01/23/1989 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e sources of pollution will again become a concern in the near future. Mr. Arkell stressed the importance of continued attention to transportation- related air pollution so that the area does not enter into another situation of non-attainment. Mr. Arkell said LRAPA recommends that the City continue to support dealing aggressively with air quality impacts of new development and to encourage developers to mitigate adverse effects that are identified to avoid problems. Mr. Rutan asked Mr. Arkell how LRAPA proposes to balance air-quality concerns against agricultural concerns with regard to its field burning recommendations. Mr. Arkell said the main reason for regulation of field burning is health protection, but unfortunately there is not much reliable data related directly to the health impacts of field burning. He said it is quite clear that the existing burning practices have a negative health impact on some people; there is much more data on the negative impacts burning restrictions will have on the grass seed industry. Mr. Boles noted that the economic impact of imposing burning restriction on the grass seed industry seems high only if one ignores the high costs the industry is imposing on the environment. e Answering a question from Mayor Miller, Mr. Arkell said that LRAPA's position is that wood-burning poses the most significant health threats to the community because of the long exposure period and the close proximity of this type of pollution. He felt the health dangers posed by transportation posed the second-largest problem for the community and that field burning posed the least hazard because of its relatively short, albeit intense, burning period. Ms. Bascom was not supportive of an outright ban on field burning. She felt the stricter controls the City pursued in the 1970s had a positive effect and suggested that the City pursue stricter controls again, rather than an outright ban. Mr. Holmer agreed with this position. Mr. Boles said he would favor an outright ban on field burning. Ms. Ehrman was not in favor of a ban during this legislative session, but felt a ban should be imposed in three to four years. She felt that until that time, burning should be restricted for sanitation purposes only and that incentives to stop burning should be pursued. Mr. Boles and Mr. Holmer both felt they could support this position. The council consensus was that it would pursue legislation to lessen the amount of field-burning smoke and that this legislation should propose a ban on field burning, provide some measures to deal with the most immediate problems, and encourage future research to resolve the sanitation and disposal problem. With regard to wood stoves, the council agreed to support legislation which would remove the home-heating exemption on wood stoves. Mr. Arkell said there are two options: a statewide removal of the exemption, which would e MINUTES--Eugene City Council Work Session January 23, 1989 Page 7