It's been a busy week in Washington County, with news of wood-smoke particulates, light-rail petitions and a kayaker's video capturing an illegal pollution discharge into the Tualatin River all grabbing attention.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners first got word earlier this year that high levels of particulates in 2011 and 2014 put the county in danger of drawing potentially draconian sanctions from the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Since the EPA uses a three-year "rolling average" to determine whether any particular jurisdiction is in attainment with federal standards, higher-than-allowable levels for 2014 could have resulted in sanctions.
However, while official 2014 figures won't be available until June, all signs point to a mild winter as having helped keep particulate levels below the red line.
Still, both the county and city of Hillsboro are continuing public education and outreach programs intended to advertise the public health benefits of burning only dry, seasoned wood.
Ahead, the commissioners will likely weigh proposals from staff in the near future recommending mandatory curtailments of indoor and outdoor burning.
In light rail news, Tigard resident Tim Esau said he is uncertain whether he will challenge the wording of a ballot title to a petition he had hoped to circulate.
A Washington County Circuit Court judge ruled against Esau's proposed wording, which would have omitted any mention of how much it would cost to hold a special election to require voter approval before the county could spend significant amounts of money planning, designing or building light rail or bus rapid transit facilities in the county.
Instead, Judge Jim Fun certified an alternative ballot title, submitted by David Walsh, which includes wording that election costs could run as high as $217,000 if the initiative was decided by special election.
Esau served as chief petitioner for a similar measure, which Tigard voters approved last year.
The story resonated with readers, who weighed in with nearly 200 comments for and against light rail.
Finally, Decker Farms, a long-time Washington County agricultural operation, agreed to pay an $8,400 fine for discharging into the Tualatin River wastewater containing organic pollutants that can harm aquatic life and impair recreational, commercial and agricultural water uses.
The spill, described as a dark-colored blotch about 100 yards long, was caught on video last July by a passing kayaker. The paddler reported the incident to the state Department of Environmental Quality, who handed down the fine.
Marvin Decker, company president, called the spill a "mistake," but declined further comment.
-- Dana Tims
503-294-7647; @DanaTims