February 7, 2006

Environmental Watch: Landau makes promotions, new hires

EDMONDS — Landau Associates, an engineering and environmental consulting firm based in Edmonds, has promoted several employees.

In the Edmonds office, Charles "Chip" Halbert is now development services manager, Michelle Ramos is geotechnical group manager, Benni Jonsson is staff engineer, Shannon Moore is senior project scientist and Anne Halvorsen is senior project scientist. In the Tacoma office, Jennifer Olson was promoted to project scientist, and James Wilson is now project engineer.

The firm also made some new hires: Anthony Katsaros, AICP, senior environmental planner, Sacha Maxwell, staff scientist, and Chris Anderson, staff scientist. Katsaros has experience in environmental and land use planning, and permitting. Maxwell is completing her wetland certification through the University of Washington. Anderson has experience in NEPA/SEPA compliance, environmental documentation and biological assessments. Gary Huitsing, staff engineer, and Dana Olcott, senior staff engineer, both in the Edmonds Office, recently passed the P.E. exam.

State geologic map wins design awards

OLYMPIA — The new geologic map of Washington state won Best Map of 2005 and Best Geologic Map in the international Avenza 2005 MAPublisher Competition.

The map was created by the Division of Geology and Earth Resources in the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. It is the first new 1:500,000-scale geologic map of Washington published since 1961.

The division's geologic maps are the basis for applied and basic earth-science investigations. Geologic mapping is essential for landslide, earthquake, volcanic, hydrologic, mineral resource, engineering and watershed studies.

The winning submissions, as well as notable entries in each category, are posted on the Avenza Web site at http://www.avenza.com/MPcomp/2005/

The map may be purchased from the Washington State Department of Printing at http://www.prt.wa.gov/ or downloaded from http://www.dnr.wa.gov/geology/pdf/gm53.zip

State seeks trail program advisors

OLYMPIA — The state Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation is looking for three volunteers to fill vacancies on its National Recreational Trails Program advisory committee.

The committee advises on policies, funding and planning. The terms run through December 2009.

The openings are for motorized trail recreation, and for nonmotorized trail recreation for water trails and mountain biking. The program has provided more than $1 million annually for trails.

Application are due by March 8 and are available online at http://www.iac.wa.gov or by calling Lorinda Anderson at (360) 902-3009 or e-mailing her at lorindaa@iac.wa.gov.

Everett port joins environmental program

EVERETT — The Port of Everett has been accepted to the Environmental Management System program through the American Association of Port Authorities.

The program helps an organization analyze and improve the environmental impacts of its activities. During the 18-month program, the port will do training, make site visits and share documents to strengthen its environmental efforts.

Nine ports nationwide were selected to participate in this round of EMS training. Everett is the second port in the state to initiate such a program, along with the Port of Vancouver USA.

Then program is designed to improve environmental and relationships with regulators, and to reduce costs for insurance, waste disposal and energy use. For more information contact Lisa Mandt, community relations representative, at (425) 388-0617 or lisam@portofeverett.com.

Recycling increases, but so does waste

OLYMPIA — Recycling by businesses and residents in Washington rose to 42 percent in 2004, up from 38 percent the year before, according to new numbers from the state Department of Ecology. Gains were made in metals, paper and yard-waste recycling.

Other types of re-use and recycling are easing the pressure on landfills, even though they are not part of officially counted recycling, Ecology said, including land-clearing debris, concrete, carpet and pads, furniture, construction and demolition debris, mattresses, batteries, paint and clothing.

Coupled with the officially counted recycled items, the statewide rate for diverted materials would be 48 percent, up from 47 percent in 2003, according to Ecology.

"To have almost half of the waste generated in Washington diverted away from landfills is a great success story," said Cullen Stephenson, who manages Ecology's solid-waste program.

But while recycling has increased, the total amount of waste generated has continued to climb. Currently, Washington residents produce an average of 7.5 pounds of waste per person each day, compared to 7 pounds a day in 2003.

WWU among U.S.'s top green power users

BELLINGHAM — Western Washington University is once again on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's list of the nation's top 25 green power purchasers.

WWU President Karen W. Morse said, "Our green power purchase demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and is consistent with Western's values and mission."

The federal government is the nation's largest purchaser, with the U.S. Air Force as the top federal agency purchaser. Whole Foods Market is the largest U.S. corporate purchaser.

Western's renewable energy program was started two years ago by a group of Western students. It became the first university in the country to charge a student fee to purchase green energy.