Pend Orielle County Hazards

I've been discovering all kinds of hazards in Pend Oreille County that residents may or may not be aware of. My research into the proposed silicon smelting operations has caused me to investigate other smelting operations elsewhere, mining operations and environmental risks to residents.

There is already a 13 Mile Risk Zone around Ponderay Newsprint, which is exactly where the silicon smelter is proposed to go: see page 11 for definitions and the listing on page 194.

http://www.comingcleaninc.org/assets/media/images/Reports/Who's%20in%20Danger%20Report%20and%20Table%20FINAL.pdf

3.5 million gallons of water per day are being discharged in the river too from the Newsprint.

There have been multiple air quality violations by the Newprint too, which locals may also be aware of.

The Pend Oreille River is already being polluted. This is long, but well worth reading. Pollution and toxins are being discharged into the river.
http://www.colvilletribes.com/preliminary_assessments_and_site_inspections_of_lower_pend_oreille_river
_mines_and_mills_in_pend_oreille_county__april_2002_.php

Obviously, Pend Oreille County is not doing their job. They've permitted a LOT of violations and violaters to stay in business or fail to clean up the mess they're creating.



The damage to the environment (already) is incalcuable. It's quite stunning when you dig into this.

But it's not just here - it's happening everywhere, all in the name of profits and progress of course, while killing and sickening citizens and wildlife. For those interested, here are a few more:

Rock Island Silicon Smelter
http://www.ncwbusiness.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&subsectionID=65&articleID=2684

The property was identified in the early 1990s as a cleanup site in the Department of Ecology's Integrated Site Information System and was included on the state's Toxics Release Inventory in 1995. The plant received several violation notices regarding the treatment and handling of generated waste over the years.

Rock Island Mayor Rusty Clark said the town was covered with a gray snow when the smelter was operating.

"My dad taught school here for 28 years, in the '60s and '70s. When the snow melted, the ground would be black,"

Rock Island, Washington Silicon Smelter Ranks 99 on the Superfund Site Index (a higher number is better). There are over 1300 Superfunds sites nationwide.
http://www.factsweb.org/environmental-data/Rock-Island-WA-city/statistics.html

This is already sufficient evidence for Pend Oreille residents to realize that a silicon smelter is worse then a bad idea, it will be a disaster (future Superfund site in the making) or if not that, another environmental / health risk that simply isn't worth it. 

We don't need to repeat the same mistakes of other communities. Get involved. You need to do this now (right now, seriously - time is of the essence). Call your local county representatives or better yet, get in their faces and let them know that you will not tolerate this.

Copper smelter - Tacoma
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article43503663.html

Copper smelter - Arizona
https://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/11/17/7430/smelter-town-decades-dirty-air-disease-and-bureaucratic-dawdling

Toxic Town
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-14/toxic-town-counts-on-smelter-makeover-as-jobs-beat-health

It doesn't take but a few moment of time to realize the Pend Oreille County really can't afford more toxins into the air, soil or water. This beautiful place will be absolutely ruined by industry if we don't stop this insanity.