French’s ORCAA Vote: More Process, Higher Fees, and the Same Unfunded Mandate

Clallam County Watchdog · Sep 14, 2026 · 42m

ORCAA spent $345,000 last year on outdoor burning and recovered $27,400 in fines. Clallam County Commissioner Mike French voted to expand the agency’s tracking system anyway. Rural board members from Grays Harbor and Mason Counties called it a first step toward more rules and fees. Property owners who clear land now pay more than double. A local shipyard that wanted to add jobs paid a six-figure penalty and waited years for approval. Voters should ask who that record serves.

ORCAA (Olympic Region Clean Air Agency) is the regional air agency for six counties, including Clallam. It enforces…