Mar 16, 1999

Where to put nasty mud?

SEATTLE -- Over the next 15 years, dredging and port development in Puget Sound is expected to generate between 6 million and 14 million cubic yards of sediments containing heavy metals, organic chemicals and other pollutants. The problem, of course, is what to do with it. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a Puget Sound Confined Disposal Study in an attempt to find answers. Study director Stephen Martin said a variety of options are under consideration, including disposal in deep Puget Sound waters with a clean fill cap; disposal near shore with a cap; and upland disposal. Treatment is also an option. Last month the Corps and the state Department of Ecology released a draft programmatic environmental impact statement on the study, which is also known as the Multi-User Disposal Site project (MUDS). The agencies will hold a public meeting on it tomorrow, March 16. The purpose of the meeting is to gather public comments and suggestions on the alternatives. The meeting will start with an information workshop from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., followed by a formal public hearing from 7 to 9:30. Both will be held in the Federal Center South, 4735 E. Marginal Way S., Galaxy Room, Seattle. Written comments will be accepted through April 12. Send them to: Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: Environmental Resources Section, P.O. Box 3755, Seattle, WA 998124-3755. A final PEIS will be issued after the public comment period. For more information, contact Stephen Martin at the Corps, (206) 764-3631. Or contact Tom Gries at Ecology, (360) 407-7536. Further information is available on the Web.

EPA brownfield grant for Port Quendall

RENTON -- The city of Renton will receive a $200,000 Brownfield Assessment Demonstration Pilot grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which the city will use to perform additional testing and investigation of cleanup methodology for the Port Quendall property. Port Quendall is a contaminated former mill site on the east side of Lake Washington in Renton. The city has spent nearly four years investigating cleanup and redevelopment of the site. Brownfields funds from the EPA will help those efforts. The grants are designed to assist cities, states, communities and others in redevelopment to promote the sustainable reuse of brownfields. Aberdeen, in Grays Harbor County, also has receive a $200,000 brownfields grant from the EPA. In that city a 625-acre parcel, containing 300 contaminated acres, will be targeted for a demonstration pilot.

Fewer metals found in Commencement Bay

OLYMPIA -- The state Department of Ecology last week released the results of a study of toxic metals in Commencement Bay, which found that the bay's waters contain 90 percent fewer metals than they did in 1984. In fact, during 1997 and 1998 the concentrations of arsenic, zinc, copper and lead were better than federal clean-water standards. The improvements result from a Superfund cleanup effort that began in 1981. Conducted as a joint effort of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the work is nearly complete. In many cases, the parties responsible for the pollution paid for cleanup; those in the Tacoma area sank $96 million into the effort. Ecology's study found that cleanup and pollution prevention work produced the following results:

• 23 tons of toxic metals are being prevented from entering the bay every year;
• compared to 1984, arsenic concentrations have been reduced by 94 percent, zinc by 73 percent, copper by 92 percent and lead by 97 percent;
• concentrations of organic chemicals, like oil and chlorine compounds, have been reduced; and
• concentrations of some toxicants in the water are now near the background levels found in clean ocean water.

Changes proposed for Methow water plan

OLYMPIA -- The state Department of Ecology will hold a public workshop on Thursday, April 1, to outline proposed changes to the Methow River Basin Management Plan. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at The Barn, 51 N. Highway 20, Winthrop. Among the recommendations in the revised rule are ways to prioritize water use and establishment of a water bank, or accounting process. Other issues are agricultural water; residential, commercial and industrial water use; single and group domestic use; and seasonal water use. Representatives of Ecology and Okanogan County will be on hand to explain the proposals. Formal public hearings will be scheduled for later this year, to be followed by final rule adoption. For more information contact Norm Hepner at Ecology, (509) 575-2382. The revised draft rule will be posted on the Water Resources Web page on March 19. Copies will also be available at the workshop.

Forests are priority, say scientists

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Forest Service should place forest health above all else as it decides how to use 191 million acres of national forests and grasslands, scientists recommended Monday. The Committee of Scientists said in a 193-page report that the agency should use science in regulating lands, make forest plans flexible, ensure that critical species remain viable and consider entire regions when developing plans rather than individual forests. Jim Lyons, the Agriculture Department undersecretary who oversees the Forest Service, said the agency already is doing much of what the scientists recommended. "What I get is a message ... that we're on the right track," he said. The Agriculture Department appointed the 13-member group in late 1997 to help update forest rules that have not been revised since 1982. Most panel members are college professors from schools including the University of Michigan, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Washington. The rules guide local forest officials in crafting plans for 155 national forests that dictate most aspects of forest management, from where loggers can work to where a ski chalet can be built. The rules also help determine which lands must be left pristine to preserve nature. More than two-thirds of the plans are to be revised in the next three years. Environmentalists were pleased with the panel's emphasis on conservation, but industry groups worried the document could lead to broad new restrictions on logging, recreation and other forest uses. "They're moving in a direction that I don't think is supported by the laws of this land," said Laura Cleland, vice president of the Independent Forest Products Association, based in Portland, Ore. Environmentalists opposed attempted rules updates in 1991 and 1994 as lacking sufficient public involvement and lacked protections for plants and animals. They said the scientists fixed those problems. "Hopefully the Forest Service will accept most of the guidance it got," said Michael Francis, director of national forests for the Wilderness Society. The Forest Service will now decide which if any recommendations to accept and put out draft rules in late spring or early summer. Final rules could be complete at the end of the year or in early 2000. Jon Savelle is the Journal's environment editor. He can be contacted at (206) 622-8272.

Methodologie

Methodologie, a Seattle-based branding agency, recently hired Julia Wharton as studio coordinator. Wharton formerly served as production manager for Common Ground, a Seattle-based alternative magazine. Derek Sullivan was recently promoted to production manager from production artist.

The Fearey Group

Stacy Drake was recently promoted to account supervisor at The Fearey Group, a Seattle-based public relations agency. Drake formerly served as senior account executive. Steve Stratz has been promoted to account executive. Stratz formerly served as account coordinator.

Rigel Capital Management

Linda K. Mauzy has been named vice president and senior portfolio manager at Rigel Capital Management, a Seattle-based investment firm. Mauzy formerly served as a vice president and portfolio manager with Seattle's Parametric Portfolio Associates.

Eastside Legal Assistance Program

Eastside Legal Assistance Program, recently named its 1999 officers, who include: Barry D. Rose, president of the board of trustees; Eric Frimodt, vice president; and James B. Parsons, secretary-treasurer. The program provides assistance to low-income people in East King County. The programs range from direct representation, legal services for victims of domestic violence, and short-term services such as self-help clinics, workshops, lectures and telephone referrals.

Shurgard Storage Centers

Shurgard Storage Centers, a Seattle-based self-storage real estate investment trust, recently appointed W. Thomas Porter to its board of directors. Porter recently retired from his post as executive vice president at SeaFirst Bank.

University of Washington

Dr. Christopher B. Wilson has been named chair of the University of Washington Department of Immunology. Wilson is a professor of pediatrics and immunology and the former head of infectious diseases, immunology and rheumatology at Children's Hospital.

Parker LePla

Parker LePla, a Seattle-based brand development and public relations firm specializing in high-technology companies, recently hired Darcie Wolfe as director. Wolfe formerly served as director of marketing communications at WRQ, a software company.

Chan's Place

Chan's Place will be opening a new Chinese restaurant in Klahanie Village in Issaquah in May. Chan's Place has two restaurants located in Kirkland and Woodinville.

Seattle Habitat for Humanity

Seattle Habitat for Humanity recently named Reverend Peter DeVeau, Caroline Sayre, Molly Kertzer and DeAnna Poling to its board of directors. Seattle Habitat for Humanity partners with businesses, individuals, religious congregations and other groups to build safe, affordable homes for low income families. For more information, call (206) 292-5240 or visit the website.

Corke Amento

John Putnam has joined Corke Amento as a senior consultant after spending the last 23 years at PCL Construction. For the past 14 years, Putnam served as vice president and district manager for PCL divisions in Denver, Minneapolis and Seattle. Corke Amento is a consulting company that specializes in construction. Its four key areas of construction consulting include: planning and project management; on-the-job training and dispute prevention; dispute resolution; and defective building repair.

University Mechanical

University Mechanical Contractors has hired Phil Emory as a senior project manager. The company is currently working on the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Overlake Hospital, Stafford Creek Corrections Center and other projects in the area.

QPM Inc.

QPM Inc. has been certified as a Gaco Western Qualified Applicator of elastomeric coating and polyurethane foam. Many of QPM's projects involve deck reconstructions and fluid-applied elastomeric coatings. QPM is now one of 19 qualified applicators of Gaco products in Western Washington.