Omak sawmill fined $89,000 for air pollution problems

An Omak, Washington, sawmill operator will pay $89,000 through a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for violating federal clean air rules.

PNW Wind Down LLC leases the sawmill facility from the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Both EPA and the tribe’s air quality staff received multiple complaints about heavy smoke and particulate pollution from the sawmill. Even after assistance from EPA, the sawmill remained out of compliance. The operators and EPA entered into a compliance order in March, 2014, but the sawmill continued to violate air quality standards. A second notice of violation was issued in April 2015.

The Federal Air Rules for Reservations protect air quality for about 200,000 people living or working on or near reservations in the Pacific Northwest.