December 28, 2004

Environmental Watch: KTA gets $6.25M federal enviro contract

SEATTLE — Seattle environmental consulting firm KTA Associates recently won a contract that will allow it to do up to $6.25 million in federal government environmental consulting.

The General Services Administration contract allows KTA to work on up to $1.25 million worth of projects each year for five years. KTA president Ken Taylor said projects can be located anywhere in the country, but most will be here in the Northwest.

Examples are environmental cleanups, water quality studies or remediation. Advising on the kind of equipment that should be used to control air discharges is another way the company can do work for federal government clients.

Taylor said GSA contracts aren't often given to small companies because they might not have a lot of expertise. He started KTA after years of consulting in the Northwest, and also worked at the U.S. Department of Energy as part of a team cleaning contamination from nuclear weapons programs.

KTA has offices are in Seattle, Olympia and Portland. The company also consults on risk management projects and also does litigation support.

Clean energy conference in Great Falls, Mont.

OLYMPIA — Olympia-based Climate Solutions is one of the hosts of the Harvesting Clean Energy Conference, to be held Jan. 20-21 in Great Falls, Mont. Organizers say rural clean energy production offers financial opportunities for ranchers, rural utilities, towns and tribes.

The conference is targeted to Northwest farmers, economic development officials, energy developers and public agencies.

Among the topics to be covered are how to finance and market energy projects, as well as new technologies such as utility-scale wind power and biofuels.

Other conference sponsors are: the National Center for Appropriate Technology; U.S. Department of Energy; Alternative Energy Resources Organization; Montana Department of Environmental Quality; and the Northwest Co-operative Development Center.

Ecology proposes rule for Columbia water

OLYMPIA — The Department of Ecology filed a proposed rule and draft EIS that would be part of Gov. Gary Locke's Columbia River Initiative, a new water resource management program for the Columbia River.

The initiative will allocate two-thirds of secured water would be placed in a reserve, or "water account," and be earmarked for new uses. The state would permanently keep the remaining one-third in order to improve stream flows for fish.

Ecology's proposed rule for the Columbia River Mainstem Water Management Program would set guidelines to:

• Manage a designated account of water from the Columbia R.

• Issue water rights during droughts in areas flows are low

• Secure a reliable supply of water for places in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland and West Richland

• Process water rights applications filed with Ecology

Ecology seeks comments on the rule and environmental impact statement and formal hearings are scheduled for February. Hearings will take place in Vancouver, Pasco, Moses Lake, Grand Coulee, Wenatchee, Lacey and Colville.

For more information, see site at www.ecy.wa.gov. Comments may be sent by e-mail to CRI@ecy.wa.gov or mailed to Gerry O’Keefe, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA, 98504. Or call (360) 407-6640.

Ecology says it won’t adopt the proposed rule unless the next legislature and governor approve the legislative package. Legislation would then give Ecology direction to acquire water before approving new water withdrawals.

City of Tacoma asks to use landfill for longer

SEATTLE — The city of Tacoma has asked for a second extension to operate its part of the Tacoma Landfill. If approved, the city could keep putting solid waste in the 31-acre central part of the landfill until the end of 2009.

Groups evaluating the request and seeking public comment are the Environmental Protection Agency, the Washington state Department of Ecology and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

A public comment period runs through Jan. 21. Send written comments to Bob Kievit, EPA Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 300 Desmond Drive, Suite 102, Lacey, WA 98503. Fax (360) 753-8080 or call (360) 753-9014.

The 220-acre Tacoma Landfill is part of the Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel Superfund site and is located south of the South Center Street and the South Mullen Street intersection.

Groundwater contamination there consists mostly of volatile organic compounds. Cleanup has involved a landfill cap with leak detection systems, as well as groundwater extraction and treatment. A five-year review done earlier this year confirmed these cleanup activities are working, according to the EPA.

U.S. Green Building Council reports on PVC

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Green Building Council released a draft report last week on the use of PVC in buildings and whether avoiding PVC should earn credits under the council's rating program for green building.

PVC is used in siding, piping, drainage-products, window frames and floor coverings. It is also a component of some carpets, wall coverings and other products.

The council says it neither supports nor opposes the use of PVC and vinyl products in buildings, but it is considering changing that position. In November 2002, the council asked its technical advisory committee to see if there is a case for giving LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, credits to projects on which PVC and vinyl products aren't used. This committee looked at whether emissions from these materials may affect indoor air quality and human health and if LEED credits should be awarded where they aren't used.

The council seeks public comments on the committee's draft report. Comments are due Feb. 15. Details are posted at http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/tsac/pvcvinyl.asp. For more information, see http://www.usgbc.org or call (202) 848-7422.

Members of the U.S. Green Building Council include corporations, builders, universities, governments and nonprofits that promote sustainable building.