Intel Reports 150,000 Ton “Error” In CO2 Reporting As DEQ Approved Permit To Double Pollution In Hillsboro

Oh my, it seems like just yesterday (2022), Intel in Hillsboro was fined by the DEQ for leaving a crucial acid gas scrubber off for 63 days, which exposed workers to significant and dangerous exposure to Hydrogen Fluoride, Hydrogen Chloride, Flourine, Chlorine, etc.  Then there was that time in 2014 when the company was being reviewed, and they found out they had forgotten to report Flouride gas pollution in Hillsboro for years- only 6.4 tons a year, you understand.  No big deal. https://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/2013/09/intel_has_been_emitting_fluori.html

Intel Fined Again By DEQ For Discharging Dangerous Gases Into The Air In Hillsboro

We hear that Intel just received the DEQ permit, and they have been seeking to more than double the amount of dangerous gases and volatile organic compounds in Hillsboro and Aloha. No matter how many protests, letters, or input the DEQ received, there was no way the DEQ and State would not approve that permit. These are high-paying jobs, after all. What can we expect to happen to our air quality here in the West Valley?

Intel’s new air permit allows it to emit the following amounts of toxic air contaminants- the new amount shown next to the existing amount.
 Nitrogen oxides from 197 to 402 tons;
 Carbon monoxide from 229 to 550 tons;
 Volatile organic compounds from 178 to 349 tons;
 Fluorides from 6.4 to 12.2 tons;
 Particulate matter (PM) from 41 to 67 tons;
 PM10 from 35 to 67 tons;
 PM2.5 from 31 to 55 tons.
The last two minimal particulate matter emissions can go directly from your lungs into your
bloodstream and induce adverse health effects.

WOOPS, Another Mistake By Intel!!

It’s funny how there is a pattern: violate the law and beg for forgiveness, pay an insignificant fine, or say, “We didn’t know”.  The Big I has proven to be a great neighbor in Hillsboro.  As the company was receiving the big permit to double up the gook coming from the Fabs, they notified the DEQ they had once again forgotten to report something.  Don’t worry.  This time, it is just 150,000 tons of carbon dioxide the company forgot to report in 2022.  To put that into perspective, it is 300,000,000 million pounds of Cardon Dioxide.

What does that do to our valley, the atmosphere, and the climate? Well, the Herald wanted to know, so we headed over to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator. Here are the results, and you might find this shocking.

Those comparisons will open your eyes. You will realize that is an amount they did not report in just one year. This does not factor in the amount they did report. It appears from our research that Intel underreported CO2 by 38%, which, if true, would mean the company actually dumped about 251,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere just in 2022.

What would it take to offset just this mistake?

Okay, so a mistake was made. I can accept that. But wouldn’t we expect the party violating the law to make it right? We are not talking about anyone going to jail here—make it even for us. Is that too much to ask? So, because the DEQ decided a warning letter was enough, here is what the EPA says it would take just to offset the damage already done.

Looking at the chart above, what is your choice? Should Intel plant 2.48 million seedlings in Hillsboro and get them to the 10-year mark to offset their error? Or maybe they can pay to have 6.515 million bags of recycling processed and collected here in Washington County? No? How about they purchase a lovely 962-acre tract of land in the Coast range and set it aside as a forest forever? That one seems nice.

Oh my, just another day in the West Valley- and the day is just getting started!  Think about all of this folks- this is your Valley and yours to champion or lose.

Here is the DEQ letter I received last night. It concerns our work and reporting on Intel and the environment over the past four years.

Greetings Dirk,

I am writing to share that DEQ has issued Intel’s air quality permit for the Ronler Acres and Aloha site expansion.  All permitting documents, including an extensive Response to Comments, have been posted on the Intel project page: ordeq.org/intel.

I wanted to also make you aware of a separate but related issue. On March 15, 2024, Intel notified DEQ it had made an error in its greenhouse gas emissions reporting for 2022 as part of DEQ’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. The error underreported emissions by 150,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents basis. This error was also missed by a third-party verifier. Intel reported the error immediately upon discovery. DEQ has taken appropriate enforcement action in the form of a warning letter, sent to Intel on April 12, 2024. The warning letter requires Intel to:

• Update the greenhouse gas emissions number for 2022 online through DEQ’s reporting system.
• Have the new emissions number verified through a different third-party verifier.

This reporting error does not impact the air quality permit, which has a different process for setting greenhouse gas limits. The error also does not violate any conditions in Intel’s existing or issued air quality permit.  Intel has completed the online update of the information as required. You can view this information on the Office of Greenhouse Gas webpage.

Again, more information is available on the Intel project page: ordeq.org/intel.

DEQ appreciates your interest and engagement throughout the public process. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Thank you,

Nina