ethanol available today comes from corn, but that product has several problems. The diversion of corn into fuel caused shortages of corn for use as livestock feed as well as raising the price of food-grade corn internationally.
To solve those issues, many have sought the means to create ethanol from other non-food sources, primarily from fiberous material such as the straw left behind in grain production, or even cellulose-rich non-grain crops such as hemp.
Today, commercially-available cellulositic ethanol became reality when a Shell Service Station in Ottawa, Canada, began running it through its pumps. Customers may now buy regular gasoline that has 10 percent cellulosic ethanol, produced from non-food raw materials, said representatives from Shell. Shell and Iogen Energy Corp. are partners in a plant that produces 40,000 liters of the fuel a month.
The ethanol was made by Iogen which has a process that uses enzymes to break down straw so it can be converted into ethanol. Shell is an investor in the Ottawa-based Iogen, which has been working on a demonstration facility since 2004. A Shell Canada spokesman said cellulosic ethanol is less polluting than corn ethanol and offers up to 90 percent fewer lifecycle carbon emissions than gasoline. The production of new ethanol is limited in scale at this time.
"While it will be some time before general customers can buy this product at local service stations, we are working with governments to make large-scale production economic," said Shell executive vice president of future fuels and CO2 Graeme Sweeney in a statement.
Additional information is available here.
Request for Qualifications and Quotations - RFQQ NO. 02 RFQQ 2009
Air Quality and Climate Implications of Options for Woody Biomass
May 22, 2009
The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) will issue a Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) to: Analyze and quantify life-cycle air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions of various options for using or disposing of woody biomass generated in conjunction with forest management and land clearing operations in the Pacific Northwest.
The estimated length of the project is one (1) year. The RFQQ will be issued on or about May 24, 2009. Proposals are due to ORCAA by 3:00 p.m., local time, on June 26, 2009, in the office at the address listed below. ORCAA is an equal opportunity employer and minority and women-owned businesses are encouraged to reply.
For further information and to obtain a copy of the RFQQ click here or contact:
Olympic Region Clean Air Agency
Attention: Mark Goodin, Engineer
2940-B Limited Lane NW, Olympia, WA 98502
Phone: (360) 586-1044
FAX: (360) 491-6308
mark.goodin@orcaa.org