March 14, 2006

Environmental Watch: Gig Harbor replacing old school buses

GIG HARBOR — The Peninsula School District in Gig Harbor will replace eight old diesel buses, thanks to a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a $100,000 grant from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

The school district matched the grants, bringing the total to $800,000.

The district will buy 2007 model year buses that meet the latest EPA diesel emission standards, which reduce particulate matter by 98 percent, nitrogen oxides by 97 percent, and non-methane hydrocarbons by 89 percent.

Comments due on gypsy moth spraying

SEATTLE — State entomologists have found gypsy moths in Seattle and Bellevue, and want public approval to get rid of them.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture wants to spray Bellevue's Rosemont neighborhood and part of Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood this spring with Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk), a biological insecticide.

Gypsy moths attack many kinds of trees and shrubs.

To read more about the spraying and make comments see http://www.agr.wa.gov/plantsinsects or call (800) 443-6684.

EPA has four plans for Duwamish cleanup

SEATTLE — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed four plans to clean up a Superfund site along the Lower Duwamish Waterway.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other chemicals are in the mud at the bottom of Slip 4, north of Boeing Plant 2 in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood.

EPA would like to remove the sediments with the greatest contamination, which are near the surface, and then cover the rest with engineered caps of clean sand, gravel and rock. This plan would cost about $7 million and involve removing 14,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment.

To read more about the proposals, see http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/cleanup.nsf/sites/lduwamish.

To comment on the proposals, send an e-mail to Karen Keeley, EPA's Project Manager, at keeley.karen@epa.gov.

Alchemy Goods joins Linkup program

SEATTLE — A Seattle company which makes messenger bags out of recycled materials is getting help from King County.

Alchemy Goods sells bags of varying sizes made with bicycle inner tubes, seat belt straps and other recycled materials.

The company recently joined King County's Linkup program, part of the Solid Waste Division, which encourages manufacturers to incorporate more recycled materials in their products. To date, Linkup has helped about 24 such companies with business planning and marketing.

Stormwater conference here March 20-21

SEATTLE — Law Seminars International is presenting its annual conference on recent developments concerning clean water and stormwater on March 20 and 21 at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel, 515 Madison St.

There will be speakers from the state Department of Ecology, the Department of Transportation, Puget Sound Action Team, CH2M Hill and Water Resources Northwest, among others. The conference will be chaired by Michael P. O'Connell of Stoel Rivers LLP and James A. Tupper, Jr. of Mentor Law Group.

It offers 12.5 CLE credits and costs $895, with discounts for students and groups.

To register, call (206) 567-4490 or (800) 854-8009 or e-mail registrar@lawseminars.com.

Conference looks at reclaiming habitat

SEATTLE — The Wildlife Habitat Council is sponsoring a conference in Seattle about restoring greenspace on previously contaminated property.

The council works to increase wildlife habitat on public and private lands.

The conference will be held at the Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue and will showcase examples of how site restoration can incorporate ecological reuse practices.

The cost ranges from $105 (non-profit and government rate) to $410 (corporate rate). Rates increase after March 18. For more information see http://www.wildlifehc.org or call (301) 588-8994.

Hazardous waste workshop in Portland

PORTLAND — Lion Technology will host its 2006 certification workshop on April 3 and 4 for people who work with hazardous waste. The workshop provides hands-on training to navigate current regulations. The agenda includes special issue waste, land disposal restrictions, emergencies, off-site shipments and training.

The workshop will be at the Holiday Inn at the Portland Airport. Register online at http://www.lion.com/w104 or phone (973) 383-0800 ext. w104. The cost is $795 per person, with discounts for groups.

Skagit farmland group seeks new head

MOUNT VERNON — The head of a nationally recognized farmland protection group in Mount Vernon is stepping down.

Bob Rose, executive director of Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland is leaving after 11 years. During his tenure, the program protected 5,000 acres of farmland. Rose also helped attract $8 million in investments for Washington State University's research and extension center, and organized an agricultural marketing program for the county.

Environmental conference in Portland

PORTLAND — The 2006 Northwest Environmental Conference and Tradeshow in Portland is set for Dec. 7 and 8, and organizers are now accepting tradeshow booth reservations.

This will be the 18th year for the event, billed as the largest such conference in the Pacific Northwest. It will be held at the Red Lion Hotel on the River at Jantzen Beach. Members of the Northwest Environmental Business Council get a discount.

For information contact the Northwest Environmental Business Council at (503) 227-6361 or (800) 985-6322. You can also get more information at http://www.nwec.org.