Ukiah has the second highest number of complaints about air pollution of any place in California. Ukiah is second only to Eureka in the number of complaints about air pollution that are received by the county and/or the state in a month's time.
This fact was revealed during the current round of Masonite hearings at Ukiah City Hall. Also revealed was the fact that many of the complaints from Ukiah target Masonite as the source of the offending air pollution.
The Mendocino County Air Pollution Control District's Hearing Board is currently hearing evidence regarding air pollution from Masonite's Molded Products Line and the technology that Masonite has used and the technology that will be used in the future to control that pollution. Judging from how they have gone so far, these hearings promise to continue for some time into the future before the Board will be able to reach some sort of decision.
At this point, the hearings are scheduled to resume on October 15th at 9:00 AM at the Ukiah fairgrounds. The hearings stem from an Abatement Order issued some months ago by the Board. The Order gave Masonite a year to bring the pollution from the Masonite Molded Products Line into compliance with state and county pollution standards.
Evidence presented so far suggests that the technology Masonite has been using to control this pollution has not been effective. There is some question as to whether Masonite can switch to some new kind of technology within the remainder of their allotted year.
There is also some question about how effective the proposed new technology would be. There is serious question about the health effects of Masonite's pollution both before and after this new abatement system is in place. And there is serious question about the economic effect on the Ukiah community if Masonite is not allowed to operate its Molded Products Line until the people can be assured that they have no serious health risks from its' operation.
The issue is complex and the testimony being heard by the Board reflects that complexity. However, the crux of the matter seems to boil down to the health versus economics debate.
This debate seems to be dividing the Ukiah community into two camps. On one side of the debate are those whose primary concern is the health risks associated with Masonite's emissions of toxic chemicals and small particulate matter. Indeed, preliminary and sketchy reports say that there are people in the Ukiah Valley that suffer symptoms ranging from nose bleeds to terminal illness due to exposure to pollution.
On the other side of the debate are those whose livelihoods depend on Masonite's continued operation. This is no small issue as Masonite is this largest private employer in town and the hub of the Ukiah Valley economy. Not only are there roughly 600 people who are employed by the Masonite plant directly, but there are a host of other businesses in the area who depend heavily on being able to do business with the Masonite plant.
Altogether, everyone here benefits economically, directly or indirectly, from the Masonite operation. Closing down the Masonite operation for any reason may be a move from which the Ukiah Valley would never recover.
The Hearing Board is obviously caught between a rock and a hard place. Whatever the Board decides, the people loose. There is no way that Masonite will continue its level of financial input into the community if at the same time it is required to shut down its' Molded Products Line until pollution controls are in place, working and proven to be effective. There are no other win/win possibilities in the air. Consequently, what remains in the air is the pollution, fear, hatred, polarization and sadness that promises only to get worse before it gets better.
The MEC does not envy those who sit on the Air Hearing Board, for their job is indeed difficult. We hope the Board will do everything in its power to bring into balance:
1) the environmental requirements that air pollution be reduced in the Ukiah Valley,
2) the social reality that the community needs to be united in its efforts to maintain both environmental and economic vitality, and
3) the resultant economic consequences. Any plan that does not take into account the environmental, social and economic factors will sooner or later prove to be planned failure rather than to be a real solution.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited