Environmental Quality Commission Meeting

October 5 – 6, 2006[1]
 

Thursday, October 5 – No Regular meeting will be held.  

Thursday afternoon, the Commission will visit environmental sites in the Astoria area.  

Thursday evening, from 7:00 – 9:00, the Environmental Quality Commission (EQC), the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and local government officials will participate in a public Town Hall meeting.  This is an opportunity for local citizens and government representatives to discuss environmental issues important to the community.  The meeting will be held at the Guy Boyington Building, 857 Commercial Street, Astoria, Oregon.  Everyone is invited. 

 

Friday, October 6 – Regular meeting begins at 9:00 am

     Maritime Museum, Kern/Ford Room, 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, Oregon 

A.  Informational Item: Update on the Status of the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF)
Joni Hammond, DEQ Eastern Region Division Administrator, will give an update on the status of recent activities at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF).  In August 2004, the Commission gave approval to start chemical weapon destruction at UMCDF and DEQ's Chemical Demilitarization Program continues close oversight of work at the facility.
Joni Hammond, Department of Environmental Quality

B.  Informational Item: Path Forward on the Fish Consumption Standard
The Commission will hear a report on recent discussions related to the fish consumption standard.
[Attachment: Oregon's Fish Consumption Rate]

C.  Work Session: Mercury
The Commission will engage in a policy conversation on mercury issues.  The purpose of the conversation is to explore various complexities and factors surrounding potential Commission decisions on mercury standards or policy.  The Commission will make no decisions, and will not call for testimony.  Agenda Item D, Public Forum, is available for those who wish to comment at this meeting.

D.  Public Forum
The Commission will break the meeting to provide members of the public an opportunity to speak to the Commission on environmental issues that are not part of the agenda, or for which there is otherwise no public testimony at this meeting. Individuals wishing to speak to the Commission must sign a request form at the meeting and limit presentations to five minutes. The Commission may discontinue public forum after a reasonable time if a large number of speakers wish to appear. In accordance with ORS 183.335(13), no comments may be presented on Rule Adoption items for which public comment periods have closed.

E.  Informational Item: Ecological Business Recognition
The DEQ and the EQC will recognize two Astoria area businesses for achieving certification as Ecological Businesses.  They are TJ’s Auto Repair in Warrenton and the Clatsop County Public Works shop in Astoria.
Dick Pedersen, Audrey O’Brien and Rich Grant, Department of Environmental Quality
[Attachment:  Staff Report]

Working Lunch

The Commission will hold an Executive Session from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. to consult with counsel concerning legal rights and duties regarding current or potential litigation against the DEQ, and to review employment-related performance of chief executive officer. Only representatives of the media may attend and media representatives may not report on any deliberations during the session.[2]   

F.  Action Item: Concept to Clarify Proposed Orders in Contested Cases
In response to a June, 2006 EQC request, the Department will present a concept for providing more complete information for the Commission when reviewing Proposed Orders on appeal in contested enforcement cases.  DEQ asks for Commission guidance on whether to proceed.
Jane Hickman and Les Carlough, Department of Environmental Quality 

[Attachment:  Staff Report]

G.  Commissioner Reports

H.  Director’s Dialogue
Stephanie Hallock, DEQ Director, will discuss current events and issues involving the Department and the state with Commissioners.

I.   Approval of Minutes for the June 22–23 EQC Meeting
The Commission will review, amend if necessary, and approve draft minutes of the June 22–23, 2006, Commission meeting.

 

J.   Approval of Minutes for the August 10 EQC Meeting
The Commission will review, amend if necessary, and approve draft minutes of the August 10, 2006, Commission meeting.
 

K.  Approval of Minutes for the Special EQC Meeting held on August 16, 2006
The Commission will review, amend if necessary, and approve draft minutes of the August 16, 2006, Hearing on Implementation of the Clean Air Mercury Rule.  The hearing was an official Commission meeting because there were three Commission members present, which is a quorum.   

______________________________________________________________________________

 Future Environmental Quality Commission meeting dates for 2006 and 2007 include: 

December 14 – 15, 2006
February 22 – 23, 2007
April 19 – 20, 2007
June 21 – 22, 2007

 

Agenda Notes

* Rule Adoptions: Hearings have been held on Rule Adoption items and public comment periods have closed. In accordance with ORS 183.335(14), no comments may be presented by any party to either the Commission or Department on these items at any time during this meeting. 

Staff Reports: Staff reports for each item on this agenda can be viewed and printed from DEQ’s Web site at http://www.deq.state.or.us/about/eqc/eqc.htm. To request a particular staff report be sent to you in the mail, contact Toneasha Kelly, Department of Environmental Quality, Director’s Office, 811 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204; telephone 503-229-5990, toll-free 1-800-452-4011 extension 5990, or 503-229-6993 (TTY). Please specify the agenda item letter when requesting reports. If special physical, language or other accommodations are needed for this meeting, please advise Ms. Kelly as soon as possible, but at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. 

Public Forum: The Commission will break the meeting during the morning of Friday, October 6, to provide members of the public an opportunity to speak to the Commission on environmental issues not part of the agenda for this meeting. Individuals wishing to speak to the Commission must sign a request form at the meeting and limit presentations to five minutes. The Commission may discontinue public forum after a reasonable time if a large number of speakers wish to appear. In accordance with ORS 183.335(13), no comments may be presented on Rule Adoption items for which public comment periods have closed.  

Note: Because of the uncertain length of time needed for each agenda item, the Commission may hear any item at any time during the meeting. If a specific time is indicated for an agenda item, an effort will be made to consider that item as close to that time as possible.  However, scheduled times may be modified if participants agree. Those wishing to hear discussion of an item should arrive at the beginning of the meeting to avoid missing the item.


Environmental Quality Commission Members

The Environmental Quality Commission is a five-member, all volunteer, citizen panel appointed by the governor for four-year terms to serve as DEQ’s policy and rule-making board. Members are eligible for reappointment but may not serve more than two consecutive terms.

Lynn Hampton, Chair
Lynn Hampton serves as Tribal Prosecutor for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and previously was Deputy District Attorney for Umatilla County. She received her B.A. at University of Oregon and her J.D. at University of Oregon School of Law. Commissioner Hampton was appointed to the EQC in July 2003 and lives in Pendleton.

Ken Williamson, Commissioner
Ken Williamson is head of the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University and serves as Co-Director of the Center for Water and Environmental Sustainability. He received his B.S. and M.S. at Oregon State University and his Ph.D. at Stanford University. Commissioner Williamson was appointed to the EQC in February 2004 and he lives in Corvallis.

Judy Uherbelau, Commissioner
Judy Uherbelau is a graduate of Ball State University with a B.S. in Economics/Political Science. She received a J.D. from UCLA School of Law and currently works as an attorney with Thomas C. Howser, PC in Ashland. Judy served in the Peace Corps and the Oregon House of Representatives as well as numerous boards and commissions. Commissioner Uherbelau was appointed to the EQC in February 2005 and lives in Ashland.

Donalda Dodson, Commissioner
Donalda Dodson is currently Interim Executive Director of the Oregon Child Development Coalition. Previously, she served as Administrator of the Department of Human Services Office of Family Health and as Manager of the Maternal/Child Health Program at the Marion County Health Department. Donalda has a bachelor of science degree in nursing and a master's degree in public health. She has chaired or served on nearly a dozen public health committees and task forces and expresses a strong interest in bringing environmental issues into the public health arena. Commissioner Dodson resides in Salem.

Bill Blosser, Vice Chair
Bill Blosser is owner of William Blosser Consulting. He is employed by, and has held several positions with, CH2M Hill in Portland. Bill served as Director of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development from 2001-2002 and was formerly president of Sokol Blosser Winery in Dundee, Oregon. Bill has served on and chaired numerous commissions and task forces, including terms as chair of the Water Resources Commission, chair of the Land Conservation and Development Commission and chair of the Policy Advisory Committee on Water Quality to the EQC. Bill has a bachelor of arts degree in history and humanities from Stanford University and a masters degree in regional planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Commissioner Blosser was appointed to the EQC in January 2006 and lives in Portland.



Stephanie Hallock, Director
Department of Environmental Quality
811 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204-1390
Telephone: (503) 229-5696 Toll Free in Oregon: (800) 452-4011
TTY: (503) 229-6993 Fax: (503) 229-6124
E-mail: deqinfo@deq.state.or.us

Helen Lottridge, Assistant to the Commission
Telephone: (503) 229-6725
 

 


[1]This agenda and the staff reports for this meeting can be viewed and printed from DEQ’s web site http://www.deq.state.or.us/about/eqc/eqc.htm.

[2]This executive session will be held pursuant to ORS 192.660(1)(h).