Mar 23, 1999

Help stamp out dirty mowers

SEATTLE -- The average gasoline-powered lawn mower produces nearly as much noise as a Boeing 737 does on landing. Operating a gas lawnmower for one hour spews as much pollution into the air as driving a car 50 miles. In the Puget Sound region, an estimated 112,000 gas mowers are in use on the average summer day. And on weekends those mowers release 10,000 pounds of pollutants. In light of these facts, David George, of the Seattle Department of Construction and Land Use, will be testing mowers with a noise meter tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Myrtle Edwards Park. He will talk about noise pollution and its effects on the environment and our health. George will be joined by Deanna Zachrisson, of the Puget Sound Air Pollution Control Agency. She will provide information on how gas mowers affect air quality and how a local "grassroots" campaign is helping. Another program, called "Grasscycling Gives You More for Less," is an effort by city and state agencies to promote the use of electric mulching mowers instead of gasoline mowers. This weekend, at events in Issaquah and Everett, residents can sign up for electric mowers at discounts up to 45 percent off of the retail price. At the same time, they can recycle their old gas models. The events will be held March 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah; and on March 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Paine Field, Snohomish County Airport, Everett. For more information, call 1-800-RECYCLE. Rebates are limited.

Lunch and talk salmon with PEMA

SEATTLE -- The Professional Environmental Marketing Association will hold a luncheon meeting on April 7 at Latitude 47 restaurant in Seattle. Things get started with a social gathering at 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch at noon and the speaker at 12:30 p.m. The speaker is Michael O'Connell, of counsel with Stoel Rives LLP, who will discuss the role of the tribes in the impact of the Endangered Species Act salmon listing on restoration and development efforts. Cost of the luncheon is $20 for PEMA members and $30 for others. For reservations, call PEMA at (425) 455-3680.

Forum tomorrow on N-waste

OLYMPIA -- The state Department of Ecology tomorrow will hold a public forum in Richland to present information about the status of tank-waste treatment at Hanford. Officials from the U.S. Department of Energy and the state Department of Ecology will be on hand to answer questions about a project to build a tank-waste treatment facility on the site. For more information, call (509) 736-3036.

Do business in Canada and Mexico

SEATTLE -- Uncle Sam wants YOU. The Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce is launching a free "market entry program" to encourage U.S. businesses to export products and services to Canada and Mexico. Commerce is particularly interested in signing up some environmental consulting firms. The program consists of five sessions with trade professionals. Participants will be given training materials. Topics include doing business in Canada and Mexico, NAFTA, marketing, trade finance, legal aspects of exporting, pricing and transportation. Those who complete the course will be awarded a certificate of training from Commerce. Interested persons must have been in business for two years and have marketing materials. Contact Karen Taylor, (206) 553-6933. The deadline for applications is March 31.

Use natural gas at Centralia power plant?

TACOMA (AP) -- The Centralia Steam Plant, a coal-burning facility blamed for pollution at Mount Rainier National Park, should clean up its act by converting to natural gas, some environmentalists say. In an open letter to prospective buyers of the plant, 22 environmental groups, led by the Natural Resources Defense Council, don't object to continued operation of the plant, but said they'd like to see a cleaner way of producing electricity. "Our joint commitment is to end coal combustion as soon as possible at what is today the largest single source of air pollution in the entire region," they wrote. The plant has been for sale since last year. Sealed bids are to be opened April 20. The bidders' identities are being kept secret. The plant's owners, including Tacoma Power, Puget Sound Energy and PacifiCorp, have valued the 1,340-megawatt facility at several hundred million dollars. One problem with the environmentalists' plan is that the new owner would benefit financially from continuing to use the coal mine near the plant. The Legislature granted a property tax exemption for the value of air pollution control devices -- ordered by federal regulators -- that could cost $250 million or more. No state sales tax would be imposed on their purchase, either, nor on coal from the adjacent mine. "There are tax benefits from using the mine -- and they are not inconsequential," PacifiCorp spokesman Dave Kvamme said. In addition, selling it to a company that would keep it operating "would give the community the best shot to keep 550 miners on the job in an economically very depressed area," he said. The plant, built in the early 1970s, emits millions of tons of pollutants per year. But the environmentalists recognize it is needed, being located halfway between the urban Puget Sound and Portland, Ore., areas. "That's a critical site on the (electrical transmission) grid," said Ralph Cavanaugh, co-director of NRDC's energy program. "There's going to be a plant there. "It's only a question of whether it's a modern plant or an old clunker." Cavanaugh contended "the coal mine is doomed, regardless," and that the plant could be converted to burn natural gas from a transmission line only three miles away. "I don't think we should be nostalgic about the old plant," he said. "We want (sellers) to tilt toward long-term investors rather than short-term profit-takers" who might merely continue operations as is.

Hair loss, lice plague blacktailed deer

SEATTLE (AP) -- Washington State University researchers hope to get to the root of the problem that has given Western Washington blacktail deer something in common with a lot of men -- hair loss. But it's more than a matter of looks for the animals. "Without hair, the fawns can't keep warm and end up many times with hypothermia," said Rolf Johnson, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife's deer and elk manager. Yearlings and fawns have been struck particularly hard. The hair loss also suppresses the immune system, which can lead to other deadly conditions. "They get a host of symptoms, including dehydration, emaciation and diarrhea," said Bill Kaline, a Fish and Wildlife biologist on Indian Island near Port Townsend. Researchers studying a small group of the animals at Washington State University counted 50,000 lice on each of the five ailing deer. "But it may not be the lice causing the problem; it may be whatever is going on inside the deer that allows the lice to grow," said Dr. Bill Foreyt, of WSU's Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology. Jon Savelle is the Journal's environment editor. He can be contacted at (206) 622-8272.

Lugo Construction

Rollie Dawson recently jointed Lugo Construction as vice president of the contractor's new Bellevue office. Dawson was formerly with Howard S. Wright Construction and has 25 years of experience in the industry. Lugo is based in Fife.

Lease Crutcher Lewis

Seattle-based Lease Crutcher Lewis has hired Jean McCall as a project manager. McCall is working on Genie Industries' new office and manufacturing plant in Moses Lake. She formerly worked at Ferguson Construction, and has 20 years of experience as a project manager, project engineer and contracts administrator for commercial and industrial projects.