Since February, one Mancos resident has turned into a maverick scientist, fashioning black felt to a clipboard to serve as a rudimentary air pollution monitoring station.
"Western Excelsior is in plain view of my home," said Tom Nunn. "They should be shut down ASAP."
A Riverside Drive resident since 2012, Nunn was one of a handful of Mancos citizens - the Concerned Residents of Riverside (CROR) - to speak out against the erosion and sediment control manufacturer at a public meeting on Monday, May 18. The citizens have complained for more than two years that the company is polluting the air and ground with "fugitive particulates," or tiny pieces of sawdust.
"I've concluded that Western Excelsior will continue its delay tactics," Nunn told company and town officials on Monday. "They've had more than ample time to resolve the issue."
During a 20-minute address, Western Excelsior business unit manager Kyle Hanson explained that the company had identified problems in its manufacturing process that led to its particulate emissions, and the business, which employs about 100 people, had made efforts to try and remedy the situation.
"Our goal in this is to try to be transparent," said Hanson. "We're trying hard to make a difference and be respectful. We want a win-win."
Hanson added that company employees had spent "hundreds and hundreds" of man-hours studying particulate mitigation. He said the company conducts weekly inspections and plans to enclose exterior operations. Neither a timeline nor cost estimate was presented.
"We're trying to be better neighbors," he said.
Former town trustee and CROR chair Chip Tuthill wasn't impressed. In a 15-minute rebuttal, Tuthill pointed to the Clean Air Act, which sets standards to protect the public health. He added numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to premature death in people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks and aggravated asthma, to name a few.
"We are concerned about the health and welfare of the residents," Tuthill said. "Wood dust is carcinogenic, and it gets deep into the lungs."
Tuthill said he had advised company officials of an industrial dust collection system that became available at auction from a New Mexico manufacturing facility. Tuthill said the used equipment would have offered tremendous savings over a recently acquired new system, which Hanson admitted is operating at 50 percent efficiency.
Mayor Rachel Simbeck reminded Tuthill that the town couldn't control the company's manufacturing processes, and she asked what outcomes he expected.
"We want air monitoring equipment," Tuthill replied. "We want peace of mind."
Hanson reiterated that he cared "about doing things the right way," but added that the company has complied with state and federal regulations.
"We're not breaking the law," he said. "We're causing a nuisance."
"We're causing a lot of particulate emissions, and we're working to clean that up the best we can," he said.
"Two years is way too long to wait," Tuthill countered, again requesting monitoring sites.
"If there are no health issues, then we could all breathe a huge sigh of relief," said Tuthill.
No official action was taken after Monday's meeting. Simbeck advised that town and company officials should meet again to develop solid mitigation efforts.
"Western Excelsior may never be able to make everyone completely happy, but we need to implement the next steps," said Simbeck