Bill would exempt some air‑curtain incinerators from DEQ Title V permits to ease rural disposal

House Bill 2332 drew testimony on Feb. 11 from operators and industry representatives who said recent federal guidance and rising state permit costs have made it difficult for air‑curtain incinerator operators to continue providing a localized disposal option for wood waste and yard debris.

What the bill would do HB 2332 would prevent the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) from requiring a Title V operating permit for an air‑curtain incinerator that exclusively burns wood waste, clean lumber or yard debris unless federal law or EPA regulations specifically require the Title V designation. Testimony framed the bill as aligning state regulation with a recent EPA action and as a way to preserve an emissions‑controlled disposal method used in rural land‑management and wildfire‑risk reduction activities.

Supporters' case Ryan Tribbett, with PacWest Lobby Group, and Ryan Ramage, owner of Valley Environmental, testified that Title V classification imposes significant costs and that DEQ can instead issue air contaminants permits for these units. Tribbett said he was offering assistance out of professional friendship to an affected operator and said the bill would prompt DEQ to use existing permitting pathways rather than Title V. Ramage said the industry has faced fee increases and regulatory uncertainty; "title 5 has been a big issue with our industry," he said, and noted a recent 83% DEQ fee increase that has affected operators.

Technical points and legislative questions Witnesses described how an air‑curtain incinerator operates — a burn box with a forced‑air manifold that increases combustion efficiency and reduces open‑burn smoke — and said byproducts are ash or biochar that can be used as soil amendments. Ramage said there are about six permitted air‑curtain units in the state and that only two remain mobile. Representative Marsh asked whether the bill needs clearer definitional language to distinguish unit sizes or performance standards; witnesses agreed that a definitional clause could be helpful.

Federal context and next steps Testimony noted a recent EPA ruling that removed air‑curtain burners from Title V classification at the federal level; proponents asked the Legislature to align state practice with that change and to direct DEQ to issue appropriate non‑Title‑V air permits within the bill’s implementation period. The committee heard no opposition during the hearing. Chair Lively closed the public hearing and adjourned the meeting; no committee vote was recorded at that time.

Ending: If advanced, HB 2332 would direct DEQ to adopt a permitting approach consistent with federal guidance while proponents and some legislators asked for clarifying definitions to ensure consistent enforcement and public‑health protections.