July 5, 2005

Environmental Watch: JD White Co. adds staff

Cooper

Brown

Stalberger

VANCOUVER — The JD White Co. added Kathleen C. (KC) Cooper as its public involvement program manager. JD White is a land use and natural resources planning firm, with offices in Portland and Vancouver.

Cooper has 23 years of experience in public involvement and project management, with a focus on the transportation industry. She will succeed Karen Ciocia, who manages marketing and client services.

Research assistant Sean Watkins also joined the company, and will work on planning for parks, ports and transportation projects.

JD White also promoted Kyle Brown and Jessica Stalberger, who work on public involvement. Stalberger focuses on transportation, community development and master planning projects. Brown is working on a noise study for the Port of Portland and an EIS for an airport runway in Sitka, Alaska.

Local mold expert gets certification

Knutson

KIRKLAND — The American Board of Industrial Hygiene recently certified Dianne Knutson of Kirkland-based company AMEC as an industrial hygienist.

Knutson is a senior mold and indoor-air project manager. She has investigated hundreds of commercial, public, medical and residential spaces for mold and is called on for expert witness testimony in mold litigation cases.

The American Board of Industrial Hygiene gives the certification to experienced professionals with a thorough knowledge of toxicology, air sampling, epidemiology and industrial ventilation.

Celebrate the Denny Way CSO Thursday

SEATTLE — After 12 years of planning and four years of construction, the biggest combined sewer overflow project in King County is complete. More than 30 engineering and consulting firms worked on the project.

A dedication ceremony will be held Thursday at 545 Elliott Ave. W. in Seattle from 10 to 11 a.m. There will also be a tour of the Elliott West control facility.

The $140 million Denny Way Combined Sewer Overflow, or CSO, project began operation in April of this year.

For more information about the ceremony, call John Phillips at (206) 263-6543. Also see http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/dennyway.

NEBC, Hart Crowser hold mixer July 14

PORTLAND — The Northwest Environmental Business Council and Hart Crowser hold their annual mixer July 14 on the rooftop of Hart Crowser's Seattle office at 1910 Fairview Ave. E., from 5 to 7 p.m.

NEBC members, colleagues and guests are invited. Cost is $35 for members and guests, or $45 for nonmembers. Sponsors are Instrumentation Northwest, Integrated Marketing Systems and Med-Tox Northwest.

For more information contact NEBC at (503) 227-6361 or e-mail cara@nebc.org. Also see http://www.nebc.org.

July 13 talk on overwater structures

SEATTLE — The city of Seattle and People for Puget Sound will hold the first in a series of brown bag lunches on July 13.

The topic of the talk will be ways to build environmentally sensitive overwater structures. Speakers will be John Feit and Brian Court of Miller/Hull on design of the Northwest Maritime Center demonstration dock in Port Townsend.

This 300-foot-deep water pier is a prototype for overwater structures that are sensitive to habitat. It was developed with funds from a NOAA grant, using computer lighting simulations that led to the use of light reflective technologies and materials on the underside of the dock.

This talk is the first of a lunch series the city of Seattle and People for Puget Sound will hold on the second Wednesday of each month. Talks will be in Room 1940 of Seattle's Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Ave., from 12 to 1:30 p.m. The goal is to present new ideas and techniques that could be used to redevelop Seattle's central waterfront.

For more information, call John Arnesen at SDOT at (206) 684-8921, or Heather Trim at People For Puget Sound at (206) 382-7007 ext. 215.

EPA settles with tribe on pesticides

SEATTLE — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently settled an administrative complaint with Yakama Land Enterprise for a $5,664 penalty.

Yakama Land Enterprise buys land, does development and operates on behalf of the Yakama Nation. It is located on the Yakama Indian Reservation in Toppenish, Yakima County.

The group and EPA agreed to collaborate on a plan to reduce pesticide drift.

EPA officials say last year pesticide drifted onto a nearby organic cherry orchard, as well as onto a Pacific Power and Light employee reading electrical meters on nearby properties. It said there were no warning signs posted about the use of the pesticide, and workers weren't trained to handle it or know which medical facility to go to in case someone was hurt.

The EPA has primary enforcement responsibility over federal pesticide laws on Indian reservations. In other parts of the state this is the responsibility of the Washington Department of Agriculture.

Seminar on green materials July 13

EVERETT — People can find out where to buy sustainable materials in this area at a July 13 seminar in Everett.

The Sustainable Development Task Force will hold the brown bag event at the Snohomish County PUD Building, 2320 California St., from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Vendors will be on hand to talk about specifications and project applications. A presentation will focus on the cost of green materials, as well as how they can be used to earn credit under programs such as LEED and Built Green. There will also be information on jobsite recycling.

The organizers will post the names of vendors attending the session at www.snoedc.org/ssc.