August 27, 2002

Environmental Watch: Gregg Dohrn joins Jones & Stokes

BELLEVUE -- Gregg Dohrn has joined the Bellevue office of environmental consultants Jones & Stokes as an associate principal and marketing leader for the firm's Northwest transportation and environmental planning team.

Projects Dohrn will manage include the city of Kenmore's downtown plan, the city of Sammamish's comprehensive plan and environmental impact statement, and the city of Federal Way's annexation feasibility study.

Dohrn comes to Jones & Stokes from Bucher, Willis & Ratliff, where he was director of Northwest planning services. He also has public sector experience with the cities of Burien, Kenmore and Edgewood.

Jones & Stokes, based in Sacramento, also has offices in Oregon, Arizona and other California locations.

Hazmat management group meets Sept. 3

SEATTLE -- The Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Management will hold its fall dinner meeting next week at the Rock Salt Steak House on Lake Union.

The featured speaker will be Bill Christie, the new national education and training director for the national ACHMM. Christie has over 23 years of experience in widely diversified environmental, health and safety activities in the public and private sectors as well as academia.

In his new position, Christie expects to develop courses and training programs at the national level on topics not currently offered by local chapters.

The meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 3, beginning with a social hour at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and the program at 8 p.m. The Rock Salt is located at 1232 Westlake Ave. N. in Seattle.

For additional information or to reserve a dinner contact Diana M. Cull at diana.cull@ci.bothell.wa.us or call (425) 489-4872.

DOE may fine Fluor Hanford $137,500

RICHLAND (AP) -- The contractor managing the Hanford nuclear reservation should pay $137,500 for violating nuclear safety rules for low-level radioactive trash last summer, the U.S. Department of Energy said.

DOE issued a preliminary of notice of violation to Fluor Hanford, contending the violations could have led to improper burial of transuranic waste, which is radioactive trash -- gloves, tools, rags, equipment -- that is contaminated, usually with plutonium.

Michael Turner, a Fluor spokesman, said the waste was improperly classified because of an incorrectly calibrated radiation counter and, consequently, it was placed in a disposal site where it didn't belong.

"The waste in question was quickly removed and it was disposed of in a compliant burial ground," Turner said.

Fluor discovered the mistake, reported it and corrected it, he said. No one was hurt and the public was not at risk, the Energy Department said.

Fluor can appeal the proposed penalty, but a decision has not yet been made, Turner said.

Pollution penalty for Holland America

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -- The U.S. Coast Guard said it plans to take some kind of enforcement action against a cruise line whose ship discharged partially treated sewage into Juneau's harbor.

Holland America also is investigating why partially treated sewage spilled out of a tank vent on the cruise ship Ryndam Aug. 17. Company officials estimate the spill at 250 gallons, although an eyewitness disputes that amount.

The Coast Guard and state Department of Environmental Conservation continue to investigate reports that the Ryndam discharged a brown substance near the cruise ship terminal in Juneau.

Cmdr. Steve Ohnstad, captain of the port for Southeast Alaska, said the Coast Guard needs to finish its investigation before deciding "what type of tool to use."

Holland America has brought experts familiar with its sewage and piping systems on board the ship to figure out exactly what happened, Ohnstad said.

Holland America officials said they believe the mishap was caused by human error.

Race track promoters defy Ecology

WOODLAND, Cowlitz County (AP) -- Despite orders from Cowlitz County and state officials to stop building a race track in an agricultural area, organizers held their first jet boat races over the weekend in the Woodland Bottoms.

The event was held by Wildside Enterprises owners Keith Richards of Kelso, Jeff Strong of Longview and Ted Erickson of La Center. The three partners, who defied the county and state by not getting a permit to hold the races, refused to comment. Track security escorted a Daily News reporter off the site.

The Department of Ecology ordered Richards to stop pumping groundwater onto the track Aug. 9. Richards hadn't responded, Ecology spokeswoman Sandy Howard said.

Richards could face fines of $100 a day if the department pursues the case, she said.

Cowlitz County planners in July notified the partners that they needed a permit to hold the races in the agricultural zone, but Wildside never applied.

Woodland motels and gas stations reported business was a bit more brisk on Saturday, and Woodland motels were packed over the weekend.

Dairy farmer Jim Donald, who has land next to the track, said the races didn't bother his farming operation.

"The traffic wasn't bad and my cattle didn't stampede," he said. "But it was noisy."

Study: fluoride won't poison fish

TACOMA (AP) -- A study by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department says fluoride -- a chemical put in drinking water to strengthen teeth -- wouldn't harm endangered chinook salmon and other marine life, although it would marginally increase fluoride levels in the Puyallup River and Puget Sound.

Fluoridation foes say they likely will challenge the health department's finding and press for a more detailed environmental study.

"I don't think they did a very in-depth analysis," said Emily Kalweit, coordinator of Washington Citizens for Clean Drinking Water.

The Board of Health voted in April to require fluoridation of all water systems serving more than 5,000 customers in Pierce County. The order would affect about 240,000 people in 14 water districts, including Lakewood, Spanaway, Parkland, Puyallup, Sumner, Milton, Edgewood and Bonney Lake.

Some research suggests that elevated fluoride in fresh water may be harmful to salmon and other fish species. But that would not be expected in the Puyallup River, according to the environmental analysis, because the levels of fluoride would be so low.