Oregon Department of Environmental Quality staff addressed a largely skeptical audience at a meeting in The Dalles about its odor reduction agreement signed with AmeriTies-West.  AmeriTies manufactures railroad ties at its plant at the east end of The Dalles using a creosote mixture, and a number of nearby residents believe the emissions may be causing health problems.  DEQ officials described steps Amerities is to take under what was described as an enforceable agreement, including reducing the surface area of stored ties, staggering times ties are on the plant’s drip pad, evaluating the plant scrubber to determine effective odor reduction, and trying alternative preservative formulas that reduce naphthalene emissions.  The agency also outlined its upcoming study of air quality in The Dalles starting the first week of June, which will include monitoring once every three days for 90 days and a two week period with daily sampling.  Many in the audience regularly expressed doubt about the efforts…and peppered speakers with questions.  Rachel Najjar of The Dalles Clean Air Coaltion told the audience she believes the issue is not just odor nuisance, but a public health emergency, noting her own children’s health problems.