RESPONSE SUMMARY - Puget Sound Clean Air Agency

RESPONSE SUMMARY
ORIGINAL DRAFT ORDER OF APPROVAL NO. 10052
Comment Period – April 29 - June 15, 2010
5. PSCCA is clearly spending a great deal of time and money on
reviewing the engineering of Cedar Groves' permit request. From can be
seen, the Agency has been diligent in doing that. Where are the same
efforts at the enforcement side of things? When inspections are made,
there are clearly numerous and serious violations. Why aren't they being
inspected more often?
6. If a tree falls in a forest, is there a sound? This old riddle has a new
counterpart in our community: If you can smell the stench of Cedar
Grove, does it really smell if there is no PSCAA inspector smelling it as
well? The fact is that a great deal of the odor problems come after hours
and on the weekends. (I personally suspect that is because they have not
moved all of the material in the tipping area inside, but I have no
firsthand knowledge.) PSCAA is getting the reports, but there is no one
there to bring their tightly calibrated olfactory organ out to tell us "yep,
it stinks!
7. This is having serious impacts on the value of our homes. I have
firsthand knowledge of an individual in our neighborhood had two real
estate deals fall through. The information he received from the real
estate agent was that it was a result of the odor problems experienced in
our neighborhood. He had to sell at a substantial ($100 K) reduction to
sell the property. Bad times for selling a house, you bet, but clearly the
odors are having a harsh impact.
8. The odor is so overwhelming at times that it is impossible to be
outside. Clearly we are being denied the right and freedom to enjoy our
own property.
9. Many of the parents in our community have reported the elementary
school frequently has to keep the kids inside because of the smell.
10. This issue has already been resolved in a class action law suit, filed
by residents of the area, with Cedar Grove having to pay an enormous
amount of money. Part of that settlement was that Cedar Grove would
make the necessary changes to eliminate the odors within three years.
That deadline has long since passed and by the number of complaints
being filed, Cedar Grove has failed miserably to meet their
commitments. 11. The agency has told us Cedar Grove was making
changes last year and that by the end of a very smelly summer, the
odors would be eliminated. It did not happen.
12. It's obvious to me and to the overwhelming majority of the Four
Lakes community that Cedar Grove Composting's failure to meet the
requirements of the law suit, their lack of compliance with their own
operating plan, and their cavalier response to numerous complaints,
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