May 25, 2004

Environmental Watch: Welsh steps down as NEBC director

PORTLAND -- David Welsh steps down as executive director of Portland-based Northwest Environmental Business Council, and will move with his family to Tucson, Ariz.

The council represents 700 firms and organizes conferences, tradeshows and information sessions. Candidates interested in applying for the director position should visit www.nebc.org.

Teglund joins AMEC in Kirkland

Teglund

KIRKLAND -- Senior Special Inspector Bob Teglund joined AMEC's construction support services group in Kirkland.

Teglund specializes in reinforced and post-tensioned concrete, shotcrete and soils. He worked on the Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center, the new Seattle Central Library, high-rises and waterfront structures.

AMEC generates revenues of more than $8 billion and has 90 offices in North America. The company specializes in environmental projects for the oil, gas, industrial and infrastructure sectors.

Farstad joins DEA in Bellevue

Farstad

BELLEVUE -- David Evans and Associates in Bellevue recently hired Erik Farstad as a senior environmental planner for Puget Sound. Farstad works on environmental and land use planning.

His experience is in feasibility studies, strategic comprehensive plans, revitalization and transportation projects. He was an assistant task leader for a city of Wenatchee environmental assessment and has managed permitting and documenting projects for local, state and federal agencies.

King County offers grants for projects

SEATTLE -- King County Water and Land Resources Division is offering grants for community environmental restoration and projection projects. Grants are intended for watersheds, habitats, natural resource stewardship and water quality education programs. Salmon conservation and urban tree restoration projects are also eligible.

Last year 53 community groups, schools and non-profits received over $827,000. This year, maximum awards can be up to to $75,000. The deadline for grant proposals requesting more than $2,000 is July 1.

For more information, contact Ken Pritchard, Grant Exchange coordinator, at ken.pritchard@metrokc.gov, (206) 296-8265 or (800) 325-6165 Ext. 6-8265. Or visit http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/pi/grants.htm.

Make a Splash grants available

TACOMA -- The city of Tacoma will award "Make a Splash" grants of up to $50,000 for education programs on environmental pollution, protection and surface water restoration. Applications are due by June 30.

The city will hold two information sessions; one is today at the Wheelock Library at 3722 N. 26th St., and a second meeting will be held on June 22 at the Moore Branch Library, 215 S. 56th St. Both sessions are from 5 to 7:45 p.m. and are open to the public.

The "Make a Splash" program is supported by the city's surface water utility fees. For applications, contact Christy Strand, Environmental Services, at (253) 502-2105, makeasplash@cityoftacoma.org. Or visit www.cityoftacoma.org/makeasplash.

Sustainable Seattle announces awards

SEATTLE -- Sustainable Seattle awards its Third Sustainable Community Outstanding Leadership Awards today.

Paul Dolan, president of Fetzer Vineyards, will speak on how he made sustainability a priority for his company. The talk and awards presentation are free and open to the public, and will be held at Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Sustainable Seattle will recognize Beacon Development Group, Flexcar, City of Seattle's Sustainable Building Program, Environmental Coalition of South Seattle, ArtWorks and PCC Natural Markets.

Christy Shelton, a board member of Sustainable Seattle, said some of the organizations are working to improve transportation, build affordable housing and promote earth-friendly construction. Others are helping to empower at-risk youth, redevelop polluted urban sites and protect organic farms.

Sustainable Seattle is a non-profit that promotes sustainable development. For more information, visit www.sustainableseattle.org.

ASCE workshop on water counterterrorism

SEATTLE -- The American Society of Civil Engineers' Environmental and Water Resources Institute will hold a workshop on June 3 at Wyckoff Auditorium at Seattle University, 901 12th Ave. from 1:30 to 5 p.m.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the society a grant to develop bio-terrorism security guidelines for water and wastewater utilities. The workshop allows outside groups and experts to contribute to developing these guidelines.

Participants will talk about the issues water and surveillance designers must consider when creating contamination monitoring systems. Topics of discussion include the kinds of technology and sampling methods being used today, as well communication networks that will be needed in the event water supplies or infrastructure are threatened.

For more information, contact Muhammad Amer at (202) 785-6429 or mamer@cerf.org. Or visit www.ewrinstitute.org.

Conference on greenhouse gases June 3

SEATTLE -- The Air and Waste Management Association will hold a one-day conference on managing greenhouse gas emissions in Seattle on June 3 at Top of the Market, 93 Pike St. #307 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Talks will cover how companies can take stock of their emissions. There will be discussions on how emissions regulations such as those already passed in other countries could impact hydro power and irrigation in the Northwest. There will be presentations on laws, regulations and the economic drivers that are forcing businesses to consider initiatives to reduce gas emissions.

Environmental analysts, managers, regulators and consultants are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Mike Ruby at (206) 633-4456 or visit www.pnwis.org.

Cascade Land Conservancy awards grants

SEATTLE -- Cascade Land Conservancy recently granted awards to organizations that it says have contributed to preserving Puget Sound's natural lands. Award recipients are Friends of the Trail, REI, Woodland Park Zoo, Cascade Land Conservancy and former governors Dan Evans and Mike Lowry, who together founded the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition.

Cascade Land Conservancy President Gene Duvernoy and Mayor Greg Nickels also announced plans for the Green Seattle Partnership, which aims to protect forested parks and open space from invasive species.