Lane County aims to cut Oakridge woodstove smoke

OAKRIDGE, Ore. (AP) – As woodstove smoke continues to raise pollution levels in Oakridge, Lane County is looking to expand its authority to enforce clean air rules in areas near the community.

The Register-Guard reports (https://is.gd/T7xiWr ) that Oakridge, a small city in the foothills of the Cascades, has been declared non-compliant with federal air quality rules and is required to take steps to limit air pollution.

The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, which enforces federal air-quality laws in Oakridge and other Lane County cities, is asking the Lane County Board of Commissioners to expand the area around Oakridge that the agency regulates.

Commissioners approved a first reading of the amendment, which would allow the agency to regulate areas outside Oakridge’s city limits, but within the city’s urban growth boundary.
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Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com