Olympic Regional Clean Air Agency outlines monitoring upgrades, stove‑replacement program for Clallam County

Jeff Johnston, executive director of the Olympic Regional Clean Air Agency, told the Clallam County Board of Health on Oct. 21 that ORCA is restoring regional air monitoring capacity, expanding local sensor coverage and continuing stove‑replacement work that removes particulate pollution from neighborhoods.

Johnston said ORCA, a six‑county local air agency with about 17 staff based in West Olympia, enforces state and federal clean‑air rules within its jurisdiction and operates a network of regulatory monitors and lower‑cost sensors across Clallam County. "We permit what are called stationary sources of air pollution," Johnston said, adding that ORCA does not regulate mobile sources such as cars and trucks. He said particulate matter, especially PM2.5, is the pollutant of greatest local concern.

ORCA operates a long‑running background observatory on Chica Peak, an EPA NCORE site that measures many pollutants. Johnston said the Chica Peak power line failed in February and the site has been offline;…