Umatilla County nixes extra protection filters

This story was published Fri, Aug 13, 2004

By Jeannine Koranda
Herald Oregon bureau

PENDLETON - The residents of the city of Umatilla won't be getting recirculating air filters to protect themselves in the event of a nerve agent accident at the Umatilla Chemical Depot.

The Umatilla County commissioners opted Thursday to stand by their previous decision not to purchase the extra filters. Last week, residents and city officials made an impassioned plea for their purchase to commissioners.

Although the decision was expected, Umatilla city officials felt their citizens should receive the commercial grade air filters, which studies estimate could allow 30 minutes of extra shelter-in-place time in the event of an emergency.

Because the city falls into the highest risk area near the Umatilla Chemical Depot, "it is only prudent (the filters) be given to the citizens in those areas," Umatilla City Councilman David Trott said after the meeting.

The commissioners were reconsidering their decision in May not to pay $500,000 to buy and distribute 1,420 commercial air filters.

The proposal would have distributed filters to people living in an area near the Umatilla County line east to Interstate 82, and from the Umatilla Chemical Depot boundary north to the Columbia River.

The city of Umatilla wanted to see the filters delivered to a larger area, encompassing the McNary area and extending down to Punkin Center Road at Hermiston's northern border.

Umatilla County Commissioner Dennis Doherty read a two-page opinion at the meeting which stated there were two standards he used in his decision - one was a risk and needs analysis and the second was a cost-benefits analysis.

"Both still apply and the proposal still fails both in my judgment," he said.

No matter how safe people are, there is no such thing as maximum protection as long as one more thing can be done, Doherty said.

If the filter program was approved, where would the distribution end, he asked.

The city's request would add to the project's expense as would a request from incineration opponents, GASP, to distribute the filters to all Umatilla County residents in immediate response zones.

Commissioner Emile Holeman echoed Doherty's concerns.

He did not feel there were sufficient grounds to approve the program, especially not in an expanded form.

The city's proposal would almost double the proposed cost "with no end in sight," he said.

Although the commissioners heard public testimony last week from people wanting the filters for additional protection, Commissioner Bill Hansell said that did not change his mind.

"The probability at this point is very low that anything catastrophic would happen. Secondly, the cost benefit to that would remain the same to me," he said. The county might consider a limited program to distribute the air filters to the most vulnerable sections of the community, he said. That could include the bedridden, infirm, elderly or house bound.

Umatilla City Manager Larry Clucas said he appreciated the commissioners considering their point of view.

"They feel like they have to draw a line somewhere regarding expenses," he said.

"We're concerned for our citizens that they might have drawn that line too soon."

Trott said he would discuss the decision with the Umatilla City Council at next month's meeting, and in the meantime would be looking at alternative options, although he could not say what those might be.

"I don't think this is the end of the discussion on this," he said.

 

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