November 12, 2003

Environmental Watch: Intertox hires environmental scientist

SEATTLE -- Intertox, a Seattle-based scientific consulting and research firm that measures the impact of chemicals and microbes on public health and the environment, hired environmental health scientist Golan Kedan.

Kedan studied environmental health at the University of Washington and biology and environmental studies at Tufts University. His consulting, public health and academic research experience emphasizes risk assessment, toxicology, exposure assessment and risk communication.

KTA Associates adds staff

OLYMPIA -- KTA Associates, a Seattle-based environmental consulting and training firm, added environmental engineer Lenora Westbrook to its Olympia office.

Westbrook has experience with ISO 14001 environmental management systems; air, water and waste compliance; and emergency and spill-response plans. She previously worked for 25 years as an environmental engineer at power companies.

$900,000 study OKd for Capitol Lake

OLYMPIA (AP) -- Capitol Lake, the picturesque 260-acre reflecting pond that shimmers at the foot of the state Capitol campus, may be allowed to revert to its original status as a Deschutes River estuary.

The state Capitol Committee approved a $900,000 study on whether to re-create a free-flowing river, rather than perpetuate the man-made lake that is clogged with silt.

Over the next year or two, experts will look at the pros and cons of removing the Fifth Avenue Dam, which creates the lake and holds back salt water from Puget Sound.

The state owns and maintains the lake, which was created in 1951 to complement the Capitol campus. It was part of the original campus design, along with a heritage park still under development.

Backers of an estuary like the idea of a naturally flowing river and the likely benefits to fish, wildlife and water quality. But others don't want to lose the lake.

Ecology's 2003 fines hit $732,211

OLYMPIA --The state Department of Ecology handed out $81,374 in fines between July and September, bringing the year's total to $732,211.

Ecology fined Wilcox & Flegel Oil Co. of Longview $18,000 for spilling nearly 700 gallons of fuel oil into a tributary of Schoolhouse Creek in Cowlitz County. The state fined Seavestco Inc. and Wellington Hills Park LLC, both of Woodinville, $8,000 each for releasing silt-laden water from the Wellington Hills construction project into a drainage ditch connecting to Little Bear Creek.

In King County, Smoki Foods and King's Command Foods were fined $5,000 each for disposing of commercial waste in storm drains and discharging wastewater without permits. Seaworthy Services and Salmon Bay Terminals were fined $3,000 each for repairing ships without waste-discharge permits.

Meeting Nov. 19 on Midnite Mine cleanup

FORD, Stevens County -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials will discuss the remedial investigation and feasibility study for the uranium-contaminated Midnite Mine Superfund site at a public meeting from 4 to 6 p.m. in Ford on Nov. 19.

EPA is studying cleanup options for the inactive open-pit uranium mine northwest of the town of Wellpinit, on the Spokane Tribe Reservation, where Dawn Mining Co. mined uranium ore from 1955 to 1981. Dawn Mining Co. is owned by the Denver-based multinational Newmont Mining Co.

Cleanup cost estimates have reached $160 million.

For details about the EPA meeting and Midnite Mine, call EPA project manager Ellen Hale at (800) 424-4372 or visit http://www.epa.gov/r10earth/.

EPA awards $431,000 to 11 organizations

SEATTLE -- The Puget Sound Action Team, University of Washington, Washington Trout and Jamestown-S'Klallam Tribe will receive more than $150,000 in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regional geographic initiative grants.

EPA is awarding a total of $431,000 to 11 Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska organizations for projects that "fill critical gaps in the agency's ability to protect human health and the environment," according to EPA.

EPA is accepting applications for 2004 grants. The deadline for proposals is Dec. 18. For details visit http://www.epa.gov/region10.

Nov. 13 conference on 'smart energy'

PORTLAND -- Northwest smart-energy products and services will showcase the NW Energy Technology Collaborative and Portland Business Alliance conference from 2 to 6 p.m. at World Trade Center II in Portland Nov. 13.

A new study by Climate Solutions and The Athena Institute identifies smart energy -- the convergence of digital technology and electrical power -- as a $15 billion economic sector with potential to create jobs in the Pacific Northwest.

Representatives of the Athena Institute, Celerity Energy, Quantec, ScottishPower, the Bonneville Power Administration and U.S. Department of Energy will speak at "Smart Energy -- Economic Opportunities for the Northwest" in the auditorium level of the 121 S.W. Salmon St. building.

For conference details visit http://www.portlandalliance.com. To read "Poised for Profit II," the smart-energy report, visit http://www.centerforsmartenergy.com.

DNR report gives tree planting advice

OLYMPIA -- A new state Department of Natural Resources report uses genetic information about Douglas fir, western hemlock, western red cedar and other tree species to recommend locations to plant trees.

Coordinated by DNR with funding from the U.S. Forest Service, "Washington Tree Seed Transfer Zones" includes maps and research from DNR, USFS, the British Columbia Ministry of Forests and other Northwest forest agencies and timber companies.

USFS geneticists Bill Randle and Paul Berrang wrote the report, which includes elevation readings and other Geographical Information Systems data. For details visit http://www.dnr.wa.gov/webster/seedzonebook/.

Fish and Wildlife cutting staff, programs

OLYMPIA (AP) -- The 2003 Legislature cut $9.1 million from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife's 2003-05 budget. The federal government cut another $7.4 million.

From 1999 to 2001, Fish and Wildlife's budget was $302.8 million. For 2003-05, it is $277.8 million. The cuts have shrunk the number of enforcement officers, habitat biologists and other staff in game protection and salmon recovery programs. All Fish and Wildlife programs have taken cuts over the past two years.

However, investment in fishing, hunting and other outdoor recreation in Washington could help the agency's budget, said director Jeff Koenings.

According to the 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, sport anglers spent $854 million in Washington that year, hunters spent $350 million, and wildlife watchers spent $980 million. A big chunk of Fish and Wildlife's budget -- $57.1 million of the $277.8 million current budget -- comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and fees