[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6393509,"mediaKeyId","2106895-69ea17b284f004804fe1c5e519acc057","parentId",2106895,"title","Agency staff to launch city-selection process for board seat; board defers chair election to February","audioSeconds",837,"startMs",749000,"endMs",1586000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2106895-69ea17b284f004804fe1c5e519acc057&start=749&end=1586","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2106895-69ea17b284f004804fe1c5e519acc057/thumbnail_749000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6393509/Yakima-City/Yakima-County/Washington/Agency-staff-to-launch-city-selection-process-for-board-seat-board-defers-chair-election-to-February","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393509-0b9bdf8d1a9993cdba75b47175492d91/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181648&Signature=emntfdoCd0Vk9gHxAJjZuo~P73HHSn33ss9bEK-VR1PIuT3FWjXeQLwvl9XbuBNeVajacAcR-g4cZrBmVhXbvAyKTVlRtQX4uOfL1aXEEm9P8jN-bSPV7av6ChTWpxI5h8dLh6XlMcISiSgHEyohPgsgtQizxNDuAyen10nC6wUMn1nt-NPPSzpllA44eLcnbRasimrNTa45y-6BHDxLKygDH03aYc1TPQ~RAPuvuQItZyxXBJOMsP-6kW8TKDI973lKsdB0uMEvHj-xMnj5K1LEgO739IBySuTIRytUEtFdRzwYCvBChPqxEsVn08MuX-Zcnl~KET1dP8fYyA0dFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Yakima City, WA","date","2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","article","At its Jan. 9 meeting the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency Board of Directors heard from staff about the upcoming city-selection process to fill a board seat and received the executive director's operational update.

Mister Thornberry, the agency's executive director, told the board the city-selection committee is \"comprised of the mayors of the cities within the agency's boundaries\" and that \"one of the positions selected by the city selection committee must represent the largest city.\" He said the committee provides nominations and then votes from that ballot to select the appointee, and that in Yakima County the Yakima mayor will sit on that committee.

Board members agreed to begin the statutory selection process soon. The executive director noted the agency must act promptly because a personnel change will remove 20% of the board when the seat becomes vacant.

The board also handled internal business: members moved to place the agency's chair and vice chair elections on the February agenda rather than hold them at the Jan. 9 meeting. The motion to amend the agenda and add the elections to the February meeting was proposed and seconded during the meeting and the board agreed to the change.

The board approved the minutes of its Dec. 12 meeting by voice vote. No dissent or roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting minutes.

In his executive director's report, Mister Thornberry said the agency is working on better data collection and documentation, reassignment of duties to improve public responsiveness, and a forthcoming permit-review effort he expects to report back on within approximately six months. \"We have not had a lot of [process and documentation] in the past so that has made us vulnerable to the departure of personnel who take that sort of knowledge with them,\" he said, adding the agency has made progress but still has more work to do.

Why it matters: The city-selection committee and statutory appointment process determine who will hold one board seat; filling the vacancy is time-sensitive because the agency's quorum could be affected. The executive director's described work on data, process documentation and permit review signals planned administrative changes.

What happened next: The board set the chair/vice-chair election for the February agenda, authorized staff to begin the city-selection process by moving forward expeditiously, approved the Dec. 12 minutes, and adjourned the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency 01-09-25","oneSentenceSummary","Staff told the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency board on Jan. 9 that the agency will begin the city-selection process for a forthcoming city-appointed board seat; the board also agreed to defer chair and vice-chair elections to its February meeting and approved its Dec. 12 minutes.","taxTitle","Yakima City, Yakima County, Washington","taxId",12681,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6393514,"Neighbors raise enforcement and groundwater concerns at Rocky Top; agency clarifies air-operating-permit terminology",904,365000,1269000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2106895-69ea17b284f004804fe1c5e519acc057&start=365&end=1269","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2106895-69ea17b284f004804fe1c5e519acc057/thumbnail_365000.jpg","/articles/6393514/Yakima-City/Yakima-County/Washington/Neighbors-raise-enforcement-and-groundwater-concerns-at-Rocky-Top-agency-clarifies-air-operating-permit-terminology","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393514-dad5468df79c62f1f81e6ce8fd3c5101/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181648&Signature=oP87SnGKl5O1NqLxrEI6qr-aBXEDd4MJohuXm6nPg4i8RLw~CPaiCLh6P7d~HfWGmCIe78N10S343WQ39fV~-Ea~y~j~gPLlO1aP1qPYh3xdT1UEieOyyVg1hdG~DDoxNrCRsZ5rIMyZLJ1OmJduD7JDf9YYwM9RiWWnmhZv-oj6l8f57In6H~zG9QjFWc4dsKPU0Kr8Z68ABh1vuUkHtas3g7fvP2BOT0fxvn5NKQx2Fpc86tC6lGtdElgqRozC7K-w2zUXq-vw6taL2hc1mm904~PU81yjgzuU5511Q9yxe~Mh1t6ysDqfiRPzdKtXhQF4lnq-i~ucyEooeCbWCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency meeting on Jan. 9, local residents asked the board whether permit fees cover enforcement and raised concerns about inspections at the Rocky Top site.

\"When I look at the little chart that has the number of inspections for air operating permits, there are zeros across the board,\" said Nancy Lust, representing Friends of Rocky Top. \"There are none planned. There wasn't any last year.\" Lust said she would later attend a meeting with the state Department of Ecology and the health district and said, \"I have a feeling they're gonna tell us they found PFAS in the groundwater out at Rocky Top.\"

In response, the executive director clarified terminology used in agency materials. \"An air operating permit is a specific and unique permit that is issued to large operations that fall within title 5 of the Federal Clean Air Act,\" said Mister Thornberry. \"There are only 3 entities in Yakima County that have an air operating permit. An air operating permit is not a general term for an order of approval that is issued by the agency to most of the permittees... We have nearly 400 registrants in Yakima County.\"

The executive director's clarification distinguishes the federal Title V air operating permit from the agency's more common orders of approval and helps explain why inspection counts for Title V permits can appear low: only a small number of facilities hold that specific permit type. Lust said she was concerned enforcement activity may instead rely on public reporting and that restricted access at Rocky Top complicates community oversight.

Why it matters: Residents linked air and water concerns at Rocky Top, saying measures used to control air emissions (such as capping with soil) may affect groundwater. The executive director's clarification provides context for the low count of Title V inspections but does not by itself describe enforcement plans for non-Title-V permits.

What happened next: The board did not record additional enforcement actions or immediate follow-up during the meeting; residents reported they planned to pursue the groundwater issue with Ecology and the health district.","Residents told the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency board they see few inspections and fear groundwater contamination at Rocky Top; the executive director clarified that only three facilities in Yakima County hold federal \"air operating permits,\" a term distinct from the agency's orders of approval.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6393518,"Public commenter alleges board and staff violated agency rules, raises conflict-of-interest concerns",176,173000,349000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2106895-69ea17b284f004804fe1c5e519acc057&start=173&end=349","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2106895-69ea17b284f004804fe1c5e519acc057/thumbnail_173000.jpg","/articles/6393518/Yakima-City/Yakima-County/Washington/Public-commenter-alleges-board-and-staff-violated-agency-rules-raises-conflict-of-interest-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393518-6ab398ff31446a0ca1272d87ac655354/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181648&Signature=RYSr2fYJv6p2gHDz5E6HtcbAMTjp48kOjwkSh11WFacObsZRYl1l9d4RKOcS3xC0YrZARQhrvJBg8QvpAlWfdf-m8VmzcQ0HjjLhk-lb9JM12Z5CsYRZSaylLttdTym~tvjk5CvYLKqXQ~G4PbNSLgeLlw-OO0BH43PscCh-jV97A-1zR0GnNbVpKbfguu646Cpa-jgqy3bxeXQIGh7Xqj7LftS7tyzG4qXYiU82EGMgJ0bEWKm2zJyAdS9JeHrwndauwEatA4xIyt8NFS9SS5IVgASWyV4NNyeuLwGE6p0nMBjD8zTWTKnMHQqIodfEWJS5PvCRH2mbqNaH9WwKCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jean Mendoza of White Swan told the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency Board of Directors on Jan. 9 that the agency likely violated multiple internal and state rules in recent meetings.

Mendoza said, \"either the board chair or the, YRCAA executive director or both likely violate administrative code a section 2 by not placing the discussion of a possible violation of the open public meetings act on the agenda for this meeting.\" She also alleged that a board member \"has repeatedly voted on issues that involve an industry from which he receives significant income.\"

The allegation cited several provisions by name or number from agency administrative code and state rules. Mendoza also told the board the agency may be out of compliance with WAC 173410220 and referred to the Washington Clean Air Act and the state Open Public Meetings Act in her comments.

Mendoza further alleged the executive director \"may have been practicing law without a license,\" saying an analysis included in the board packet \"amounts to a legal argument and imitates language that judges use.\" She urged the board to review those matters.

Board members did not announce formal responses during public comment. The meeting proceeded to other agenda items; no formal action on Mendoza's allegations was recorded in the Jan. 9 minutes.

Why it matters: Mendoza's statements raise governance questions that, if found to have merit, could affect agency processes for agenda-setting, legal advice, and board member recusal.

What happened next: The board continued with the meeting agenda and did not take formal action on the items raised during Mendoza's public comment. The executive director later delivered the executive director's report during which he clarified permit terminology (see related article on inspections and permits).","At the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency meeting on Jan. 9, a public commenter accused the board chair and executive director of failing to place required items on the agenda and alleged a board member voted on matters involving an industry from which he receives income.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Agency staff to launch city-selection process for board seat; board defers chair election to February

Neighbors raise enforcement and groundwater concerns at Rocky Top; agency clarifies air-operating-permit terminology

Public commenter alleges board and staff violated agency rules, raises conflict-of-interest concerns