Environmental Watch: New senior staff at EnviroIssues

Mullen

Ellsworth

SEATTLE — EnviroIssues, a public involvement and facilitation firm, has increased its senior staff in Seattle, bringing it to 40 employees.

Linda Mullen has joined as a senior associate. She has been communications director for the Washington State Department of Transportation since 2001 and has more than 20 years of communications and public sector marketing experience.

Cheryl Ellsworth has joined as an associate, after working most recently as a policy analyst for the House Democratic Caucus in the state legislature. She also directed governmental relations and community outreach for both the Seattle Public Schools and Children's Hospital.

EnviroIssues consults with government and industry on technical and regulatory projects. It has offices in Portland, Seattle and Richland.

Landau scientist on OSU board

Butler

EDMONDS — Brian F. Butler, L.G., a senior associate in Landau Associates' Edmonds office, was appointed to the Oregon State University, Department of Geoscience board of advisors. The board provides advice on strategic planning, endowments and fundraising, curriculum, and employment opportunities for graduates.

Butler leads Landau's environmental consulting to ports and industry. He holds geoscience degrees from Oregon State University and the University of Washington.

The 85-person environmental, geotechnical and natural resources consulting firm is based in Edmonds, with offices in Tacoma, Spokane and Portland.

Triangle Associates adds more staff

SEATTLE — Triangle Associates has hired several new people. Betsy Daniels, senior associate, has 15 years of experience in facilitation, mediation, policy analysis and project management on natural resource management issues.

Triangle added three people to the education team. Education specialist Erin McGourty is now full-time after teaching for Triangle as a contracted presenter last fall. Education specialist Kristine Cramer has more than 10 years of experience working with youth in environmental, cultural and outdoor education. Dana O'Day-Senior joins the firm to do research, writing and editing.

Triangle Associates advises public and private groups on public involvement and education programs as well as policy and planning issues.

Pierce County gets $3.4M for watersheds

TACOMA — The state Salmon Recovery Funding Board has awarded $3.4 million in grants for Pierce County watershed projects. The projects are intended to protect salmon species in south Puget Sound.

Here’s where the money will be spent:

$1.5 million for the Puyallup watershed

$1.6 million for the Pierce County portion of the Nisqually watershed

$290,000 for the Pierce County portion of the Kitsap watershed Project sponsors will contribute an additional $620,000, raising the total funding to over $4 million.

The three Pierce County lead entity (Puyallup watershed) projects funded include a 20-acre land acquisition and restoration on South Prairie Creek called Bee Spit Honey ($552,000), a 26-acre Soler Farms agricultural land acquisition/restoration project on South Prairie Creek ($398,000) and a Lower Boise Creek channel restoration project ($535,000).

Nisqually watershed projects in Pierce County are the Manke shoreline acquisition ($276,000), Kist shoreline acquisition ($285,000) and Lower Ohop Creek restoration ($1.1 million).

A Kitsap Watershed project in Pierce County, the Rocky Creek barrier replacement, received $290,000.

Water Programs Manager Harold Smelt said four of the Puyallup and Nisqually watershed projects deemed by the board to be of highest priority are floodplain land acquisitions.

Groundwater committees meet this week

REDMOND — The Redmond-Bear Creek Groundwater Protection Committee has scheduled a meeting today at Redmond City Hall to discuss ongoing water-related issues.

The committee will meet from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Trestle Room of City Hall, 15670 NE 85th Street, in Redmond.

The Vashon-Maury Island Groundwater Protection Committee will meet Wednesday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Fire Training Center, 10020 S.W. Bank Rd., Vashon. There will be presentations on low-impact development, fertilizers and pesticides, and updates on grant proposal efforts and King County's water resources evaluation project.

The Issaquah Creek Valley Groundwater Protection Committee will meet Thursday in Issaquah to educate citizens about watershed management issues in the area. The committee will meet from 3-5 p.m. in the Eagle Room of the City of Issaquah's Police Station, at 130 East Sunset Way.

For more information contact Susan Oxholm, 206-296-1984; Susan.Oxholm@metrokc.gov

NEBC offers update on Olympia Feb. 1

SEATTLE — The Northwest Environmental Business Council Olympic Chapter will meet Feb. 1 for a state legislative update "What is Going on in Olympia this Year?"

Issues likely to come up in Olympia include regulating electronic waste, phasing out PBDE's, permitting and cleaning up Puget Sound. The governor's office has proposed ways to improve the Growth Management Act, and several legislators are looking at an overhaul of the state's tax system.

Jerry Smedes and Linda Dennis of Smedes & Associates will give the update. The event starts at 11:30 a.m. and runs until 1 p.m. at McCormick & Schmick's Harborside on Lake Union, 1200 Westlake Ave. N. Cost is $35 for NEBC members and guests, and $48 for non-NEBC members.

For information call NEBC at (503) 227-6361 or see the Web site at http://www.nebc.org.

Environmental Watch: Bellingham schools recycle food waste

BELLINGHAM — Three Bellingham elementary schools have started a month-long pilot food-composting program they say could save the school district 20 percent of its waste disposal cost, or the equivalent of $3.75 per student per school year.

The program is modeled after San Francisco's Food To Flowers! school lunch composting program. District officials say it is the only program in the state that includes milk cartons and delivers the material to a commercial composter.

Food scraps, milk cartons, napkins and other food-related paper products are collected. Sanitary Service, Inc. hauls the material to be composted at Green Earth Technologies in Lynden.

Brett Greenwood, the district's food service manager, said this is the most cost-effective way to reduce trash from school meals and is an educational opportunity for students.

The program is expected to divert between 50 and 60 percent of the trash at the three schools from the waste stream. Plans call for expanding it district-wide if it is a success.

'Green tide' study gets $688,000 grant

ANACORTES — Kathryn Van Alstyne, a marine scientist at Western Washington University's Shannon Point Marine Center, and Timothy Nelson, a professor at Seattle Pacific University, received $688,000 in research grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation to study harmful algal blooms in coastal waters.

The research will look at the causes and effects of large blooms of green seaweeds, often called "green tides." These blooms can hurt marine communities, fisheries and aquaculture facilities.

A green tide in Penn Cove on Whidbey Island was thought to be responsible for a die-off of fish, shellfish and other marine invertebrates.

They will survey shorelines in Puget Sound and the Northwest Straits to determine the extent and timing of blooms, as well as the effects of toxins they produce. The studies will be conducted off Fidalgo and Whidbey islands as well as throughout the San Juan Islands.

SRFB OKs $3.4M for county habitat

SEATTLE — Salmon habitat projects in King County's four major watersheds received grants from the state Salmon Recovery Funding Board. The $3.4 million will go for eight projects.

Two projects in the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed received $1.5 million and four projects in the Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed received $1 million. A project in the Snoqualmie Watershed received $320,000, and one in the White River Watershed in southern King County received $535,000.

The watersheds are home to Chinook salmon, listed as "threatened" under the federal Endangered Species Act. Sockeye and coho salmon, cutthroat trout and steelhead also depend on habitats in these watersheds.

The projects include:

Cedar River Belmondo Reach: Purchase 14 contiguous parcels along the Cedar River mainstem. The long range vision is to create a floodplain corridor of open space surrounding an unconfined river.

Middle Issaquah Creek conservation: Purchase undeveloped parcels along Issaquah Creek to protect 47 acres of mature forest, wetlands and streamside corridor.

Fenster levee setback and floodplain restoration in Auburn: Remove 700 feet of an unneeded levee and create a low vegetated bench and sloping beach to provide refuge for young salmon.

Mill Creek mouth restoration planning: Design a project to restore the confluence of Mill Creek and the Green River in Kent.

Raging River Preston Reach restoration/acquisition: Restore 7 acres of floodplain habitat by setting back 1,200 feet of levee and allowing the river to naturally meander.

Cities offers perks for greener cars

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah's largest city has joined a small, but growing, list of municipalities nationwide that offer free parking as an incentive for people to buy fuel-efficient vehicles.

Salt Lake City is now offering free metered parking to Utahns whose vehicles get 50 miles per gallon, have low emissions or are powered by an alternative fuel that could reduce the nation's dependency on foreign oil.

Utah already offers an income tax credit of up to $3,000 for residents who buy clean fuel vehicles and some electric hybrids.

Salt Lake City joins New Haven, Conn., Fresno, Calif., and Albuquerque, N.M., in the free parking meter program. Austin, Texas, also approved a green vehicle incentive that provides $100 in free parking.

Commuters in Baltimore who use low emissions vehicles get a discount at city-owned garages.

Environmental Watch: Cramer to head Federal Assurances Project

OLYMPIA — Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland appointed Darin Cramer to serve as acting federal assurances project manager at the State Department of Natural Resources.

He replaces Debora Munguia, who joined the Washington Forest Protection Association as director of governmental relations. Cramer has been assistant manager for the Federal Assurances Project since it began in 2002. Prior to that he worked in forest practices and aquatics divisions at DNR, and for Thurston County on environmental and natural resource issues.

The federal assurances project is an effort to get assurances from the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that forest practices that comply with state rules will satisfy federal requirements under the Endangered Species Act.

The Department of Natural Resources has applied for a statewide, programmatic habitat conservation plan known as the Forest Practices HCP.

The final HCP document has been prepared and the final EIS will be available to the public by the end of the month. DNR expects a decision by the federal agencies this spring.

Waste Management honors Freecycle

SEATTLE — Dan Corcoran and David Ruggiero of Seattle received the Environmental Stewardship Award and a gift from Waste Management for work on behalf of Freecycle, an online network that focuses on giving away items to keep them out of landfills.

Corcoran is a founding moderator of the Seattle Freecycle group and Ruggiero is the current lead moderator and head of the Freecycle program. They say Freecycle groups used the online network to keep more than 100 million pounds of goods out of landfills worldwide in 2005.

Worldwide last year, nearly 6 million items were given away through http://www.freecycle.org. Freecycle has 3,219 groups in 50 countries, with more than 1.25 million members. Waste Management is Freecycle's founding sponsor.

Ecology revises injection-well rule

OLYMPIA — The state Department of Ecology has revised rules that regulate underground injection control wells.

Injection wells are dug or drilled to put water or other fluids into the ground. Most dispose of stormwater runoff or waste water, such as dry wells along roads and parking lots, and septic systems that serve 20 or more people per day.

Ecology regulates the wells to prevent pollution or contamination of ground water. Here are some of the changes in the injection well rule:

Adding federal program modifications, including definitions and well types.

Allowing fluids from municipal, commercial, industrial and residential sources and storm water into injection wells if the requirements of the rule are met.

Requiring well owners to determine if they protect groundwater quality. This includes identifying high-risk stormwater wells and retrofitting them if necessary.

Explaining the requirements for closing a well.

More information is available online at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/grndwtr/uic/rule_rev.html.

Corps modifies Oregon state permit

PORTLAND — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a modified Oregon State Programmatic General Permit, which was developed to reduce regulatory duplication in Oregon.

The permit was developed in cooperation with Oregon Department of State Lands, which has authority over state waters.

Modifications include clarification of phrases within the permit. Corrie Veenstra, policy specialist for the Corps of Engineers, said no substantive changes were made to the original permit.

The regional general permit was issued for a period of two years and will expire Jan. 3, 2008. Information can be found on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' website at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/spgp.asp.

Environmental Watch: Comments due on sand and gravel permit

OLYMPIA — The Department of Ecology is seeking comments on a revised permit to regulate sand and gravel mining operations.

In January Ecology reissued the Sand and Gravel General Permit, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and state waste discharge general permit for sand and gravel mining operations and related facilities in Washington state. The permit controls the discharge of pollutants from sand and gravel mining operations into state waters.

The permit was appealed by the Washington Concrete and Aggregate Association and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, and a settlement was reached to modify the permit.

The new permit changes sampling and monitoring requirements, total maximum daily load requirements, and the inspection process.

For a copy, contact Jennifer Hennessey, Department of Ecology, (360) 407-7529 or jenh461//tinyurl.com/8t3ba.

Comments will be accepted at a public workshop and hearing at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, at the Department of Ecology in Lacey. The public comment period ends Jan. 31, 2006, at 5 p.m.

FERC OKs new turbines at Wanapum

EPHRATA -- Grant County PUD has received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to install the remaining nine advanced turbine units at Wanapum Dam.

The new turbines are part of the PUD's efforts to improve generating efficiency and fish passage at the Priest Rapids hydroelectric facilities.

In July 2004 the PUD installed one new advanced turbine and tested power output, efficiency and fish passage survival rates. Testing on the first unit showed that fish survival rates overall are as efficient as those of the aging turbines at Wanapum Dam, and exceed survival at turbines at most other Columbia River hydroelectric plants, according to the PUD. The new turbine also shows a 14 percent increase in generation capacity and a 3 percent increase in water use efficiency.

The turbine was designed through a multi-year research and development program funded by the hydropower industry and the U.S. Department of Energy. This is the first commercial application of this technology.

PUD officials said they expect to replace one of the remaining nine turbines every nine months, with installation complete in 2012. The total cost for this project is approximately $150 million.

Toxic waste workshops in five cities

OLYMPIA — The Department of Ecology will hold Dangerous Waste Management Workshops in five cities in Washington in January and February.

The events will cover reducing waste, identifying hazards, managing waste properly, common violations, inspections and disposal costs.

The workshops will be held in Tacoma Jan. 19 and 20 at the La Quinta Inn, Shoreline Jan. 24 and 25 at the Shoreline Conference Center, Kelso Jan. 27 at the Red Lion Inn Kelso, Spokane Jan. 31 at Mirabeau Park Hotel and Yakima Feb. 3 at Clarion Hotel.

The cost is $55 per person. For information call Lori Gonzalez at (360) 407-7118 or e-mail lgon461@ecy.wa.gov.

Master recycler volunteers needed

SEATTLE — King County will offer its free Master Recycler Composter Program in February to help people learn about composting and give back to the community by volunteering in the program.

Program coordinator Karen May said the county wants to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills by encouraging residents to recycle and compost at home.

"This trained volunteer base greatly expands our ability to reach out into communities to increase environmental awareness about waste reduction and easy guidelines for home composting," May said.

Participants in the eight-week program receive 40 hours of training about waste prevention, recycling, home composting and alternatives to household hazardous waste. It is open to King County residents who live outside the city of Seattle. Graduates are expected to volunteer at least 40 hours in the community. Applications are due Friday, Feb. 3, 2006.

The next annual training will be held at the UW Bothell Campus Tuesday evenings from 6:15 to 9 p.m., Feb. 7 through March 28. There are three Saturday sessions for field trips, hands-on activities and tours.

For information or an application contact May at (206) 296-4353 or via e-mail karen.may@metrokc.gov.

Ecologist honored for spotted owl work

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — One of the pioneers in studying the northern spotted owl has been honored for his contributions to wildlife ecology over the past 35 years.

E. Charles "Chuck" Meslow joined Oregon State University in 1971, planning to study the predation habits of hawks and owls. He said he never expected that research would be scrutinized by loggers, corporate CEOs, environmental groups, the news media, Congress and the courts.

Meslow said he tried to focus on science and avoid politics, serving on the Interagency Scientific Committee charged with developing management options addressing the conservation needs of the northern spotted owl.

For his contributions, he was recently presented with the Aldo Leopold Award by The Wildlife Society.

Meslow worked with a group of biologists who found the northern spotted owl needed large tracts of old trees.

The political decisions that followed reverberated around the country, said W. Daniel Edge, head of the OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and a member of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

"The policy debate that arose out of the listing of the species often became very emotional and heated," Edge said. "Chuck Meslow took a lot of heat as the messenger, but he was always focused on what the science said, and he conducted himself to the highest ethical standards."

Meslow said while he and other biologists were never told how to conduct their science, they felt pressure to find the minimum number of acres to set aside for the protection of the owl.

"Initially, we just made a flat-out guess and said 300 acres, lacking anything better," Meslow said. "And there was an immediate, loud screaming sound from the people who wanted to get at the timber.

Eventually, his research found the owls needed thousands of acres, depending on location and habitat conditions. More than two decades later, Meslow says the owl management plan seems to be working.

Environmental Watch: RFP for shoreline armoring study

SEATTLE — The Puget Sound Action Team is soliciting bids for a contract to evaluate the effectiveness of small-scale beach nourishment, bioengineering, native plant landscaping and other alternatives to shoreline armoring or bulkheads.

The total cost for the project will not exceed $25,000.

The report will be used by local government planners and permit reviewers to allow alternative projects, and by property owners, contractors and consultants considering alternative treatments.

A committee with representatives from the Action Team, Department of Ecology and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will guide the project. Doug Myers of the Action Team is project manager.

The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Dec. 31. They may be mailed, faxed, e-mailed or hand-delivered to: Puget Sound Action Team, Doug Myers, Box 40900, Olympia 98504-0900. Phone: (360) 725-5451, fax: (360) 725-5456, e-mail: dmyers@psat.wa.gov .

Wetland bank eyed for Oregon site

PORTLAND — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Oregon Department of State Lands are considering a proposal to establish a wetland mitigation bank near Philomath, Ore.

The bank sponsors say the bank will meet requirements for compensatory wetland mitigation for projects permitted by the Corps and the Oregon Department of State Lands. The sponsors would sell wetland credits to parties to meet their obligations under the "no net loss of wetlands" policies of federal and state regulations.

The proposed bank will generate wetland credits by restoring cropped wetlands to wet prairie dominated by native plants and by planting trees and shrubs along an existing forest wetland corridor.

Written comments must be received by Jan. 12, 2006, and should be addressed to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-G (Corrie Veenstra), P.O. Box 2946, Portland 97208-2946.

A copy of the public notice is posted on the Corps' Internet site at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/docs/200500701.pdf.

UI report looks at delisting potential

MOSCOW, Idaho — A new report from the University of Idaho's College of Natural Resources examines how threatened and endangered species are added to and removed from the federal list under the Endangered Species Act.

Policy analysts Jay O' Laughlin and Philip Cook co-authored the report with wildlife ecologist Mark McClure. It is called "Delisting Endangered Species: Process Analysis and Idaho Case Studies" and looks at the potential for delisting the 22 threatened and endangered species in Idaho.

Species may be delisted because they are recovered, were listed in error or have gone extinct. Of the 22 ESA-protected species in Idaho, seven have the potential for delisting in the near future, according to the report. The bald eagle, gray wolf, northern Idaho ground squirrel and three plant species have met, or soon will, the recovery goals that can trigger the delisting process. The Idaho spring snail might be taken off the list due to misclassification.

The other 15 species listed in Idaho will continue to need the federal law's protection for the foreseeable future, O'Laughlin and Cook say. For example, although Snake River salmon have been listed for more than a decade, ESA-required recovery goals and delisting objectives have not yet been developed.

The report may be ordered from UI College of Natural Resources, Box 441134, Moscow, ID 83844-1134. The report also may be found online at http://www.cnr.uidaho.edu/pag.

USGBC on the Scientific American 50

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Green Building Council has been named by Scientific American magazine to its annual list for outstanding leadership in science and technology from the past year.

"This is a tremendous accolade. USGBC is honored to be selected as a Business Leader for its contribution to environmental design," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and founding chair of the council. "This honor belongs to each and every one of USGBC's members."

The council was selected for its roll in promoting environmental design, including its LEED green building rating systems, which are expanding into core and shell developments, and neighborhoods.

Past Scientific American 50 winners include stem cell researcher Douglas A. Melton of Harvard; Nobel-prize winning neurobiologist Roderick MacKinnon; global public health leader Gro Harlem Brundtland; and Steven Jobs of Apple.

Environmental Watch: Jan. 28 workshop on SEPA, NEPA

SEATTLE — The National Environmental Policy Act is 35 years old, and the State Environmental Policy Act turns 35 next year. Next month an advanced workshop sponsored by Law Seminars International will cover the evolving loopholes and legal requirements of both acts.

Local lawyers and representatives of local, state and federal government agencies will lead the workshop on NEPA and SEPA at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel on Jan. 25.

Speakers will look at recent legal developments, current proposals for NEPA reforms and talk about legal exemptions. Two private attorneys, David S. Mann and Patrick J. Schneider, and Colleen G. Warren, senior counsel with the Attorney General's Office who represents the state Department of Ecology, will talk about administrative appeal and judicial review.

Air quality checkup for your home

SEATTLE — Through the Master Home Environmentalist (MHE) program, the American Lung Association of Washington offers free in-home air quality assessments to make your house cleaner and healthier.

The program sends volunteers into homes to give personalized tips on how to reduce levels of indoor air pollutants and other hazardous toxins. The free service can be particularly helpful for the elderly and children, or for those who struggle with asthma or allergies.

For information contact the American Lung Association of Washington, at (206) 441-5100, or sign up online at http://www.alaw.org

Forestry foundation looks for leaders

SPOKANE — The Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation is seeking candidates for up to 30 fellowships in Class 29 of its leadership program.

Foundation President David Roseleip said people involved in the agriculture, forestry or fisheries industries are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2006.

Each year up to 30 people from throughout the state are selected to participate. The mission is to develop leaders for the natural resources industries.

There are 14 seminars over the course of an 18-month period. Topics include communication, economics, state government, media relations, social problems, the criminal justice system, the environment and health care. It includes a seven-day visit to Washington D.C. and a 15-day visit to selected foreign countries.

The foundation covers most of the costs. For information see the Web site at http://www.agforestry.org, call (509) 926-9113 or request an application by e-mail from leaders@agforestry.org

Comments due on aquatic pesticide permit

OLYMPIA — The Department of Ecology is seeking comments on a new permit regulating the use of pesticides to control weeds in Washington's waters. Comments are due by Jan. 20 and Ecology plans to issue the final permit March 1.

Aquatic pesticides include chemicals that kill, attract, repel or otherwise control the growth of aquatic pests.

Comments on the proposed permit revisions will be accepted at three

public workshops: Jan. 9, Centralia, (360) 736-9391; Jan. 10, Spokane, (509) 444-5390; and Jan. 10, Edmonds, (425) 640-1459.

For a copy of the proposed permit, contact Kelly McLain, Department of Ecology, Box 47600, Olympia, Wash., 98504-7600; (360) 407-6938; or kelm461@ecy.wa.gov. Information is available online at

'Green' ship calls at Tacoma port

TACOMA — The Hatsu Sigma, the first of a new generation of "green" ships, recently made its first call at the Port of Tacoma.

Officials from Evergreen Group and its Hatsu Marine Limited subsidiary said the new S-type, 7,024-TEU (20-foot equivalent container unit) "green" mega ship has environmental features designed to protect oceans and harbors.

They include double-skinned hulls, relocated fuel tanks that minimize the risk of oil pollution or fire as a result of grounding or collision, an oil-water separator that minimizes the oil content of waste water, holding tanks to avoid discharge in sensitive areas and low-sulfur fuels.

For more information on Evergreen's "green" ships, visit http://www.evergreen-marine.com/tuf1/jsp/TUF1_Html.jsp?page=TBN1_050707.htm

Jackson hydro relicensing moves ahead

EVERETT — The Snohomish County Public Utility District and the city of Everett filed documents with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to start the relicensing process for the Jackson Hydroelectric Project in the Sultan Basin.

The PUD and the city are relicensing the project using the Integrated Licensing Process. They have been holding meetings on the relicensing with public groups and agencies over the past year.

Jackson generates about 5 percent of the PUD's energy supply and its water storage provides about 80 percent of the water supply for Snohomish County.

Manson dredging the Snake, Clearwater

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — Parts of the lower Snake and Clearwater rivers will be dredged for the first time in seven years starting this week.

The National Wildlife Federation and other environmental groups agreed not to sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the dredging in exchange for a promise that the Corps will do a long-term study of sediment problems in the river.

The agreement is part of a settlement reached after the groups sued and successfully blocked dredging work planned for the winters of 2002 and 2004.

Congress has mandated that the Corps of Engineers maintain a 14-foot shipping channel, but parts of the channel are as shallow as 8 feet in some places.

That has prevented the port and barge operators from filling barges to capacity. Last spring two barges got stuck.

The Manson Construction Co. of Seattle plans to dredge about 400,000 cubic yards of sand and silt from the shipping channels under a $5.1 million contract from the Corps of Engineers. The work is set to begin Thursday and finish by the end of March.

The company will use a clamshell dredge with a hinged bucket to scoop the sediment. Jack Sands, Corps of Engineers' project manager at Walla Walla, said hydraulic, submerged pipe dredges could not be used because of environmental concerns.

Environmental Watch: Tacoma port picks enviro manager

TACOMA — Kathleen Fendt was recently selected by the Port of Tacoma as environmental program manager.

"Kathy brings the Port additional expertise in environmental permitting, project planning design and construction compliance," said Suzanne Dudziak, the Port's acting director of environmental affairs.

Fendt worked as senior environmental program manager for the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, was lead environmental engineer with the King County Road Services Division and was a land use/environmental planner with the Tulalip Tribes.

She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the American Planning Association.

Intertox hires senior toxicologist

SEATTLE — Erin M. Snyder, Ph.D. has joined Seattle-based Intertox, Inc. as a senior toxicologist. She has 10 years of experience in environmental and human health toxicology and is an expert on endocrine disrupting chemicals and personal care products as contaminants in the environment.

Intertox Director Dr. Richard Pleus said the hire "confirms our commitment to provide the same rigorous scientific standards and expertise to ecological toxicology that we apply to human health toxicology."

Her research has focused on EDCs and pharmaceuticals in the environment, ecotoxicology of perchlorate, and effects of chemicals in municipal sewage effluent on fish.

New staff added at Shockey/Brent

EVERETT — Brent Koos, Briana E. Lawrence and Melissa Phillips have joined Shockey/Brent. Reid Shockey, president, said the new staff reflects transition within the firm and a response to growth for the 25-year-old Everett-based firm.

Lawrence is a wetland scientist and a natural resource consultant. She will work on EISs, environmental assessments and environmental permitting applications. Koos is an AutoCAD design planner who brings large-scale construction management skills to Shockey/Brent. He will work with clients to take plans from the concept/schematic phase through construction. Phillips is an environmental specialist. She has previous experience in the public sector working with Skagit and Pierce counties, the Federal Highway Administration and the cities of Renton and Sumner. She will work on permitting, research and environmental fieldwork.

The firm is a multi-disciplinary consulting firm providing land use, environmental and permitting services to public and private clients.

Insurance group to hold mold meeting

SEATTLE — The PIA Western Alliance, an independent association of insurance agents, has organized a summit on moisture management/mold control Jan. 12 at the Doubletree Suites Southcenter in Seattle from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free.

The group says the goal is to build awareness among the insurance industry, Realtors, contractors and lenders about steps that can be taken to reduce their exposure to losses from moisture damage.

PIA says technology can be used to evaluate buildings and address issues that could become claims in the future. Properties that have experienced previous water or mold problems also can be evaluated to determine if the problem has been properly eradicated, according to PIA.

PIA says the series of tests can be applied to any structure and cost about $500. They were designed by Mold Technologies and Core Environmental Corp.

To make a reservation, call Gary Wolcott, director of communications for PIA Western Alliance, at (888) 246-4466 or by e-mail: garywolcott@piawest.com

USGBC now offers Web-based training

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Green Building Council has partnered with Turner Construction on its first Web-based training course, designed to educate more building industry professionals about LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation.

The three-hour course, "Essentials of LEED Professional Accreditation," includes case studies, interactive exercises and a practice exam.

Peter Templeton, vice president of education and research at USGBC, said the program will help educate a broader audience about green building.

Topics include the LEED rating system, coordinating during design and construction, managing the certification process and verifying compliance.

To take the course, go to http://www.usgbc.org. Cost is $150 for USGBC members and $200 for non-members.

County wins national wastewater award

SEATTLE — The King County Wastewater Treatment Division will receive one of seven national awards in 2005 for excellence in management from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.

NACWA is a 300-member trade association representing publicly owned wastewater treatment utilities in the United States. King County was chosen for its efforts in five areas:

Long-term facilities planning

Recycling biosolids

Employee training

Partnership between management and labor known as the Productivity Program

Resource conservation activities at wastewater treatment plants, such as the fuel cell that uses gas produced at the South Treatment Plant in Renton

Other factors in the award were the Industrial Waste Program and public education activities.

The division director is Don Theiler. The award will be presented at NACWA’s 2006 winter conference Jan. 31- Feb. 3 in Palm Desert, Calif.

Environmental Watch: SEATTLE — Herrera recently hired Dylan Ahearn and Adam Mouton.

Ahearn joined the water quality group and is working on the state Department of Transportation's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and Green River water quality projects. Mouton joins Herrera's GIS department.

Prescott takes job with PNGC Power

PORTLAND — PNGC Power, a Portland-based power services cooperative, named John Prescott to be senior vice president of power supply. He will be responsible for overseeing activity related to meeting electricity loads for PNGC Power's members, 15 Northwest electric utilities in seven western states.

He will manage the overall price and supply risk, and operational aspects of the co-op's contract with the Bonneville Power Administration. Prescott was power supply and environmental affairs officer at Seattle City Light.

PNGC Power buys and manages electricity to meet the power needs of about 325,000 people.

Forum to feature eco-entrepreneurs

SEATTLE — The Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability will hold the second in its Business Leaders Forum monthly breakfast series, "Eco-Entrepreneurs and Green Venture Capitalists," on Thursday with Martin Tobias, CEO of Seattle Biodiesel, John Plaza, founder and president of Seattle Biodiesel, and David Dreessen, principal in the venture capital firm Nth Power.

They will talk about opportunities for economic development and community benefit through partnerships between new technology companies and venture capitalists.

The forum will be held at Seattle University in the Casey Building from 7:30-9 a.m. It is co-sponsored by NBIS and the Albers School of Business and Economics of Seattle University.

For tickets call the information line at (425) 828-0982 or check the Web site http://www.nbis.org

Otak to do Clark County creek work

VANCOUVER — Officials from Clark County selected Otak Inc., a planning, architecture, design and engineering firm, to produce the Whipple Creek Watershed Projects Plan.

The project will be led by Otak's Oregon/Southwest Washington Water & Natural Resources Group.

County officials will work with Otak to identify capital improvement projects for the Whipple Creek area. Otak also will develop a prototype watershed plan that will help other watersheds restore their natural functions, and mitigate development.

Otak's Joe Simmler will be project manager, with Tim Kraft as deputy project manager and Alissa Maxwell as project engineer. Russ Gaston will be the principal-in-charge. Subconsultants include Inter-Fluve and Dr. Rich Horner of the University of Washington.

Hilton Vancouver is going for LEED

VANCOUVER — Architects from Fletcher Farr Ayote said the 226-room Hilton Vancouver is going for a LEED rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The new hotel is 12 miles from Portland International Airport, in downtown Vancouver.

To reduce energy use, the hotel has alternative fueling stations for electric cars, minimal parking, and will run on 30 percent less energy than local codes require, the architects said. C02 sensors will recognize when people leave rooms and hallways, and turn off heating and cooling system.

Landscaping will use local native plants and stormwater will be funneled to underground wells to filter pollutants. A white reflective roof helps dissipate heat and reflect it back into space, rather than adding to the heat-island effect.

Guest rooms have operable windows. Many of the building materials were purchased from vendors within 500 miles of the hotel. Seventy-five percent of the construction waste was recycled.

Energy grants for farms, rural businesses

OLYMPIA — USDA Rural Development will hold free Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Loan & Grant Program seminars to help farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses.

Funds may be used to purchase renewable energy systems and make improvements to save energy.

Seminars will be held at the following locations:

Shelton today at the Mason Conservation District Office at 1051 S.E. Highway 3, Suite G; 9 a.m. to noon.

Longview on Thursday at the Cowlitz County Public Utility District Auditorium, 961 12th Ave. from 9 a.m. to noon.

Yakima on Thursday at the Yakima Agricultural Service Center, 1606 Perry St., from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

For information contact Don Wagoner at (360) 704-7724 or Dan McNeley (Yakima only) at (509) 454-5740, ext. 4.

Meeting on downtown Kent site delisting

KENT — The state Department of Ecology will hold a public meeting Dec. 5 on the proposal to delist the former Borden Chemical site at 421 First Ave. in downtown Kent, future home of the Kent Tarragon Station Phase One, from the hazardous sites list.

The comment period has been extend until Dec. 12.

The meeting will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the Kent Council Chambers, 220 Fourth Ave., Kent.

Documents are available from Ecology by calling the office in Bellevue at (425) 649-7190 or checking the department's Web site at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0509083.html. For more information call Maura O'Brien at (425) 649-7249.

Farmland group buys Mount Vernon site

MOUNT VERNON — Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland has acquired a three-acre property across Memorial Highway from the Washington State University Northwest Washington Research and Extension Center for $115,000.

The purchase borders the zoning "green line" that separates the agricultural zone from the rural intermediate zone, and is critical to the area's agriculture and WSU's research activities, according to Alan Mesman, president of the board of Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland. The money was raised through contributions to the group.

The group's long term goal is to transfer this and other nearby properties to the center. Proceeds will go toward future transactions.

"SPF's goal is to prevent development of this land and to make sure future zoning changes will not compromise farmland," said Bob Rose, executive director of SPF. Purchasing the property will create a 20-acre block of farmland essential for future research and protect the entrance to the new campus, he said.

Environmental Watch: New Globe 2006 topic: green construction

VANCOUVER, B.C. — The Globe 2006 Trade Fair will be March 29-31 at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre in Vancouver, B.C.

More than 10,000 international business people, policy makers and others are expected to attend to learn about recent developments in the environment business. Globe 2006 will also cover new transportation technologies and sustainable construction.

About 400 exhibitors are expected from North America, Europe and Asia.

For more information, call registration manager Zahida Kanani at (604) 775-8031 or e-mail Zahida.Kanani@globe.ca. Or see http://www.globe2006.com.

It is organized by the private, non-profit Globe Foundation of Canada and is held every two years in Vancouver.

ORCAA opens Port Angeles office

PORT ANGELES — Olympic Region Clean Air Agency has opened a satellite office in Port Angeles to provide services to communities on the North Olympic Peninsula. ORCAA is holding an open house today from 1 to 4 p.m. at 116 W. Eighth St., Suite 113, in Port Angeles.

The office is staffed by Rita Cirulis and will serve Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties.

AWB puts out environmental handbook

OLYMPIA—The Association of Washington Business and Marten Law Group have released the 2006 edition of the Environmental Compliance Handbook, a guide on environmental rights and responsibilities under Washington and federal law.

The handbook includes tables and charts, agency contact information, key statutes and regulations, definitions, and tips to help business owners and environmental managers.

New chair for Energy Efficiency Alliance

PORTLAND — Mark Kendall, senior energy analyst at the Oregon Department of Energy is the new chair of the board of directors for the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.

Mike Weedall, vice president, energy efficiency at the Bonneville Power Administration, was named chair-elect and will succeed Kendall after his one-year term ends in October 2006.

The alliance is a nonprofit corporation supported by BPA, electric utilities, public benefits administrators, state governments, public interest groups and efficiency industry representatives. The goal is to bring affordable, energy-efficient products and services to the marketplace.

Other officers are: Jeff Bumgarner of PacifiCorp, secretary, and Larry Blaufus of Clark Public Utilities, treasurer.

PacifiCorp OKs hydro dam algae study

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — As a condition of its sale to MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., PacifiCorp has agreed to spend $450,000 to fund a three-year study of toxic algae found in the reservoirs behind two of its hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River in Northern California.

PacifiCorp agreed to pay for the study in settlement talks with the Karuk Tribe as part of the sale approval proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission, said Dave Kwamme, a PacifiCorp spokesman.

The toxic algae will likely also become an issue in PacifiCorp's efforts to gain a new 50-year license to operate three Klamath dams near the Oregon-California border, which the tribes want to see removed or altered.

$400K available for water projects

OLYMPIA — The Puget Sound Action Team has about $400,000 in state funding available for projects that benefit water resources in the Puget Sound Basin, addressing pollution, habitat and/or salmon recovery.

The application deadline is Jan. 9, 2006.

Money from the Public Involvement and Education Fund goes to state residents, businesses, organizations, watershed or salmon groups, tribal or local governments, schools and educators. Maximum funding per project is $45,000.

A proposal assistance workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 14 at Edmonds City Hall, 121 Fifth Ave. N. Application materials will be posted on the Action Team Web site on Nov. 28. For more information, contact Mary Knackstedt, Program Manager, Education and Public Involvement, (360) 725-5457 or mknackstedt@psat.wa.gov.

Huckleberry thicket may get protection

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service has proposed a plan to protect 9,500-acres of a huckleberry thicket in Southern Oregon considered sacred to generations of American Indian tribes.

The administrative designation would recognize the cultural and historical significance of the area, dubbed the Huckleberry Patch by locals, and would require a management strategy to protect the shrubs.

"Huckleberry production is low compared to historic levels," said Amy Amoroso, director of natural resources for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians, who helped the Forest Service develop the project's environmental assessment. "We would like to increase huckleberry production in this area."

The thicket was once vital for amassing a winter food supply, said tribal chairwoman Sue Shaffer.

The huckleberry, a cousin to blueberries, is unique to the high mountains of the Pacific Northwest.

Columbia estuary report is mixed

PORTLAND (AP) — Ten years after work began in earnest on improving the health of the lower Columbia River, a new report card shows mixed results, suggesting that significant work remains to be done to preserve the ecosystem from Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean.

Combined, the states of Oregon and Washington, and the federal government have spent about $7.2 million since 1995 to improve conditions in the river's estuary — the mouth of the river, where the ocean's tide meets the freshwater current.

The estuary's water quality and habitat have long been threatened by pollution and development, hurting the fish and wildlife that depend on the river.

In a report card issued by the partnership, the group gave themselves a "C" for habitat preservation, noting that more than 9,200 acres of wetlands along the river have been protected and restored since 1995 — without creating any centralized system for tracking other habitat that may have been lost during that same time.

The bald eagle population seems to be recovering, but the Columbian white-tailed deer population has not made the same gains.

Health of the river's chinook salmon population is difficult to trace, the report card said, but the population is still far below historic numbers.

Preliminary data show that water temperatures in the lower Columbia have continued to increase. And the partnership has also traced some emerging contaminants, like the flame retardant PBDE.

Environmental Watch: Hicks joins Historical Research Associates

SEATTLE -— Brent Hicks, a senior archaeologist, has joined the Seattle office of Historical Research Associates as director of the Cultural Resource Management Division.

He has over 18 years of experience in the field, working on archaeological projects in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California. Hicks has managed projects for public and private clients to satisfy environmental and historic preservation laws, and managed the Colville Tribes' cultural resource program for off-reservation lands.

He is currently supervising cultural resources compliance for relicensing Avista Utilities' Spokane River hydroelectric project and assisting the Bonneville Power Administration with cultural resource management issues in the Lake Roosevelt area.

Hicks will manage a staff of 12 archaeologists and historians in the Seattle and Missoula offices. The company has recently opened an office in Portland.

ID group gets funds for pollution video

SEATTLE — A program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is designed to help people with limited English skills in the International District show, rather than say, what they think about pollution in their community.

The International District Housing Alliance will run this program under an $86,000 grant from EPA. The alliance's executive director, Stella Chao, says government officials must be able to cross language and cultural barriers as the area's immigrant and refugee population grows.

As part of the program, Asians and Pacific Islanders who live in the International District will be able to shoot video of pollution sources they find in their communities. EPA officials said the goal is get local people talking about their pollution concerns and finding solutions.

IDHA will plan ways to reduce pollution, working with businesses, nonprofits, local governments and the University of Washington. IDHA will help community members set priorities for toxic cleanup.

The funds come from a new program called Community Action for a Renewed Environment, or CARE. For more information, see http://cfpub.epa.gov/care/ or call (877) CARE-909.

State seeks biodiesel in fuel contract

OLYMPIA — The Washington state government is seeking bids for a new fuel contract that is intended to reduce fuel costs to state agencies and help boost production of biodiesel.

Responses are due Nov. 22 to the Department of General Administration.

The department, which annually manages $800 million in contracts for goods and services, has invited its 700 purchasing cooperative members to buy fuel under this new contract. The state hopes to leverage its collective buying power to reduce prices.

This would boost the amount of fuel purchased from the state contract to 43 million gallons annually, up from 26 million gallons. It would affect police vehicles, fire trucks, school buses, ferries and other public transportation.

Fuel contracting is part of the governor's SmartBuying Partnership, which is intended to help save taxpayers $50 million by 2007 by improving purchasing procedures.

Public agencies that buy fuel through state contracts pay less than consumers do, but have also seen costs skyrocket in 2005. The price of state contract diesel fuel, used in ferries and school buses, has more than doubled to about $2.60 a gallon.

Another goal is to encourage growth of the biodiesel market by requiring successful bidders to guarantee supplies of the product. There are now 20 distributors statewide, but biodiesel is hard to find.

Deal reached for Oregon Superfund work

SEATTLE — In Southern Oregon's Fremont National Forest, several areas of mineralized waste rock and materials near the White King uranium mine will be consolidated and capped with clean fill material, thanks to a settlement reached between the Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency, Kerr-McGee Chemical Worldwide, Western Nuclear Corp. and Fremont Lumber.

The EPA estimates the cost of the clean up at $7.9 million.

The nearby White King pond will also be neutralized with lime, and the entire site will be monitored and evaluated every five years.

The White King/Lucky Lass Superfund site, also known as the Fremont National Forest Uranium Site, is located on the Fremont National Forest, near the town of Lakeview, Ore.

Under the settlement, Kerr-McGee, Western Nuclear and Fremont Lumber have together agreed to pay a $50,000 penalty and to perform additional mitigation, including construction of a wetland, according to state officials.

A significant portion of the cleanup work is already underway as part of an order issued by EPA in 2003.

The White King/Lucky Lass Superfund site was listed on EPA's National Priorities List in April 1995.

The consent decree may be viewed online at the Department of Justice Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/open.html.

Products with mercury illegal in 2006

OLYMPIA — Starting in January 2006, selling a variety of items that contain mercury will be illegal in Washington.

Fever thermometers and thermostats contain mercury. So does some jewelry. Products such as thermometers are not dangerous intact, but are toxic when they break, either by accident or in landfills.

The liquid metal is toxic. The main source of mercury exposure is by eating fish, where it builds up in body tissue. The state legislature passed a law in 2003 to limit mercury's effects on human health and reduce environmental contamination.

Some mercury-containing products will not be part of the ban, including fluorescent bulbs and batteries. Fluorescent bulbs are not illegal to sell, but must be clearly labeled as containing mercury. Ecology penalizes store owners $1,000 fines for first offense violations and $5,000 for repeat violations.

Most counties or cities have household-hazardous-waste disposal programs. To locate these, people can call (800) RECYCLE.

Retailers can call Miles Kuntz, Department of Ecology, at (360) 407-6748. For more information, see http://www.mercurymess.org.

New Globe ‘06 topic: green construction

VANCOUVER, B.C. — The Globe 2006 Trade Fair will be March 29-31, 2006, at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre in Vancouver, B.C.

More than 10,000 international business leaders, policy makers and others are expected to attend to learn about recent developments in the environment business. Globe 2006 will also cover critical and emerging sub-sectors, such as new transportation technologies and sustainable construction.

About 400 exhibitors are expected from North America, Europe and Asia.

For more information, call registration manager Zahida Kanani at (604) 775-8031 or e-mail Zahida.Kanani@globe.ca. Or see http://www.globe2006.com.

It is organized by the private, non-profit Globe Foundation of Canada and is held every two years in Vancouver.