Attachment IA – AZ Republic March 11, 2005 Article
17 firms sign pact to slash emissions
Mary Jo Pitzl
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 11, 2005 12:00 AM
Hoping to slow the growth of air pollution, 17 south Phoenix companies are pledging to cut their emissions of hazardous
pollutants by 20 percent in the next two years.
But the leader of a citizens group working to reduce toxic pollution says the move could undermine its efforts to crack down
on pollution.
with federal, state and local governments as well as a citizens panel vying to make a difference.
The efforts could have consequences far beyond the swath of city south of downtown: Air pollution travels. With the
prevailing wind movement from west to east, cleanup work would affect air quality in east Phoenix , Tempe and other areas.
A voluntary program unveiled this week is the first to promise tangible results. It's part of an Environmental Protection
Agency effort to create cleaner environments by challenging businesses to go above and beyond existing regulations.
So far, 17 companies have pledged to cut their collective air emissions 20 percent by 2007. Two others are likely to
sign soon. The emissions cuts will be calculated on those companies' combined pollution reports from 2002. There are no
penalties if the companies fall short of the goal.
"It's through your efforts that the life and livelihood of all south Phoenix residents will prosper," Wayne Nastri, the EPA's
regional administrator, said at a ceremony this week marking the start of the South Phoenix Industry Challenge/Good
Neighbor Partnership.
The program is designed to curb emissions as well as provide safety training to companies that handle hazardous
chemicals, such as chlorine, ammonia and nitric acid.
Nastri said the program grew out of a desire to take "early action," mindful that the state is working with a citizens group
on longer-term solutions to south Phoenix 's toxic releases
The area has a history of toxic releases. A 2000 Central Garden warehouse fire and the 1992 Quality Printed Circuits
fire blanketed the industrial and residential neighborhoods with waves of toxic chemicals.
Steve Owens, director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, called the program a "corollary" to what
his agency is doing in conjunction with a citizens panel.
That work will focus on long-term solutions such as seeking legislative approval so the agency can levy fines and
developing a state regulation for hazardous air pollutants.
But Greta Rogers, chairwoman of that citizens panel, said the EPA's effort undermines her group's work.
"They're subverting what we did," said Rogers , referring to the citizen recommendations for the South Phoenix Toxics
Reduction Project.
The group's key recommendation was that the state seek voluntary emissions cuts, beginning with 11 businesses that
the group researched.
Five of those businesses signed up for the federally sponsored volunteer program, and a sixth should sign soon.
But Rogers said she fears the voluntary program will undercut what she believes is a need for enforcement to ensure
pollution reductions actually happen.
"I don't recommend the hard hammer on the head as the first way of reaching compliance, but . . . really that has to be used,"
she said. "Just like people (who) drive too fast and run red lights."
The voluntary program won't necessarily cut the absolute amount of emissions.
Companies' pollution output will be "normalized," meaning the amount of emissions will be pegged to production.
As long as the amount of emissions produced per unit declines, a company will be given credit even if overall emissions
increase due to more production, said Kate Graf, an engineer with the Maricopa County Air Quality Department.
That would allow companies such as Goodrich Aircraft Interior Products, the first company to sign up for the partnership,
to post the 52 percent increase in emissions that it saw in 2003 without violating the terms of the agreement.
"We don't want to shut down business, we want to improve performance," said Hyte Johnson, the firm's senior manager
for environment, health and safety.
The company's higher releases in 2003 came from increased production.
Graf said the companies are still held to absolute emissions caps through their existing air-quality permits.
But some companies that signed up for the partnership said they can come in far below the ceiling set by their permits.
Goodrich's Johnson said the company, which manufactures aircraft-evacuation slides at its south Phoenix plant, is
testing an acetone-based glue, which would reduce the need for toluene and methyl ethyl ketone, two chemicals which
can affect the nervous system and irritate the respiratory system, respectively.
Lee Benson, president of Able Engineering and Component Services, said he signed up because "it's the right thing
to do."
His company, which does aircraft repair, will turn to other companies in the partnership for ideas on how to cut toxic
emissions.
The firm, near 32nd Street and Broadway Road , also has a stake in providing as healthy an environment as possible for
its 110 employees, he said
