April 17, 2001

Environmental Watch: Pollution preventers sought

OLYMPIA -- The state Department of Ecology is seeking nominees for the Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Practices. The awards will be presented in September.

Large and small facilities, both private and public, are eligible for nomination. The award recognizes operations that "reduce their use of toxic materials, reduce the amount of waste and emissions they generate, or conserve resources, including raw materials, energy and water."

Entries must be submitted by June 8. A panel of former winners, pollution experts and labor and environmental groups will judge the entries.

For more information or an application, call Joanne Phillipson at (360) 407-6740 or e-mail joph461@ecy.wa.gov.

Group to review Ross Island reclaim plan

PORTLAND -- Portland Mayor Vera Katz has formed a committee to review plans for reclaiming Ross Island. The island, located in the Willamette River south of downtown, has been the site of gravel mining and also a dump site for dredge spoils.

Portland City Commissioner Erik Sten and Jim Rue, director of environmental affairs for Ross Island Sand and Gravel Co., will co-chair the committee. Other members include Ann Hanus of the Oregon Division of State Lands, David Bragdon of the Metro Council, Mike Houck of the Audubon Society and a representative of the National Marine Fisheries Service to be named.

"We will review the existing 1979 reclamation plan and take it fast forward -- using today's best scientific information and regulatory values," said Rue. "When we're done, we'll have taken another significant step in the journey to restore the health of the Willamette River."

The committee's work is expected to be complete in early 2002.

BPA extends ban on spilling water from dams

PORTLAND (AP) -- The Bonneville Power Administration again declared a power emergency Monday, barring the release of water for salmon from federal dams for at least two more weeks.

Spilling water normally begins April 3, but it was canceled two weeks ago because the BPA's acting administrator, Steve Wright, declared a power emergency. At a meeting of federal, state and tribal officials Friday in Portland, he said that the runoff forecast is still too low to both spill water for salmon and meet the region's power needs.

"The redeclaration is something of a formality," BPA spokesman Ed Mosey said Monday. "Unless we see some significant precipitation that fills the reservoirs, we're looking at a fairly dry balance of the summer."

An extensive salmon recovery plan requires water to be diverted from turbines and sent over spillways, offering young salmon safer passage to the sea at the cost of energy generation.

The BPA announced on Friday that it would repeat its emergency declaration. The National Marine Fisheries Service supported the move.

"The issue is reliability," said Donna Darm, acting regional director of the fisheries service. "If we spill water now and are wrong about the forecast, we risk rolling blackouts this summer."

Four tribes have treaty rights to Columbia River salmon and say that if the spill is cut, future salmon runs will be devastated.

"We are going to see some very dismal results based on these proposals," said Don Sampson, executive director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.

Wright named Clean Sound president

EVERETT -- Clean Sound Cooperative Inc. has named Richard Wright president. Wright had a long career with the U.S. Coast Guard. Most recently he served as environmental general manager for Time Oil Co. in Seattle.

Clean Sound is a cooperative formed by the oil industry to provide oil spill response readiness. Equipment is stationed in Tacoma, Seattle, Edmonds, Everett, Anacortes, Bellingham and Port Angeles.

Wright replaces Roland Miller, who spent over a decade with Clean Sound and nine years as president.

Mine cleanup funds lacking

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Efforts to plug up thousands of abandoned mines that dot the West could suffer under budget cuts proposed by President Bush. The president is recommending a $35 million cut to the Abandoned Mine Reclamation program, which helps pay for the state mine cleanup.

"It's kind of a starved outlook," said Robert Evetts, program manager of New Mexico's mine reclamation project. The state has about 20,000 hazardous mine openings it is working to close.

But next year, the $1.9 million the state received this year to help its efforts would be cut by $300,000 under the Bush budget. Colorado's share would be reduced from $2.6 million to $1.9 million, and Utah's would fall from $1.7 million to $1.6 million, according to preliminary numbers from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

"If that budget goes through it will affect us in a significant way," said Mark Mesch, administrator of Utah's Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program. "They will continue to expose the citizens of the state of Utah and those individuals visiting the state to the hazards those open mines present."

Three weeks ago, a snowmobiler in the Uinta Mountains drove into an abandoned mine shaft, one of about 20,000 in the state. The snowmobile wedged in the shaft and the rider was not seriously injured.

The budget cut would probably mean one project a year would be scrapped, meaning between 50 and 150 mine openings would not be closed. And in a region with a population that is growing faster than any other in the country, the expanding cities are exposing people to greater danger from abandoned mines.

Dave Bucknam, supervisor of Colorado's program said there are mines just east of Denver that pose a threat. The cuts would mean about 100 mine openings would not be closed next year, he said.

Michael Gauldin, spokesman for Office of Surface Mining, said there were cuts in numerous programs in the Interior Department and mine reclamation was not singled out.

"I don't pretend it's not going to hurt," he said, but it will likely be revisited next year and "a one-year budget reduction is not a trend."

Indian tribes would also take a hit, with the Navajo Nation's portion cut from $2.6 million to $1.9 million, and funding to the Hopi tribe cut from $500,000 to $300,000.

The Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund was created by Congress and contains a fee collected from mining operations. But the money spent on reclamation has not kept up with fees collected, and there was $1.3 billion in the account at the end of last year.

Goodall lauds sustainable forester

NANAIMO, British Columbia (AP) -- Internationally renowned scientist and ecologist Jane Goodall says forests can be harvested and still preserved.

Goodall was on Vancouver Island to bolster efforts to save a patch of forest famous for being selectively logged for more than 60 years. In her recent book, "Reason for Hope," Goodall referred to Wildwood, an area near Nanaimo, as a model for sustainable forestry.

Since 1938, the area has been selectively logged by Merve Wilkinson. He became known around the world as a guru of the practice and the area as a showcase and classroom for it.

"I want to do everything I can to help people see how important this type of forestry is, so the message can spread around the world you can harvest a forest and you can still preserve the forest," Goodall said.

"From the time I was a small child I've loved forests and trees, and just touching a tree like this makes me feel very grateful to Merve," she said, standing next to an 1,800-year-old Douglas fir.

The Land Conservancy of British Columbia has arranged to purchase the land for $640,000 and protect it. The purchase will be complete by June 2002. Wilkinson will remain on the property after the sale.

"We are seeking to make sure this continues as a working forest and an example of a balanced forest," he said.