DEQ reports on Oregon cleanup program
During the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association’s recent annual convention, there was one notable absence from the guest speaker
list.
Dick De Zeeuw of the state’s Department of Environmental Quality was scheduled to offer updates on the state’s cleanup program for drycleaners; however, unforeseen circumstances prevented him from attending.
In a summary presented to ODCA members in an electronic newsletter, De Zeeuw
wrote: “By way of apology and explanation, I would much rather have been in Warm Springs
socializing with ODCA members, which I enjoy, than sitting on the tarmac in New
Jersey, which I did not enjoy. On my way back from Portland, ME, to Portland,
OR, my flight missed a connection stranding me in Newark over night.”
De Zeeuw may have missed a flight, but the cleanup program did not miss a beat
in collecting assessments during 2007. Only 12 drycleaners had outstanding
balances, totaling about $17,000.
Despite the fact that most cleaners are paying on time, program revenue isdown.
Cleaners have become more environemtally friendly, which isn’t exactly conducive for a cleanup program that collects solvent fees of $10 per
gallon of perc and $2 per gallon of other solvents.
“We estimate total revenue collected will be $45,000 less than for last year,” De Zeeuw noted. “The primary reason for the decline is because the quantity of perc being used is
going down as drycleaners become more efficient in their use of perc and switch
to other solvents.”
In terms of cleaning up, the program has remediated 17 sites thus far. Work on
an additional 18 sites is currently being funded at a projected cost of
$642,000.
Another subject De Zeeuw touched on was the Portland Air Toxics Assessment.
“The original assessment of toxic chemicals in the Portland airshed done several
years ago showed perc in the ambient air slightly exceeded the federal
benchmark for health risks,” he explained. “To reduce perc in the air, a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency was
used to purchase leak detectors for each drycleaner in the state who used perc.”
The detectors appear to be working out quite well. A study conducted six months
after they were distributed to cleaners revealed that the devices were helping
plant owners find leaks they could not previously discover. With the exception
of two small areas, the concentration of perc in the air around Portland now
falls below the federal benchmark.
One aspect of the cleanup program that is a bit of a bugaboo has been the
verification of fee returns. The Dry Cleaners Advisory Committee is concerned
that fees paid on gross revenues are being under reported.
To rectify the situation, the DEQ identified a total of 15 facilities that
reported questionable gross revenue data before going out and visiting them.
“Three stores closed before we had a chance to visit them,” noted De Zeeuw. “Twelve stores were visited. Of those stores, two were not able to come up with
documentation at the time of the visit and one was not cooperative.”
After the visits, DEQ came to the following conclusions: most reporting problems
can be resolved through technical assistance; point-of-sale systems do not
always separate drycleaning and laundry from other services, thus a level of
estimation is required for paperwork; and new plant owners do not always get
good information about the cleanup program from the seller.
Upon discussing the situation with the Dry Cleaner Advisory Committee, the DEQ
has decided that technical assistance for questionable gross revenue data may
be more appropriate than enforcement at this time.
However, to cut down on potential problems, changes will be made in future fee
returns to alleviate confusion.
The agency also concluded that more emphasis should be placed on introducing new
drycleaners to the program for the same reason.
Verification of gross revenue documentation will continue to be an important
issue in the coming year, and the scope will extend beyond the Portland area.
During the week prior to the ODCA convention, De Zeeuw attended an annual
meeting of the State Coalition for Remediation of Drycleaners in Portland,
Maine. This year, the group focussed on the topic of compliance with
environmental protection measures required by state cleanup programs.
Though he had troubles with the flight back, De Zeeuw’s trip proved to be worthwhile.
“My assessment is that Oregon’s program puts more emphasis on preventing environmental contamination than any
other state,” he noted. “Of course, I am biased, but my feeling is that the DEQ and the drycleaners in
Oregon have already dealt with compliance issues that most of the other states
are just beginning to be aware of.”
