Spokane County pot farms face new odor rules, fees

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – Spokane County marijuana farms will soon have to register with an air pollution agency that’s instituting new rules in response to odor complaints.
 
The Spokesman-Review reported Wednesday that the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency proposed the rules, stating a large number of odor complaints have come in since commercial production started three years ago.
 
The rules include a fee structure requiring businesses to pay the agency based on the size of the operation. They were developed after a year of consultation with an advisory group.
 
Marijuana farmer Crystal Oliver says the fees would range annually from $528 for small-scale indoor grows to nearly $5,000 for some large-scale outdoor operations.
 
Marijuana businesses worry the regulations and associated fees could continue to smother the young industry.
 
___
 
Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com