Dec 08, 1998

Deadline coming for underground tanks

OLYMPIA - Gas stations and others who own or operate underground fuel tanks face a Dec. 22, 1998, deadline to bring their tanks into compliance with federal standards. Those that do not comply will no longer be allowed to receive or dispense fuel. The deadline concludes a 10-year national effort to replace, upgrade or decommission underground storage tanks (USTs) throughout the United States. The requirement was established in 1989 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with the goal of preventing leaks into the environment from faulty tanks. Environmental agencies in each state are charged with overseeing compliance with the federal mandate. Over the past 10 years, Washington state's Department of Ecology has offered extensive technical assistance and information to tank owners. The department has disseminated grants to local governments to decommission old tanks. In addition to Ecology's efforts, the Pollution Liability Insurance Agency gave grants directly to rural tank owners to pay for tank upgrades, replacements and some cleanup. During the 10-year implementation effort, 30,000 tanks in Washington state have been permanently closed -- many of them replaced with up-to-date models. Another 12,000 tanks are in the process of meeting overfill, spill and corrosion-protection standards, but it's unclear how many will be completed before the Dec. 22 deadline.

Subcompact fluorescent lights are aglow

RICHLAND -- A new generation of small, screw-in fluorescent lamps has been announced by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, which has made them available through a Department of Energy agreement with four manufacturers. The laboratory spurred development of the technology by staging a competition among potential suppliers. The lab set aggressive technology and performance standards, then asked bidders to offer products that met or exceeded those specifications at the lowest possible price. Awards were made to those who made the most attractive offers. Those companies are Duro-Test Lighting, LINK USA International, Lights of America, and Sunpark Electronics Corp. The new lamps are no longer than 5.6 inches, with the shortest being 4.7 inches. They emit as much light as standard 60-watt or 100-watt incandescent bulbs while using about one third as much energy, and last eight to 10 times as long. Suppliers are making the lamps available over the next 12 months to volume buyers such as multifamily building owners and operators, electric utilities, universities, housing authorities, hotel/motel companies, federal agencies and lighting product resellers. Prices start at $6.10 per lamp. For more information, contact Pacific Northwest National Lab at (509) 372-4333. Or see their Web site at http://www.energystar.gov/volumepurchase.html.

New faces at Kleinfelder engineering

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Kleinfelder, an environmental, geotechnical and construction engineering firm based in Sacramento, has added two professionals to its Bellevue office. William Zbitnoff, a civil and cost engineer, has joined the firm as manager for the Northwest region. He has more than 23 years' experience in the field. And Harlan Borow has signed on as a senior remediation engineer. He has particular expertise in brownfields redevelopment.

Thorp heads environmental practice

Michael R. Thorp is the new chair of the Environmental Practice Group at Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe in Seattle. A member of the firm since 1989, Thorp pracices in the areas of natural resource damages, hazardous waste, state and federal Superfund, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, water rights and tribal claims.

AGRA Earth & Environmental gains staff

KIRKLAND -- Linda Noson has joined AGRA Earth & Environmental as a senior scientist. She will develop a natural hazards risk control practice for the firm's Northwest offices. Noson previously served as Washington State Seismologist.

Costanza joins Anchor Environmental

Ann Costanza has joined Anchor Environmental, L.L.C. as an environmental planner. She most recently completed a draft EIS for Sound Transit's Tacoma Light Rail as well as the Trans-Lake Washington transportation study.

Wilkeson has water worries

WILKESON, Wash. (AP) -- Some residents are worried that logging near Wilkeson's water supply may pollute their drinking water, but town officials say there's nothing to worry about. Karen Flynn said she and other residents are concerned because some of the logging was uphill and about 1,000 feet away from the springs that supply the town of 430 with water. But Mayor Paula Perry said the logging has already been completed, and the water supply was not contaminated. The logging occurred on a tree farm adjacent to the 13 acres of protected watershed around the springs, Perry said. Those 13 acres, including the springs, continue to be protected, she said. The Wilkeson Town Council approved cutting more than 200 fir trees to raise $28,000 to $30,000 to help fix town streets, she said. After hearing from Wilkeson residents concerned about the logging, Chris McMeen, the state Health Department's regional engineer for drinking water operations, expressed concern about the logging in a letter to Perry and the council on Nov. 18. Although logging isn't prohibited in a watershed, "this certainly could affect water quality and the potential impacts should be evaluated," McMeen wrote.

Gourmet bears like city life

DETROIT, Ore. (AP) -- Wildlife officials can't catch the wild but friendly bears roaming town. It seems the smorgasbord provided by curious residents smells better than the dead fish in the trap. Wildlife specialist Brian Thomas upped the ante Saturday by adding frozen pizza and cold cuts to the 8-foot-long live trap, which snaps shut if a bear enters it. "We actually went down to the store and picked up some goodies," he said. "We have to out-compete what's out there." The bears have occupied the small Santiam Canyon town since November. At first, residents were frightened when the furry creatures lumbered down from the forests. But then people got curious and started feeding the bears, with potentially disastrous results. The bears are growing bolder. Although no serious damage has occurred yet, wildlife agencies say the bruins must be captured and killed because they pose a risk to property and residents. "Their increasing aggression is causing us quite a bit of concern," said Will High, acting district biologist at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Salem office. Wildlife agents set a trap last week on the edge of town in an area known to be frequented by a cinnamon-colored bear. The trap consists of a corrugated culvert pipe, fitted with a heavy doors on either end. A bag of rotting food is placed at the far end of the trap. If a bear goes inside, a door slams shut. The bears have ignored the trap, choosing instead to feast on dog food and trash stored in cans outside residents' homes. Some residents have deliberately put out food, including bacon grease and a 5-gallon tub of ice cream. The city put up signs asking people to leave the bears alone. Detroit Mayor Martha Millican begged people to stop feeding the bears, to little avail. Thomas, who works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Service, said the situation is inhumane. "What they did by trying to be generous is give the bear a death sentence," he said. "These are juveniles who see people as a food source -- not to eat them, but to get food from them." The bears cannot be relocated because they are likely to seek populated areas again, Thomas said. They appear to be 2 or 3 years old -- perhaps on their first winter without their mothers. They came out of the woods seeking food before their long winter sleep, biologist High said. If allowed to stay in town, the bears might get increasingly demanding, Thomas said. If they wander off to hibernate, they'll probably show up again in the spring. One bear lounged on Debbie Bowman's back porch and knocked over a birdseed container. "We couldn't scare him off at all," Bowman said. Kathy Snyder said a dark-colored bear strewed garbage across her driveway. She believes the bear killed a kitten. Connie Erickson said a cinnamon-colored bear has been at her house almost every night, rustling through her pet food. "It's gotten so if she doesn't show up, I feel like she should call," Erickson said. The bears were novel and cute at first, but now Snyder says they're becoming a nuisance. "At first, it was like, 'This is really fun,' " she said. "Now it's like, 'I wish this bear would go away.' " Jon Savelle is the Journal's environment editor. He can be contacted at (206) 622-8272.

Holaday-Parks

Seattle-based Holaday-Parks has hired four new employees: Bill Petrie and Michael Kehoe as technicians in the commissioning department, and Kevin Dix and Dotti O'Neill in the controls department. Dix is a project manager and O'Neill is a controls administrator.

Concrete Technology

Joel Kessell has been promoted to director of project management and quality assurance at Concrete Technology in Tacoma. Kessell's new duties include directing the department responsible for the planning and administration of all company projects, as well as assuring overall product quality. He is a registered civil and structural engineer and has worked for the firm since 1992.

ABC

The Associated Builders & Contractors of Western Washington recently handed out its 1998 Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) awards. The awards are given to recognize a member firm's development and execution of a quality safety program. A total of 29 ABC members won Gold STEP awards, 53 won Silver and 22 won Bronze.

FMI

Construction consultant FMI Corp. has promoted four of its senior consultants to directors. They include: Scott Kimpland, Glenn Matteson, Gretchen McComb and Stuart Phoenix. They work out of the company's Denver, Tampa, Fla., and Raleigh, N.C., offices.