The Diamond Pet Food in Ripon is looking to expand its existing facility.
The pet food manufacturing plant at 942 S. Stockton Ave. will need a discretionary permit from the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District in order for the proposed expansion to take place.
The expansion plans call for new equipment installation, including but not limited to odor control equipment.
Not long after Diamond Pet Food opened up operation some five years ago, folks complained of foul odors from the busy plant.
The City and Diamond Pet Food officials spent time trying to remedy the problem back then by using add-on odor control technology.
As for the expansion, City Attorney Tom Terpstra said there were two layers to this project.
“Diamond Pet Food has to get approval from the City for the expansion, which they did with the initial three lines and, second, an Environmental Review has to take place to the add the fourth line, in which they need to introduce new odor reduction technologies,” he said at the Oct. 10 Ripon City Council meeting.
Terpstra added: “The Air District as a state agency does not act as the lead agency, the City of Ripon would fill that role as it did originally.”
Councilman Leo Zuber doesn’t want the same issues as that of the first time around. “Council was told that everything was going to work and once it was approved and implemented, it did not,” he said.
Council, at this point, approved the Diamond Pet Food reimbursement agreement, which provides reimbursement for staff time used to respond to the application for the expansion.
“This is just starting the process for the (Environmental Review) studies to take place,” said Vice Mayor Michael Restuccia.
Terpstra indicated that Diamond Pet Food officials had met with the Central Valley Air Pollution Control District to discuss the technology for the new and existing lines and will go through the appropriate steps with the Council in order to receive public comment on the Environmental Review.
“Council will have the opportunity to hire consultants to evaluate the studies independently,” he said.
As the lead agency, the City of Ripon, for the purpose of this expansion project, has agreed to fulfill the necessary requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.
To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com.
