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Owens Corning
Owens Corning constructed a polystyrene foam board insulation plant at 18456 NE Wilkes Road in Gresham (located in the North Gresham Neighborhood Association). If operational, the plant is expected to emit approximately 250 tons per year of HCFC-142b, an extremely potent greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting substance. This is roughly the equivalent of adding 100,000 new cars per year to the Portland Metro area.
Owens Corning announced plans to build a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in June 2004 and began construction on the shell of the new building, on a 7.35-acre parcel near the intersection of Interstate 84 and 181st Avenue. Owens Corning began building its facility in August of 2004, despite the fact that it did not have a permit and had not complied with numerous other New Source Review requirements under the CAA and Oregon’s State Implementation Plan. Owens Corning proceeded with its illegal construction until it was stopped by concerned citizen groups, including some of the undersigned organizations. Owens Corning has not completed construction on the facility and Owens Corning does not have the required air permit.
Owens Corning says its insulation provides a net benefit to the environment because it conserves energy, preventing more greenhouse gases from being produced at power plants.
Latest News: May 8, 2006- Air quality issues derail Owens Corning plant
On May 8, 2006 the company told the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality that it is withdrawing its air-quality permit application for a proposed polystyrene foam board insulation plant at 18456 N.E. Wilkes Road. The DEQ said Monday that Owens Corning said it is not interested in constructing the facility as described in the air-quality permit application at this time. However, the company is still looking at other options in Gresham.
EPA Bans HCFC-142b
On November 4, 2005, EPA announced its plan to ban the use of HCFC-142, concluding that non-ozone depleting alternatives to these substances are technically viable and commercially available. HCFC-142b is regulated under Title VI of the federal Clean Air Act. Environmental Protection Agency regulations prohibit construction of new equipment that will emit HCFC-142b and prohibit manufacturing and importing HCFC-142b after Jan. 1, 2010. Owens Corning is seeking an exemption through the rule's "grandfathering" provision because it uses HCFC-142b at its other facilities in Ohio and Illinois, and is therefore an existing user entitled to additional time to comply with EPA’s regulation. Under EPA’s stated interpretation of the grandfathering provision, Owens Corning would not be allowed to use HCFC-142b in Gresham because it does not have all required permits in place.
History
Owens Corning first applied to emit 283 tons of HCFC-142b each year. At that level, the plant was considered a major polluter with strict environmental requirements, including needing a permit before construction and using the best available technology to control pollution.
DEQ admits that it mistakenly told Owens Corning that it could build the plant but not install emissions equipment before getting its pollution permit. The company built the shell of the plant but suspended construction after it was sued in federal court by the three environmental groups. DEQ later sent Owens Corning a "notice of noncompliance" and does not plan any further action.
In November 2004 the DEQ held its first public hearing on a proposed permit to emit 283 tons per year of HCFC-142b. Since the first public hearing Owens Corning has adjusted the amount of emissions to 245 tons per year. This reduction allows them to avoid significant environmental rules. The last DEQ public comment period on this facility ended September 26, 2005. Many concerned citizens from Gresham and surrounding cities wrote letters objecting to the issuance of this permit. Together the Northwest Environmental Center, Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center, Oregon Center for Environmental Health and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit against Owens Corning to halt production based on Clean Air Act Violations.
Protecting Our Air QualityThe proposed plant has brought awareness of needed reforms in the City of Gresham’s planning, economic development and codes, to ensure that our community grows in a sustainable manner and one which promotes protecting the quality of our air, water, land and other natural resources. When Owens Corning applied to the City of Gresham for its building permits there were no City of Gresham restrictions for this type of facility. Owens Corning should be permitted to do business in Oregon only if it agrees to use safe alternatives which are technically viable and commercially available. Public interest in the permit remains strong, and citizens should continue to pressure DEQ to protect public health and the environment.
Concerned citizens should get involved in the process to shape the growth of Gresham. In a July 21, 2005 article in the Oregonian, “Sustainable Designs Help Gresham Grow Greener” Mayor Becker said “We’re not just interested in new jobs but also how a company can add to the community and make it a better place. There are a lot of companies that do care about the environment and those are the businesses we want to encourage to come here.”
To ensure the proper strategic goals and development codes are adopted, please join us and encourage our City and State leaders to take further action to protect sustainability and the environment, fund the DEQ and give them the rules and regulations to stop polluters.
How You Can Help:
Contact the Mayor, Governor and DEQ to demand the use of a safer alternative at the Owens Corning Plant in Gresham. Support the EPA’s proposed rule determining HCFC-142b as unacceptable and require users of these substances to switch to safer alternatives.
Mayor Charles Becker
Gresham City Hall
1333 NW Eastman Parkway
Gresham, OR 97030
Molly.Cafferty@ci.gresham.or.usGovernor Ted Kulongoski
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503.378.4582
representative.citizen@state.or.usGeorge Davis
DEQ Northwest Region
2020 SW 4th Ave., Suite 400
Portland, OR 97201
davis.george@deq.state.or.us
For more information visit:http://www.lclark.edu/org/nedc/owens.html
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