Forest Service accused of polluting Yakima air

The Forest Service is in trouble for a controlled burn that filled the Yakima Valley with thick smoke for five hours in late September. The 2,000-acre burn in the Bethel Ridge area west of Yakima violated state clean air laws, according to the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency, which for the first time has issued a violation notice to the Forest Service. No penalties were attached to the notice, but the Naches Ranger District must present a detailed plan for preventing future violations or face penalties as much as $12,000 per day. District Ranger Randy Shepard declined to comment about the violation notice, sent last Wednesday. State law requires the ranger district to respond within 10 days of the notice with plans on preventing future violations...read more