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April 27, 2004

Environmental Watch: Sustainable groups plan joint meeting

SEATTLE -- The Northwest EcoBuilding Guild will hold a meeting on sustainability Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. The meeting will take place in the basement of the Brick Building at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N. The program is free and no registration is required.

The event is designed to bring together many organizations that support sustainability, so groups can learn more about each other and join forces for change.

Presenters include Brandie Smith of the Washington Toxics Coalition, Jason McKinney of Environmental Coalition of South Seattle, Aileen Gagney of American Lung Association of Washington and Chris Herman of Solar Washington. For more information, visit www.ecobuilding.org/cal.


Chambers Creek plant open house

UNIVERSITY PLACE -- Pierce County residents are invited to an open house May 1 at the Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Chambers Creek plant is at 10311 Chambers Creek Rd. W., in the city of University Place.

Visitors can learn about the wastewater treatment process, and the plant's future plans for expansion and improvement. Last year the Chambers Creek plant treated an average of 16.5 million gallons of wastewater per day. It serves University Place, Lakewood, DuPont Northwest Landing, Spanaway, Midland, Frederickson and South Hill.

For more information, contact Sheryl Purdy, Pierce County Environmental Services at (253) 798-4140.


Seattle park board to meet May 13

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Board of Park Commissioners will meet May 13 at 6 p.m. in the Park Board Room at 100 Dexter Avenue N.

Items on the agenda include a briefings on design of Bergen Place Park at 5420 22nd Ave. N.W. and a land exchange proposal between Parks and Recreation and the Seattle School District. Also on the agenda is a recommendation on the design for the new Ballard Civic Center Park at 5701 22nd Ave. N.W., to be funded with $2.5 million from the Pro Parks Levy.

For more information, contact Sandy Brooks at (206) 684-5066 or sandy.brooks@seattle.gov.


Classes on green home remodeling

SEATTLE -- Seattle Public Utilities and the Environmental Home Center are hosting free classes on green home remodeling May 13 and June 10. Classes take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at Carkeek Park Environmental Learning Center, 950 N.W. Carkeek Park Road.

Participants can learn what makes a product or design green and get advice about working with design and construction professionals. Examples of green building methods in Seattle will also be presented.

Space for the classes is limited. To register, contact (206) 684-0877 or carkeek.park@seattle.gov. For more information, visit www.seattle.gov/sustainablebuilding.


Comments sought on two Corps projects

PORTLAND -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are proposing an environmental restoration project on Crims Island to benefit salmon, deer, waterfowl and other species. The island is on the Columbia River near Clatskanie, Ore.

The Corps and USFWS propose to restore 92 acres of native tidal emergent marsh, mudflat and side channel habitats, and 115 acres of native forest habitat.

Improvements in tidal inundation and more tidal channels are intended to create better habitat for juvenile salmonids. They will also help improve transport of dead marsh vegetation to the Columbia River. Planting and natural seeding will convert upland area to native riparian forest habitat.

The draft of the plan is posted at: www.nwp.usace.army.mil/pm/e/crims_draft.htm. To comment on or receive a copy, write by May 25 to: District Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer District - Portland, Attn: CENWP-PM-E (Dorsey), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946, or call Geoff Dorsey, Environmental Resources Branch, at (503) 808-4769. Refer to Corps ID number CENWP-PM-E-04-03.

The Corps is also seeking public comment on a proposal to construct a fishing access site on the Columbia River near White Salmon, Wash. The site is located east of the Hood River Bridge and west of the city of Bingen.

Construction work would include a paved access road, parking, building, dock and sewage drain fields. The project would begin this fall and be completed by fall 2005. The draft is posted at: www.nwp.usace.army.mil/pm/e. For more information, contact Steve Helm at (503) 808-4778 or Steve.R.Helm, District Engineer, Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: Steve Helm, CENWP-PM-E, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946.


E-waste recycling until May 8

SEATTLE -- Consumers can recycle used computer equipment at participating Staples stores until May 8. Staples will recycle desktop computers, monitors and notebook computers at 31 stores in Washington and Oregon.

Customers are asked for a $10 donation. Staples says it will contribute all funds to local school districts. The company is working with Envirocyle, a recycler of electronic equipment, to reuse or dispose of computer equipment. For more information, visit www.staples.com/earthday.


$3M aquifer study will need more time

POST FALLS, Idaho (AP) -- Limited funding means it will likely take longer than the planned three years to complete a local aquifer study, Idaho Department of Water Resources said.

Hal Anderson, the department's planning administrator, said bureaucratic hurdles and limited funding have slowed the project.

The study, estimated to cost between $3 million and $3.5 million, will examine the quality and quantity of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer. It is the sole source of drinking water for more than 400,000 residents in Kootenai and Spokane counties.

Area leaders hope the cooperative effort between the Idaho Department of Water Resources, Washington Department of Ecology and the U.S. Geological Survey will help them understand the dynamics of the water source.

"We need answers soon, but we'll be hard-pressed, given the lack of funding, to get this done in three years. It's an ambitious goal," Anderson said.


Firm pays workers to buy hybrid cars

PORTLAND (AP) -- A Portland company is paying employees who drive fuel-efficient cars a $150 per month bonus.

Quantec, a small Portland-based energy consulting firm, says the bonus will extend 60 months to help employees buy a hybrid car that gets at least 45 miles a gallon.

For that, Quantec was among 10 local businesses and government programs recognized by the city's Office of Sustainable Development.

Quantec's president, M. Sami Khawaja, says his company's Cleaner Air Vehicle Program fits into a business strategy to promote environmental sustainability and that the company receives no tax benefit for it.

So far, 12 of Quantec's 25 employees have taken advantage of the offer. Khawaja says the rest of the employees plan to purchase hybrid vehicles, which run on a combination of gas and electricity, some time this year.





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