December 9, 2003

Environmental Watch: Puget Sound Action Team meets Dec. 10

LACEY -- The Puget Sound Action Team will discuss Puget Sound restoration and cleanup at the state Department of Ecology headquarters in Lacey Dec. 10.

Puget Sound Action Team and Puget Sound Council representatives will discuss projects in the region's urban bays and shellfish growing areas from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 300 Desmond Dr.

The Puget Sound Action Team will also discuss its agenda through June 2005 and tentative work plan through 2007. For details visit www.psat.wa.gov.

Seattle wants help naming 4 parks

SEATTLE -- The city's wants help naming parks in Seattle's Mount Baker, Capitol Hill, Green Lake and Whittier Heights/Greenwood neighborhoods.

The Mount Baker park is on 31st Avenue South, between Atlantic and Day streets. The Capitol Hill park is on Boren Avenue, between Spruce and Fir streets. The Green Lake park is at Linden Avenue North and North 67th Street. The Whittier Heights/Greenwood park is at Sixth Avenue Northwest and Northwest 76th Street.

Park names should reflect location, history or culture, and nature or geology. Submit suggestions -- and explanations of how suggestions match the naming criteria -- by Jan. 30, 2004, to Seattle Parks and Recreation, Park Naming Committee, 100 Dexter Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109 or paula.hoff@seattle.gov.

BuildingGreen names top 10 products

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- BuildingGreen, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based product directory and news service, named its top 10 new products at a U.S. Green Building Council conference last month.

The products are EnvironOxide pigment, made by Hoover Color Corp. and Iron Oxide Recovery; BioBase 501 soy-based foam insulation, made by BioBased Systems; MemBrain "smart" vapor retarder, made by CertainTeed parent company Saint Gobain; American Pride latex paint, made by Southern Diversified Products and the University of Southern Mississippi; mineral silicate paints, made by Keim Mineral Systems; EnviroGT wall and corner guards, made by InPro Corp.; laboratory casework, made by Case Systems; Mirra office chair, made by Herman Miller; hot water D'Mand system, made by Taco; and EcoPower faucets, made by Toto USA.

Oregon tries to reduce 10 chemical risks

PORTLAND (AP) -- Regulators are developing a plan to combat 10 toxins that threaten humans, air, land and waterways.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's "starter list" of harmful substances includes DDT, mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls, or, PCBs. The Environmental Quality Commission will discuss the DEQ's proposed new "Toxics Reduction Strategy." It could also hear testimony from the Oregon Environmental Council, a group that accuses DEQ of failing to protect the public from toxic chemicals.

Within six months DEQ expects to convene a summit on toxic chemicals, where representatives from environmental groups, industry, local governments and state and federal agencies will talk about how Oregon might reduce its exposure.

America's oceans in crisis, scientists say

PORTLAND (AP) -- Some of the nation's top marine scientists say oceans are in crisis and major changes are needed to protect and restore the world's largest natural resource.

Pew Oceans Commission members said the crisis results mostly from old policy decisions. In 1969, the Stratton Commission, the last major commission to study the state of the oceans, called America's waters immense, inexhaustible and impervious to human impact.

This year nearly 8,000 square miles of Pacific coastal waters were declared off-limits to commercial fisherman in an emergency closure that rivals the 1995 New England cod collapse, which closed 6,500 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean.

Fish stocks are at an all-time low. The starkest example is the bocaccio, a type of rockfish, which is down to 3 percent of its original stock, the scientists said.

Oceans and coastal waters need to be managed as a public trust, the scientists said. They proposed creating "marine reserves" so more fish reproduce and mature.

Burien changes critical areas ordinance

BURIEN -- The Burien City Council doubled setbacks needed for building near wetlands but added flexibility to development regulations for projects near critical areas.

Burien's critical areas include streams, wetlands as well as geologic hazard, critical aquifer recharge, flood hazard, and fish and wildlife habitat areas.

The council changed the Burien's ordinance to allow reduction of wetland and stream buffers by 25 percent if buffers are enhanced by native vegetation. The new rules also regulate storage or handling of hazardous material within 200 feet of critical aquifer recharge areas, according to the city.

Tacoma considers cardboard recycling fee

TACOMA -- Tacoma may impose a collection fee on cardboard recycling.

Tacoma provides free recycling to about 125 businesses, but has more than 240 on a waiting list, according to the city.

The city may charge $20 a month for bimonthly services and $10 for additional pickups. The Tacoma City Council will vote on the proposed ordinance Dec. 16. For details call Al Tebaldi, Public Works, at (253) 593-7739 or email atebaldi@cityoftacoma.org.

Ecology, Shell settle on pipeline fire

BELLINGHAM -- The state Department of Ecology and Shell Oil Co. reached a $5 million settlement for a 1999 Olympic pipeline rupture and fire in Bellingham.

Ecology issued $7.86 million in civil penalties to Shell's predecessor, Equilon, which operated the pipeline when the rupture and fire killed three Bellingham youths and damaged the Whatcom Creek watershed, according to Ecology.

Shell will pay $4 million to the city of Bellingham and $1 million to the Whatcom Land Trust. British Pipeline is the pipeline's other owner.

The city will invest settlement money in a trust fund and use annual interest for stream and shoreline projects, starting with enhancing habitat in the area burned by the fire. The land trust will use the funds to buy salmon, eagle and elk habitat along the Nooksack River, according to Ecology.

NEBC seeks 2004 tradeshow exhibitors

PORTLAND -- The Northwest Environmental Business Council is accepting exhibitor applications for the 2004 Northwest Environmental Conference & Tradeshow at the Doubletree Jantzen Beach Hotel in Portland Nov. 16-17.

The event will showcase environmental technologies and services. For details call NEBC at (888) 609-6322 or visit www.NEBC.com.

NEBC holiday mixer Dec. 9

SEATTLE -- The Northwest Environmental Business Council will hold its Olympic Chapter holiday mixer from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 9 in the chapel at 1600 Melrose Ave.

The fee of $15 for NEBC members or $25 for nonmembers includes hors d'ouevres and a no-host bar. For details call NEBC at (888) 609-6322 or visit www.NEBC.com.