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Spokannabist is a product of The Spokesman Review’s marketing division. • Friday, February 24, 2017
WHE
Pot farm By JEFF SELLE Spokannabist Correspondent
Some people love the smell of marijuan others can’t stand it. But does the skunk count as an actual contaminant? That question is one aspect of complex use and air quality discussions taking pla around the state. Now that growing and selling marijuana legal in Washington, some neighbors livin near marijuana farms are concerned abo pungent smell, even though the nature o living often comes with all sorts of agricu odors. At the same time, county officials trying to ensure proper zoning of this new industry, while state environmental officia trying to make sure everyone adheres to evolving air quality regulations. “It’s a new industry and everyone is lea said Lisa Woodard, public information offi the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, formed a Marijuana Advisory Committee year to bring together stakeholders and c up with odor regulations that the public a burgeoning new industry can live with. D regulations could come out later this sum early fall. “Our board has directed staff to come a way to address these odors,” Woodard At the root of these discussions is how entities define agricultural activities. Farms that plant and harvest items bes marijuana receive 36 state tax breaks and exemptions from air quality oversight that them to farm without worrying about com from animals, manure, dust, or diesel. “The problem is that clean air agencies well as county commissioners, are hesita extend these same protections to canna farms, believing that the former illegal sta of cannabis justifies the disparate treatme cannabis farmers,” said Crystal Oliver, ow