October 25, 2016

5 contractors honored for protecting salmon

Photo courtesy GLY [enlarge]

Salmon-Safe projects certified in South Lake Union include the Allen Institute for Brain Science. GLY was the contractor.

Stewardship Partners and Salmon-Safe hosted Spawn South Lake Union at Tesla in South Lake Union to recognize the accomplishments of local Salmon-Safe accredited construction firms in reducing polluted runoff to Lake Union.

Five accredited contractors have met Salmon-Safe's standard of zero sediment runoff from large-scale construction. The contractors are Exxel Pacific, GLY, Lease Crutcher Lewis, Sellen and Turner.

In 2013 Vulcan Real Estate partnered with Salmon-Safe through their marine habitat initiative requiring all new projects to be constructed by accredited contractors.

Salmon-Safe construction companies consistently apply best construction site management practices with the goal of achieving zero sediment runoff across their entire operation. The accreditation program recognizes construction companies who commit to implementing pollutant control and runoff protection measures everywhere they work, even if the sites will not necessarily be eligible for Salmon-Safe certification.

Ellen Southard, Salmon-Safe's Urban Outreach Manager for Puget Sound, spoke to an audience of more than 100 people on the importance of Salmon-Safe construction practices. Salmon-Safe works with over 150 businesses, farms and landowners in Washington to addresses critical environmental issues facing our region.

Salmon-Safe projects certified in South Lake Union include the Allen Institute for Brain Science and EMP Little Wing.

The new Google campus breaking ground early next year is on track for certification along with other Vulcan projects in design.

In addition to the South Lake Union properties, Salmon-Safe recently certified Sea-Tac and Vancouver, B.C., airports as well as recertifying the University of Washington Seattle Campus.

Grace Reamer, product specialist with Tesla Seattle, also spoke at Spawn regarding the benefits of electric cars in helping to minimize transportation impacts from the amount of gas and oil residues in polluted runoff generated by fuel operated vehicles.

Spawn South Lake Union also celebrated the annual return of coho and other salmon during spawning season. More than 18,000 coho have passed through the Ballard locks this year, almost three times the number that returned last year.

Salmon-Safe works with local partners to certify farms, vineyards, golf courses, parks, campuses, buildings and most recently airports.

Established in Seattle 15 years ago, Stewardship Partners helps landowners protect the environment with projects that restore fish and wildlife habitat, improve water quality, protect open space, and “green up” the built environment.