January 28, 2003

Environmental Watch: RCI Environmental begins cleanup along waterway

TUKWILA -- The sight of a large crane and workers dressed in special clothing marks the start of what the Environmental Protection Agency says is preliminary cleanup work at the former Rhone-Poulenc site.

"This project represents a significant step toward final cleanup of the site," says Pete Wold, president of RCI Environmental, which is doing the approximately $3.5 million project on the east side of the Duwamish Waterway in Tukwila. He added most of the work should be done by the end of March.

The former Rhone-Poulenc site is being cleaned up because toxic wastes from the site are moving with the groundwater into the waterway. Contaminants include toluene and metals, mostly copper. The chemicals threaten chinook salmon and bull trout, which are endangered species.

RCI Environmental is building a subsurface grout wall, about 70 feet deep, around the contaminated groundwater. And it is installing a system to pump the contaminated water out of the ground and treat it to remove the contamination.

From the 1930s through 1986, several companies manufactured chemical products, including glues, resins and hardeners, at the site just north of Slip No. 6. Beginning in 1952, Monsanto and later Rhone-Poulenc made vanillin on the site. Vanillin is used to flavor food and make pharmaceutical products.

The current owner of the site, Container Properties LLC, hired RCI Environmental for the project. Container Properties bought the site from Rhone-Poulenc, which has been acquired by Rhodia Inc., a publicly traded specialty chemicals company that merged about five years ago with Rhone-Poulenc’s Chemicals and Fibers & Polymers operations.

About six miles of the Lower Duwamish Waterway is being studied under EPA's Superfund program. The former Rhone-Poulenc site is on about 750 feet of shoreline within the Superfund study area. The cleanup at the facility is under EPA's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act program.

Contractors say feds complicate wetlands issue

ROSSLYN, Va. -- The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' joint guidance to their field staffs on isolated wetlands will further complicate interpretation of a Supreme Court ruling, a trade group of builders says.

Last year, the court ruled the corps could not regulate isolated wetlands that are non-navigable. The ruling affords more flexibility in determining what is considered a wetland and consequently what areas can or cannot be developed.

Earlier this month, the corps and EPA issued guidance, stating that in light of the ruling, field staff members should not assert jurisdiction over "isolated waters that are both intrastate and non-navigable." Instead, the agencies' headquarters will review each wetland on a case-by-case basis to determine who should regulate the area under the Clean Water Act.

The Associated Builders and Contractors believes that because this policy does not clearly spell out who should be the regulating authority on isolated wetlands, the federal regulation of areas designated under the jurisdiction of the states by the U.S. Supreme Court will continue.

"The Supreme Court was very clear that intrastate, non-navigable waters are not under the jurisdiction of the federal government," said ABC President and CEO Kirk Pickerel. "While the EPA and corps claim that this guidance clarifies how to interpret the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which ABC supported, this directive merely confuses the issue.

BC proposal would increase access to timber

VICTORIA, B.C. -- A new forest policy proposed by the provincial government will provide greater land-base certainty for forestry and help build a stronger economy, Sustainable Resource Management Minister Stan Hagen has announced.

"Revitalizing our No. 1 industry starts with creating certainty on the land base, increasing access to timber and ensuring jobs in rural B.C.," Hagen said.

Under the proposal, 45 million hectares of crown land, or 48 percent of the province, will be given a new legal working forest designation. Parks, protected areas and private land will not be part of the working forest, nor will the designation limit treaty negotiations with native tribes.

Public comment will be taken until March 14, and the government says the legal steps for the designation will take place this year.

State agencies agree on owl habitat in SW Washington

OLYMPIA -- The Washington Departments of Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife last week reached an agreement on spotted owl habitat on state trust lands in southwest Washington.

Officials say the agreement means the agencies can build more viable habitat and let other major landowners participate in the effort. Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland added the agreement will allow some harvests while protecting healthy ecosystems.

The agreement recognizes the need to involve other landowners in management of the lands. Fish and Wildlife will lead discussion with these parties, while DNR will provide information, as well as computer modeling of alternative forest regimes through its sustainable harvest modeling process.

DNR will phase out the old system of protection known as "owl circles" after 2007, and defer harvest until 2006 in the best available habitat areas. Also, DNR will use thinnings to help develop habitat in areas identified as good quality habitat, and will include owl habitat alternatives when considering sustainable harvest calculations.

There are no other restrictions on harvest in areas where DNR has little or no land within the old identified owl circles.

DNR manages about 3 million acres of state-owned trust forest, agricultural, range lands and commercial properties that earn income to build schools and other state institutions plus help fund local services in many counties.

Time running out for 'e' exhibitors

SEATTLE -- Companies can save $300 by applying for booth space by Feb. 15 at the Environmental Conference of Washington.

The trade show, which showcases advanced environmental technologies and services, often sells out.

This year's conference is June 11 and 12 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle.

For booth space, telephone the Northwest Environmental Business Council at (503) 227-6361 or see http://www.nebc.org.

To register to attend the conference, call the Association of Washington Business at (800) 521-9325 or see http://www.ecwashington.org.

Upcoming events for the environmental community

SEATTLE -- The following classes have been announced:

• Whaling, water wars, dam removal and fish farms will be on the agenda at the first Tribal Fisheries Co-Management Symposium Jan. 30 at Smith Memorial Center at Portland State University. To register, telephone the Institute for Tribal Government at (800) 485-7146 or see www.critfc.org.

• The University of Washington Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering will present How to Evaluate and Condition Wetland and Mitigation Design Plans Feb. 12-13 at the Seattle campus. The course is for planners and designers and is sponsored by the Washington State Chapter of the American Planning Association. For more details, telephone (206) 543-5539 or toll-free at (866) 791-1275; see www.engr.washington.edu/epp/cee or write uw-epp@engr.washington.edu.

• The Pacific Northwest Pesticide Issues Conference will be Feb. 26 at the Doubletree Hotel in Yakima. The conference targets grower associations, growers, foresters, agri-chemical dealers and industry, crop consultants, state and federal regulators, the medical community, university researchers and extension educators. It's sponsored by Washington State University and the University of Washington. The fee is $90 before Feb. 4 and $120 after that. For information, contact the WSU Cooperative Extension Event and Program Support Office at (509) 335-2830 or see http://depts.washington.edu/pnash/ceconference/main.html.