Meeting in Portland on pipeline spills

OLYMPIA — The Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force will hold a free day-long roundtable discussion in Portland on April 24 focusing on regional preparedness to prevent and respond to oil spills from pipelines.

Panelists will include representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Energy Board of Canada, ConocoPhillips Transportation and others.

The task force was formed in 1989 to provide a forum for regional collaboration on oil spills. Members include agencies representing Alaska, British Columbia, California, Hawaii and Washington.

The meeting will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Governor Hotel. It is open to the public but advanced registration is required. To register call (503) 392-5860.

Weir work delayed at Lower Monumental

WALLA WALLA — Installation of a removable spillway weir at Lower Monumental Lock and Dam will be delayed until fall, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Temporary spillway weirs are designed to provide fish with an efficient, less stressful route while reducing migration delays.

Completion was slated for April 13, but general contractor Advanced American Construction of Oregon City, Ore., notified the corps that it would not meet the deadline. As it is almost time for juvenile salmon to migrate downstream, the project was pushed back to increase salmon safety.

In the meantime, the corps is putting in its traditional spill to provide safe passage for fish this summer.

Advanced American Construction was awarded the contract in April 2006 for around $15 million.

Two-day water law conference in Seattle

SEATTLE — A conference on Washington water law will be held on June 4 and 5 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

Speakers include Kathy Fletcher, executive director of People for Puget Sound, Barbara Markham, assistant attorney general in the ecology division, and lawyers from Marten Law Group and Foster Pepper. They will discuss new policy priorities, rules and litigation.

Tuition costs $895, with discounts for students and new hires. For more information call (206) 567-4490 or go to http://www.lawseminars.com.

Snohomish County may buy Sultan land

EVERETT — Snohomish County could purchase property near the Skykomish River for $600,000 to provide open space and river access for the public. The Conservation Advisory Board, a group that makes recommendations to the Snohomish County Council on open space funding approved a motion recommending the purchase.

The properties are in the Skyview Tracts Subdivision near Sultan and were used for illegal activity by squatters. In January, Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon ordered a cleanup of the site that has resulted in removal of 400 tons of junk and debris.

The Conservation Futures Advisory Board preserves land as open space, farm and agricultural land, timber land and property for public use. For more information, call Deanna Dawson at (425) 388-3297.

Five Northwest companies join EPA program

SEATTLE — Five Oregon and Washington companies have joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Performance Track Program and will make a voluntary commitment to improve the nation’s air, water and land. Companies in the program are eligible for incentives, recognition and networking opportunities.

The five companies are Boise Cascade of Wallula; Lake Roosevelt Vacations of Kettle Falls; Milgard Pultrusion of Tacoma; Covanta Marion of Brooks, Ore., and Xerox Office Group of Wilsonville, Ore.

The companies have agreed to make environmental improvements over the next three years including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, hazardous waste generation and energy use.

More than 450 companies nationwide are part of the program. For more information, call (888) 339-7875 or visit http://www.epa.gov/performancetrack.

Idaho developer to repair creek damage

BOISE — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered developer Bruce Simon and Creekside Meadows, LLC, to repair damage to Teton Creek and the surrounding wetlands near Driggs, Idaho. About 2,000 feet of riprap must also be removed.

According to the EPA, Simon and Creekside Meadows discharged unauthorized fill material into Teton Creek and lined its banks with riprap but did not have the needed permits. As part of the riprap placement, cement was poured over a sewer line that became exposed after high water flows. EPA said this poses a safety hazard because the line could break.

Simon and Creekside Meadows must restore the area and remove the riprap by May 30, or face penalties and further legal action.

Shaw Environmental adds staff in Bothell

BOTHELL — Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, a consulting and engineering firm based in Baton Rouge, La., made two new additions to its Bothell office.

Anthony Roth is a senior regulatory/restoration ecologist and will provide natural resources consulting, analysis and aquatic resource restoration and mitigation services. He has more than 30 years of experience in the Pacific Northwest and California. Tara Sengamalay, an environmental scientist with seven years of experience, transferred from the Hopkinton, Mass., office, where she was a project coordinator and client liaison.

Shaw works in energy, environment, infrastructure and emergency response, with 90 offices nationwide.

Comments due on dioxin rule changes

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Ecology is seeking comments on a plan to change the rules that govern dioxin cleanup levels. Dioxins are chemicals that pose health risks to humans and are often found at industrial sites.

The rule change would clarify the way dioxin levels are measured and require cleanups to use the most current toxicity equivalency factor developed by the World Health Organization in 2005.

Jim Pendowski, manager of Ecology’s Toxic Cleanup Program, said the rule change would cut cost and cleanup delays by defining requirements without significantly changing them.

A public meeting will be in Seattle on May 10 at St. Benedict School Auditorium, 4811 Wallingford Ave. N., Seattle.

The comment period lasts until May 25. For more information call Carol Dorn from Ecology at (360) 407-7224 or visit http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/regs/amend_2007/proposed_amend.html.

B.C. sustainability expert to speak here

SEATTLE — Learn how sustainability applies to issues such as urban design, community engagement and climate change research at a talk April 18 at Seattle’s Town Hall. Dr. John Robinson, Ph.D., of the Centre of Interactive Research in Vancouver, B.C., will speak. He is developing the centre to help transform markets for sustainable systems and technology.

The lecture costs $15 at the door or $10 with a reservation. A reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and Robinson will speak between 6:30 and 8 p.m. For more information, call (360) 331-7904.

Clark County may get wetland bank

PORTLAND — A proposal to establish a wetland mitigation bank in Clark County is being considered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Washington Department of Ecology.

The bank would cover six sites totaling more than 1,000 acres in the Columbia River flood plain and Clark County.

Sites were proposed by the Clark County Mitigation Partners to meet mitigation requirements for future wetland losses in the area.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said banks protect wetlands since they consolidate small parcels into larger, more effective areas.

A public workshop will be held April 17 in Vancouver. Comments may be submitted by May 1 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-G, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946.

King County offers grants for water work

SEATTLE — King County is offering grants of up to $50,000 for community projects that improve or protect water. They would apply to habitat projects in watershed, stream, river, lake, wetland, tidewater and upland areas that positively impact waters in King County. Grants will be offered in three amounts based on project size.

Last year, King County awarded 69 grants totaling more than $1 million. Examples include monitoring water quality, restoring urban forests, non-polluting landscaping and creating new wildlife habitat.

Applications are due by May 15. For more information, visit http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/pi/grants.htm or call Ken Pritchard at (206) 296-8265.

Priest Rapids Project gets water certificate

EPHRATA — The Washington Department of Ecology issued a final water quality certificate to Grant County PUD for relicensing the Priest Rapids Project.

The Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams need to be relicensed because the first 50-year license expired in 2005. Sarah Morford of Grant County PUD said the PUD is hoping for another 50-year license.

The certificate, one of the last documents pending before a federal license can be issued, analyzes how dams affect water quality and specifies ways for Grant County PUD to comply with state water-quality standards. Grant County PUD first applied for certification in 2003.

Tour West Point wastewater plant

SEATTLE — King County invites the public to tour the West Point Treatment Plant in honor of Earth Day on April 21. Visitors will learn how the plant protects water quality and see how King County is using wastewater treatment to create energy and reclaim water and biosolids.

Doug Rice, from the King County television show “Yard Talk,” will also offer tips on natural methods for yard and garden care.

The tour is at 1400 West Utah St. in Seattle’s Discovery Park and will go from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit http://dnr.metrokc.gov or call (206) 296-8361.

Volunteers needed for Duwamish work

SEATTLE — Volunteers are invited to sign up for the second annual Duwamish Alive Earth Day Work Day on April 21.

In honor of Earth Day, volunteers at nine restoration sites along the Duwamish River will pull weeds, mulch planting areas, plant native vegetation and pick up debris and trash. Work begins at 10 a.m. and will be followed by afternoon picnics and activities. Duwamish Alive is a coalition of nonprofit groups and local government agencies whose goal is to improve the river’s health for people, salmon and wildlife.

Updated information on the work sites and how to volunteer is at http://www.pugetsound.org/index/earth_day_2007.

Environmental Watch

Earth Share's new hire

Jordan

Jordan was with People for Puget Sound where she worked in the development office. She has a bachelor of arts in sociology from Colorado College at Colorado Springs and has a master of environmental studies from Evergreen State College in Olympia.

Earth Share of Washington represents more than 60 nonprofit organizations working for livable communities and a healthy planet.

Ecology report on removing Condit Dam

YAKIMA — The Washington Department of Ecology released a final environmental report on the proposed removal of Condit Dam on the White Salmon River in Klickitat County.

The document addresses concerns including how backed up sediments and debris would be managed and how dam removal would affect wetlands, endangered fish and fish passage. It is a supplement to studies done by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Portland-based energy company PacifiCorp proposes removing the dam to let the river return to natural conditions. The dam has generated hydo-power since 1913.

Ecology has been working on PacifiCorp's proposal since 1999.

The White Salmon River was identified by the Governor's Salmon Recovery Team as a candidate for reintroducing salmon populations. Removing the dam would provide salmon with up to 32 miles of river and tributary habitat, according to Ecology.

To see the report, go to http://www.wa.gov/biblio/0706012.html, or call (509) 575-2680 for a hard copy.

Workshop on wetland banking

SEATTLE — A one-day workshop on wetland mitigation and conservation banking will be held April 30 in Seattle.

The program, for attorneys, city planners, real estate developers and officials, will cover a range of issues including plan development, Puget Sound restoration considerations and success strategies.

The Law Seminars International event will be at the Renaissance Hotel at 8:30 a.m. Registration costs $595 with discounts for groups, government employees and students. For more information call (206) 567-4490 or visit http://www.lawseminars.com/seminars/07MITWA.php.

Plants decreased toxic releases in 2005

OLYMPIA — Most industrial plants in Washington, other than the Pend Oreille Mine, reported decreased toxic chemical releases in 2005 according to a federal report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The report says the Pend Oreille Mine in Metalline Falls increased total toxic releases from 28.8 million pounds in 2004 to 33.6 million pounds in 2005, due to its mining material increase by five million pounds.

Releases from the other 344 plants reporting in Washington decreased by 1.1 million pounds.

The top three chemicals reported released on site were zinc, lead and methanol. The industries with the most releases were metal mining, paper and electric utilities.

Washington Department of Ecology director Jay Manning said state residents would not have access to such detailed information by 2009, due to new federal rules that relax business guidelines for reporting toxic releases.

A look at stormwater permit changes

SEATTLE — Sue Clarke of King County and Jim Laspina of the Department of Ecology will speak at a lunch forum about changes to municipal, construction and industrial stormwater permits.

The forum will be held on Wednesday, April 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McCormick & Schmick's Harborside, 1200 Westlake Ave. N. Cost is $35 for members of the Northwest Environmental Business Council and guests. General admission is $48.

For more information, call Sue Moir at (800) 985-6322 or go to http://www.nebc.org.

K Line shifts to low-sulfur fuel

TACOMA — Ocean transportation company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, or K Line, announced that all container vessels in K Line's Pacific Northwest service will shift to low-sulfur fuel usage in auxiliary machinery while vessels are docked in the region.

K Line uses the ports at Tacoma and Vancouver, B.C.

Containerships will be shifting to distillate fuel with a target of .5 or less percent sulfur. The fuel will be used in generators that supply power to ships when they are docked.

K Line has already implemented the use of low-sulfur fuels for auxiliary machinery aboard Pacific Southwest vessels and is headquartered in Tokyo.

Grants for new agricultural technology

SPOKANE — About $150,000 in grants are available statewide for new agricultural conservation technology.

The Conservation Innovation Grants are offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service in Washington State. Three recipients can receive up to $50,000.

The purpose of the grant is to test new technology for inclusion in the department's Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

This is the second year the grants are offered. Last year's recipients included a recycling program for agricultural plastics and technology for no-till farming.

Applications must be received by May 1. For more information visit http://www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig.

Talk on seabirds and Puget Sound

SEATTLE — How do seabirds show Puget Sound is changing? Dr. Julia Parrish of the University of Washington will discuss it April 5 at REI in Seattle.

The program is part of People for Puget Sound's Keeping Our Sound Alive series. Parrish will discuss the patterns of Washington seabirds and what factors are affecting populations.

The program begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $6 for People for Puget Sound members and $8 for non-members. For more information call (206) 382-7007.

Environmental Watch

Pacific Topsoils fined $88,000

BELLEVUE — Pacific Topsoils of Everett will pay an $88,000 fine to the Washington State Department of Ecology for illegally covering over a wetland on Smith Island. Ecology has ordered the company to remove the material within 60 days and to restore the wetlands to pre-fill conditions.

The fill, about 10 feet deep, covers 12 acres of the company's property on unincorporated Smith Island, near Everett.

According to Ecology, the filling began as early as January 2006 and was reported to Ecology that October.

Wetlands improve water quality, supply habitat for fish and wildlife and provide flood protection.

Pacific Topsoils may apply to Ecology for a penalty reduction or appeal the penalty within 30 days.

Study: worn brake pads hurt salmon

CORVALLIS, Ore. — A study released last week by Oregon State University and NOAA Fisheries says copper from wearing of vehicle brake pads might play a critical role in endangering salmon throughout California and the Pacific Northwest.

Researches found fish exposed to low levels of copper had an impaired sense of smell and were less responsive to a chemical alarm signal released from salmon skin that signals danger to nearby fish.

Copper is deposited on roads and swept into rivers from runoff. Researchers said it is found naturally in water, but fluctuations from runoff can increase levels from zero to more than 60 parts per billion. In the study, salmon reacted to levels as low as two parts per billion.

The levels of copper contaminant used in the study were at or below federal regulatory guidelines for heavy metals.

Although the study was conducted on juvenile salmon, researchers said the results are applicable to other species such as rainbow trout and tilapia.

NVL Labs gets EMLAP accreditation

SEATTLE — Seattle-based environmental laboratory NVL Labs received the American Industrial Hygiene Association's Environmental Microbiology Accreditation. With this accreditation, NVL Labs is officially certified to conduct microbiological analysis for the presence of fungal and pollen spores in the environment.

According to NVL Labs, it is the only commercial laboratory in Washington certified by the association to test for heavy metals and mold.

NVL Labs has provided hazardous materials services for governmental, commercial and residential customers for 12 years.

NEBC energy conference in Portland

PORTLAND — A conference April 24 at the World Trade Conference Center in Portland will look at the specifics of renewable energy project development for electricity and biofuels. Sessions will focus on design, permitting, economics and management.

The conference is sponsored by the Northwest Environmental Business Council and the Northwest Biofuels Association.

It costs $175 for members and $195 for non-members. To register, visit https://sporg.com/registration?link_type=reg_info&form_id=71404&view_type=windowed.

Ecology puts new water reports online

OLYMPIA — The Water Resources Program at the Washington Department of Ecology released several new reports to the state legislature that are posted online for public viewing.

One report says 27 of 900 dams under the state's jurisdiction do not meet modern standards for earthquakes or floods, but pose no imminent danger or threat. Another report evaluates the effectiveness of water banking — putting water rights into a trust under a 2003 statewide program.

Another is a progress report of watershed planning since 1998.

To see the reports, go to http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/wrhome.html.

Workshop looks at energy challenges

BELLEVUE — The Bellevue-based Foundation for the Future will put on a private workshop to discuss renewable energy science and technology from March 30 to April 1, as part of its Humanity 3000 series. The workshop results, presentation transcripts and discussion will be published on the foundation's Web site.

The workshop will discuss energy production over the rest of this century, the next few centuries and the next 1,000 years. Featured speakers include Dr. Jerome C. Glenn of Millennium Project in Washington, D.C., Sir Crispin Tickell of the Policy Foresight Program at Oxford University and Dr. Gustav R. Grob of the International Clean Energy Consortium in Zurich, Switzerland.

Participation in the workshop is by invitation only. Humanity 3000 is an ongoing program to bring together scholars focused on the next 1,000 years.

To see workshop results, go to http://www.futurefoundation.org/.

Destination Lighting gets federal award

SEATTLE — Seattle-based Destination Lighting, an online source for lighting fixtures, was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy for promoting environmental protection through efficient lighting.

It was awarded the certificate of recognition for excellence in lighting retailing last week at the Energy Star Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Destination Lighting offers Energy Star and energy-efficient bulbs and fixtures, and is affiliated with Northwest retailers Seattle Lighting, Globe Lighting and Builders Lighting.

DestinationLighting.com has about 4,000 products.

Eric Chaisson honored with book award

SEATTLE — The Bellevue-based Foundation for the Future will give Eric J. Chaisson, Ph.D., the Walter P. Kistler 2007 Book Award at a public ceremony March 29 for his book “Epic of Evolution: Seven Ages of the Cosmos.”

The award is given to authors who make contributions to public understanding of the long-term future of humanity. It includes a $10,000 prize.

The free event is at Kane Hall, Room 130, at the University of Washington campus at 7 p.m. Dr. Chaisson will be interviewed on stage on the themes of cosmology, origins of life, constitution of matter and evolution. For more information call (425) 451-1333.

Wildlife coalition elects new members

SEATTLE — The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition's Board of Directors has elected four new board members: Kathe Fowler, Mark Doumit, Court Stanley and B.J. Brooks. All will serve a three-year term.

Brooks of Seattle is interim-superintendent of the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department. Doumit of Cathlemet is executive director of the Washington Forest Protective Association. Fowler of Woodinville is statewide chair of Washington Conservation Voters. Stanley of Centralia is president of Port Blakely Tree Farms.

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition is a Seattle-based non-profit citizens group founded in 1989 by former Governors Dan Evans and Mike Lowry to support legislative funding of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program. The program provides funds to protect wildlife habitat and create outdoor recreation statewide.

Public meeting on Wallingford cleanup

SEATTLE — The Department of Ecology will hold a public meeting and hearing on March 22 about Touchstone Corp.'s plan to clean up pollution at a 1.7-acre Metro Transit maintenance site northwest of Gasworks Park. The public comment period for the project has also been extended to March 29.

Touchstone plans a new office building on the 1602 N. Northlake Way site, which was contaminated by petroleum products and has already undergone cleanup to industrial-use standards, according to Ecology.

More cleanup is needed before soil can be excavated on the site, according to Maura O'Brien, site manager with Ecology.

The public meeting will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Hamilton International Middle School, 1610 N. 41st St. Direct comments and technical questions to Maura O'Brien at mobr461@ecy.wa.gov or at (425) 649-7249. For more information, go to Ecology's Web site at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites/metro/fn_main.html.

Workshop on contaminated property

SEATTLE — Law Seminars International will hold a workshop on redevelopment of contaminated residential and mixed-use property on March 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

Speakers will discuss legal developments, problems and practical solutions including right-of-way contamination, risk management and regulatory updates.

Registration is $595 with discounts for government employees, students and new employees. Call (800) 854-8009 or visit http://www.lawseminars.com for more details.

New fish system at McNary Dam

UMATILLA, Ore. — Workers at McNary Lock and Dam in Umatilla, Ore., installed a new salmon and steelhead migration system, which will be used for research in developing better conditions for fish in the Columbia River.

The temporary spillway weir provides fish with an efficient, less stressful route while reducing migration delays. Officials will study this weir and another prototype for two years before installing a permanent system.

Tri-State Metal Fab of Spokane won the $2.5 million contract to build the temporary weirs, which were shipped to McNary in sections. Permanent weirs are often five-story tall, one-piece installations, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Ken Hansen, project engineer, said the temporary weir will help determine the best location and flow to attract young fish to the bypass entrance.

For more information, go to http://www.nww/usace.army.mil/.