December 13, 2005

Environmental Watch: Jan. 28 workshop on SEPA, NEPA

SEATTLE — The National Environmental Policy Act is 35 years old, and the State Environmental Policy Act turns 35 next year. Next month an advanced workshop sponsored by Law Seminars International will cover the evolving loopholes and legal requirements of both acts.

Local lawyers and representatives of local, state and federal government agencies will lead the workshop on NEPA and SEPA at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel on Jan. 25.

Speakers will look at recent legal developments, current proposals for NEPA reforms and talk about legal exemptions. Two private attorneys, David S. Mann and Patrick J. Schneider, and Colleen G. Warren, senior counsel with the Attorney General's Office who represents the state Department of Ecology, will talk about administrative appeal and judicial review.

Air quality checkup for your home

SEATTLE — Through the Master Home Environmentalist (MHE) program, the American Lung Association of Washington offers free in-home air quality assessments to make your house cleaner and healthier.

The program sends volunteers into homes to give personalized tips on how to reduce levels of indoor air pollutants and other hazardous toxins. The free service can be particularly helpful for the elderly and children, or for those who struggle with asthma or allergies.

For information contact the American Lung Association of Washington, at (206) 441-5100, or sign up online at http://www.alaw.org

Forestry foundation looks for leaders

SPOKANE — The Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation is seeking candidates for up to 30 fellowships in Class 29 of its leadership program.

Foundation President David Roseleip said people involved in the agriculture, forestry or fisheries industries are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2006.

Each year up to 30 people from throughout the state are selected to participate. The mission is to develop leaders for the natural resources industries.

There are 14 seminars over the course of an 18-month period. Topics include communication, economics, state government, media relations, social problems, the criminal justice system, the environment and health care. It includes a seven-day visit to Washington D.C. and a 15-day visit to selected foreign countries.

The foundation covers most of the costs. For information see the Web site at http://www.agforestry.org, call (509) 926-9113 or request an application by e-mail from leaders@agforestry.org

Comments due on aquatic pesticide permit

OLYMPIA — The Department of Ecology is seeking comments on a new permit regulating the use of pesticides to control weeds in Washington's waters. Comments are due by Jan. 20 and Ecology plans to issue the final permit March 1.

Aquatic pesticides include chemicals that kill, attract, repel or otherwise control the growth of aquatic pests.

Comments on the proposed permit revisions will be accepted at three

public workshops: Jan. 9, Centralia, (360) 736-9391; Jan. 10, Spokane, (509) 444-5390; and Jan. 10, Edmonds, (425) 640-1459.

For a copy of the proposed permit, contact Kelly McLain, Department of Ecology, Box 47600, Olympia, Wash., 98504-7600; (360) 407-6938; or kelm461@ecy.wa.gov. Information is available online at

'Green' ship calls at Tacoma port

TACOMA — The Hatsu Sigma, the first of a new generation of "green" ships, recently made its first call at the Port of Tacoma.

Officials from Evergreen Group and its Hatsu Marine Limited subsidiary said the new S-type, 7,024-TEU (20-foot equivalent container unit) "green" mega ship has environmental features designed to protect oceans and harbors.

They include double-skinned hulls, relocated fuel tanks that minimize the risk of oil pollution or fire as a result of grounding or collision, an oil-water separator that minimizes the oil content of waste water, holding tanks to avoid discharge in sensitive areas and low-sulfur fuels.

For more information on Evergreen's "green" ships, visit http://www.evergreen-marine.com/tuf1/jsp/TUF1_Html.jsp?page=TBN1_050707.htm

Jackson hydro relicensing moves ahead

EVERETT — The Snohomish County Public Utility District and the city of Everett filed documents with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to start the relicensing process for the Jackson Hydroelectric Project in the Sultan Basin.

The PUD and the city are relicensing the project using the Integrated Licensing Process. They have been holding meetings on the relicensing with public groups and agencies over the past year.

Jackson generates about 5 percent of the PUD's energy supply and its water storage provides about 80 percent of the water supply for Snohomish County.

Manson dredging the Snake, Clearwater

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — Parts of the lower Snake and Clearwater rivers will be dredged for the first time in seven years starting this week.

The National Wildlife Federation and other environmental groups agreed not to sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the dredging in exchange for a promise that the Corps will do a long-term study of sediment problems in the river.

The agreement is part of a settlement reached after the groups sued and successfully blocked dredging work planned for the winters of 2002 and 2004.

Congress has mandated that the Corps of Engineers maintain a 14-foot shipping channel, but parts of the channel are as shallow as 8 feet in some places.

That has prevented the port and barge operators from filling barges to capacity. Last spring two barges got stuck.

The Manson Construction Co. of Seattle plans to dredge about 400,000 cubic yards of sand and silt from the shipping channels under a $5.1 million contract from the Corps of Engineers. The work is set to begin Thursday and finish by the end of March.

The company will use a clamshell dredge with a hinged bucket to scoop the sediment. Jack Sands, Corps of Engineers' project manager at Walla Walla, said hydraulic, submerged pipe dredges could not be used because of environmental concerns.