The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is weighing whether to join an Eastern Oregon cement plant in asking federal regulators to ease proposed new mercury emissions rules.
 
The fear is that the Ash Grove Cement Co. Plant in Durkee would have to shut down, eliminating 116 jobs, unless the rules create a special subcategory for it.
 
DEQ air quality administrator Andy Ginsberg told The Oregonian newspaper the agency will support Ash Grove in seeking a subcategory in the proposed rules, but DEQ spokeswoman Joanie Stevens-Schwenger says no decision has been made.
 
Ash Grove is spending $20 million to reduce mercury emissions more than 75%.
 
Source: www.ktvz.com