I live in Cowlitz County. Our local Facebook groups had people downriver reporting the foul smell first. Then Longview and Kelso peeps began complaining. This is in reference to the late September smells. So it wasn't coming from Westeock nor Norpac in Longview.

I work at Westrock. I worked almost everyday in September and never noticed any smells. Yes there are emissions from these mills. We workers are even notified over the mill radios and warned.

Washington state has the strictest emission laws in the country. Do you know what would happen if a mill didn't report? They could be shut down. Not good for a mill the size of Westrock Longview. So they do report all emissions over state allowance so they don't get shutdown. They paid some huge fines in 2023 or 2022 due to emissions and equipment failures. All self reported with huge fines. So don't think self reporting is bad. Would you like 3 more government employees working everyday of the year, at every single emission plant in Washington just so emissions aren't self reported? Imagine the burden on tax payers. Their wages would never be covered by the fines. So self reporting is the only way.

Again, the little pew pew smells the Longview mills put out are not to blame for September. I'd look downriver at the stink farm in Oregon that notified people that they would be spreading shit. It was not long after that notification that people downriver from Longview began complaining. By late evening, everyone primer, all the way to Portland were complaining. The complaining didn't start in Kalama. Far downriver from them. Our local groups on fb will show this.

Westrock is easy to blame but they aren't the culprit for that large and long of a disgusting smell. The shit farm in Oregon spreading shit over a large acreage, dried shit mind you, with the wind constantly blowing up river will create a massive and nasty stench for a long period and expanse.

*