February 19, 2002

Environmental Watch: EviroExpo shows sustainable products

SEATTLE -- It's sort of a show within a show.

The Northwest EnviroExpo, presented by King County in conjunction with this week's Seattle Home Show, presents an array of environmentally friendly products for the home and garden.

From composting toilets to sustainable compost, the expo focuses on recycled and energy-saving materials and devices. Exhibitors include YK Products, manufacturer of recycled asphalt for driveway repair; Bedrock Industries, maker of a recycled glass tile; and Custom Handweaving, maker of woven rugs from recycled fabric.

Also included are a demonstration kitchen with energy-saving appliances and sustainable finishes. Energy Star will show off energy-saving home appliances.

The Seattle Home Show and the EnviroExpo, being held at the Stadium Exhibition Center at 1000 Occidental Ave. S. in Seattle, run today through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 22, from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; and this weekend, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. both days.

Hearings set for aquatic pesticide permits

OLYMPIA -- Due to a court decision, the state Department of Ecology has developed new permits for the application of aquatic pesticides to waterways.

Last year, the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that such pesticide applications must comply with the Clean Water Act.

Clean Water Act permits will now be required for using pesticides on irrigation canals, oyster beds and to control mosquitos and weeds in water.

In developing the draft permits, the agency worked with interest groups and pesticide applicators to address concerns, agency staff said.

A series of workshops and hearings have been scheduled for further input. An oyster growers hearing will be held on Friday, March 8, 1:30 p.m. at the Pacific County Commissioners meeting room, 1216 W. Robert Bush Drive in South Bend.

Noxious weed permit hearings will be held in Yakima, March 11, 1:30 p.m. at the Ecology office, 15 W. Yakima Ave.; Lacey, March 14, 1:30 p.m. at Ecology headquarters, 300 Desmond Drive; and Spokane, March 25, 1:30 p.m. in the Shadle Library, 2111 W.Wellesley.

A mosquito control permit hearing will be held March 12 at 9 a.m. in Ellensburg at the Hal Holmes Community Center, 201 N. Ruby St.. It will be followed at 1:30 p.m. by the irrigation system permit hearing.

For more information go to http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/herbicides/index.html.

State gets sustainable planning award

SEATTLE -- The state of Washington and Gov. Gary Locke have been awarded the Guardian of the Future award by the Resource Renewal Institute.

The award is given to those states that rank highly in the non-profit group's annual report, "State of the States: Assessing the Capacity of States to Achieve Sustainable Development Through Green Planning."

Washington state ranked fifth in the latest report. Oregon finished first, followed by New Jersey, Minnesota and Maine.

The Resource Renewal Institute is based in San Francisco. For more information about the report and programs go to http://www.rri.org.

Fairfax forest proposed for open space

TACOMA -- The Pierce County Council will consider today a proposal to designate the county-owned Fairfax forest as open space conservancy land.

Over the past 10 years, the inaccessible 640-acre property in the Cascade foothills has been the subject of two failed land swaps. The proposal will remove the land from the county's surplus property rolls and place it under jurisdiction of the Parks and Recreation Department. It will be managed as open space and nature conservancy land.

The county is working to provide public access to the property through the Carbon River valley. Discussions are being held with adjacent property owners and environmental groups on the best way to provide access.

Development of a non-motorized trail between the property and the Ipsut entrance to Mount Rainier National Park is also being studied.

Harding ESE promotes Stensland

BELLEVUE -- Harding ESE has promoted Gary Stensland to environmental services department manager. He has been with the firm since 1993.

Stensland has experience in hazardous materials investigations, environmental assessments, environmental documentation and permitting, wetlands and biological assessments.

Currently, he is project manager for several large Harding ESE projects including the environmental work on an "Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity" U.S. Navy contract.

Harding ESE provides environmental, construction and transportation services. The firm's Bellevue office is one of 78 nationwide, encompassing about 2,400 employees.

$175M for Klamath passes Senate

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) -- The farm bill passed by the U.S. Senate included $175 million to restore aquatic ecosystems in the Klamath Basin as a way of easing conflicts between agriculture and fish and wildlife.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., offered the measure in response to a dispute that erupted during a drought last summer, when water that goes to farms through the Klamath Reclamation Project irrigation system was drastically cut back to conserve water for endangered sucker fish and threatened coho salmon.

It remains to be seen whether the package will survive a conference committee, in part due to opposition from Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore. Walden would like to include a provision to guarantee water for farmers in drought years, spokesman Dallas Boyd said.

The farm bill passed 58-40 without support from Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., who said he could not endorse an amendment by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, that would pay farmers for giving up water for endangered species.

The bill would create a Klamath Basin Interagency Task Force made up of federal agencies to promote water conservation, improve agricultural practices and oversee restoration projects.

Feds OK controversial cat litter mine

RENO (AP) -- The Bureau of Land Management has approved a proposed cat litter mine on federal land north of Reno that is opposed by environmentalists and an Indian tribe.

Opponents said they weren't surprised by the action.

"The BLM was going to support this project no matter what, just like they do all mining," said Bob Fulkerson of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.

The open-pit clay mine that the Oil-Dri Corp. wants to build still needs approval by the Washoe County Commission, which is due to meet on Feb. 26. The company wants it to overrule the county planning commission, which refused in December to grant a special use permit.

"I'm very happy (the decision) is out there. At least that part is behind us," said Bob Vetere, vice president and general counsel for Chicago-based Oil-Dri.

The company, the world's largest producer of cat litter, under the Cat's Pride brand, proposes to mine clay on BLM land about 10 miles north of Reno. The material would be processed into cat litter and other absorbent products in a plant on adjoining private land.

Critics, including the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, say the project will pollute the air and water, clog residential streets in the area with truck traffic and ruin the area's rustic qualities.

Oil-Dri officials say the project is environmentally benign and would help the area's economy