AIR QUALITY AND POLLUTER COMPLIANCE – HB 3372

This bill expands the authority of the Department of Environmental Quality to require information from pollution permit applicants reasonably sufficient for the department to evaluate the applicant’s history of compliance with environmental quality laws during the 10-year period prior to the application date. This authority includes determining if an applicant has a demonstrated practice of taking actions found to be intentional, frequent and reckless in regards to toxic releases to residential and natural environments. In Oregon there are well-known examples of hazardous, repeat polluters such as NW Metals in Portland and J.H. Baxter in Eugene.