January 31, 2006

Environmental Watch: Environmental justice session in Seattle

SEATTLE — The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Civil Rights and Environmental Justice will hold the second of two statewide "listening sessions" in Seattle.

The EPA is soliciting comments from state residents on environmental justice issues facing them. Input will help guide development of the regional environmental justice program. Representatives from tribes, businesses, academia, media, professional groups, rural and urban groups, nongovernmental organizations, environmental organizations and government agencies are invited. The Seattle session will be Saturday, Feb. 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Brockey Conference Center at South Seattle Community College, 6000 16th Ave. S.W. Information is available from Running Grass, Environmental Justice Program manager, EPA Region 10, at (206) 553-2899.

NEBC Portland chapter meeting

PORTLAND — Keith Johnson of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality will be the speaker at the Feb. 9 meeting of the Cascade chapter of the Northwest Environmental Business Council from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fifth Avenue Suites, 506 S.W. Washington, in Portland.

Oregon's environmental cleanup program is facing a significant funding shortfall and is prioritizing its cleanup work.

Johnson is a cleanup manager for the Northwest region, which oversees several high priority projects in and around the Lower Willamette area. Cost is $35 for members and guests and $48 for non-members.

$3M available to cut diesel emissions

SEATTLE — The Environmental Protection Agency will give out $3 million in grants for projects aimed at reducing diesel emissions. This is part of the West Coast Collaborative, which has awarded more than $2.6 million in grants for 28 projects since 2004. This year the agency expects to award up to 12 grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000.

EPA is seeking proposals for projects that demonstrate new, innovative or experimental approaches to reducing diesel emissions.

Past projects have included electrifying truck stops and cruise ship terminals, converting restaurant waste oil to biodiesel fuel and establishing a loan fund to reduce locomotive emissions.

Proposals are due March 23. EPA will host a question and answer teleconference Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. PST, call-in number: (866) 299-3188, passcode 2023439636#.

Past grant winners include: Idaho, $150,000 to retrofit agricultural equipment and rock crushers; Oregon, $1 million for retrofits on construction equipment, truck stop electrification and emissions reductions in the rail sector; Washington, $305,000 for biodiesel demonstration, reducing diesel emissions at the Port of Seattle, and helping farmers reduce emissions.

Two free workshops on bio-energy

YAKIMA — The Department of Ecology is sponsoring two one-day workshops focusing on bio-energy production, regulation and use in Washington.

The workshops are scheduled for Feb. 9 in Seattle at the Seattle Center, and Feb. 16 in Moses Lake at the Best Western Lake Inn. They will run from 8:30 to 4 p.m. each day.

Topics include proposed state legislation and policy issues, such as the renewable fuel standard and the "bioenergy road map." Technical aspects of biodiesel production and regulatory requirements are also on the agenda.

Other topics include fuel quality, permitting and financial assistance.

Registration is due by Feb. 6. For information, contact Cathy Buller, at (206) 352-2050 or by e-mail cbuller@pprc.org.

Small habitat projects get county funds

SEATTLE — King County's Small Capital Improvement Project program is soliciting projects for the 2006 construction and planting season.

The work includes habitat restoration, drainage and habitat improvement, and will be administered by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. Funds will go to design, permit and construct projects in and around streams and wetlands in unincorporated King County. Limited funding is available for projects on either private or public land.

The Small Habitat Restoration Program has funded 297 projects since 1995. In 2003, a total of 6 miles of stream, 39 acres of wetlands and 135 acres of stream/wetland buffer areas were improved.

Projects have been proposed by creek neighbors, county staff, private landowners, community groups and environmental organizations. Applications must be submitted by Feb. 6 for this construction season.

The online application form is at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/cposa/shrp/suggest.htm. For information contact Mason Bowles at (206) 296-8736.

Landfill wins award from habitat group

MCMINNVILLE, ORE. — Employees at Waste Management's Riverbend Landfill in McMinnville, Ore., received recognition for their wildlife habitat conservation efforts at the Wildlife Habitat Council's 17th annual symposium "Shades of Green."

The 620-acre Riverbend Landfill has approximately 500 acres set aside for wildlife habitat. It is surrounded by agricultural land and rural residences.

The landfill was recognized for its leachate storage system, which irrigates a 45-acre poplar plantation; the nest box program to attract wildlife; and a floodplain mitigation project, which is intended to eventually create 22 acres of wetlands and enhance 23 acres of existing wetlands.

EPA wants to end use of Teflon chemical

DOVER, Del. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency last week invited the DuPont Co. and other chemical companies to join a global effort to eliminate use of a chemical utilized in making Teflon and other nonstick and stain-resistant products that may pose potential health risks to humans.

The initiative calls for DuPont and seven other companies that manufacture or use perfluorooctanoic acid, its precursors, and similar compounds to reduce environmental releases and levels of those chemicals in products by 95 percent no later than 2010, using the year 2000 as a baseline.

The EPA also wants the industry to work toward the elimination of PFOA and related chemicals from emissions and products by no later than 2015.

DuPont officials have agreed to participate in the program.

“We’ve been working on this emission reduction activity for a number of years,” said DuPont vice president Susan Stalnecker. “We feel very confident that we will be able to meet the goals EPA has set.”

While DuPont has eliminated PFOA emissions by more than 90 percent in recent years, the company does not believe it can eliminate the use of PFOA in product manufacturing any time soon.

Other companies invited to participate in the voluntary program are 3M/Dyneon Arkema Inc., AGC Chemicals/Asahi Glass, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Clariant Corp., Daikin and Solvay Solexis.

DuPont officials have agreed to participate in the program.

"We've been working on this emission reduction activity for a number of years," said DuPont vice president Susan Stalnecker. "We feel very confident that we will be able to meet the goals EPA has set."

While DuPont has eliminated PFOA emissions by more than 90 percent in recent years, the company does not believe it can eliminate the use of PFOA in product manufacturing any time soon.

Other companies invited to participate in the voluntary program are 3M/Dyneon Arkema Inc., AGC Chemicals/Asahi Glass, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Clariant Corp., Daikin and Solvay Solexis.