Apr 27, 1999

Cross Cascade Pipeline hearings begin

OLYMPIA -- Washington state's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council will begin today public hearings on Olympic Pipe Line Co.'s proposal to build a fuel pipeline from Puget Sound over the Cascades to inland markets. Olympic is owned by a consortium of oil companies, who say the pipeline would be a safer, more reliable, less costly and less environmentally risky way to supply those markets than it would be to continue trucking and barging the fuel on the Columbia River. Environmental groups respond that the pipeline is merely a way of expanding demand for the output of refineries on Puget Sound. They say that the pipe would cross 22 miles of state parks, damage Gingko Petrified Forest State Park, threaten communications cables, and pose a much greater risk of spills than the existing distribution network. The Washington Attorney General's Office has filed papers opposing the pipeline, as have King, Kittitas and Franklin Counties, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the state Department of Agriculture, the cities of Carnation, North Bend and Snoqualmie, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Supporters of the proposal include the Washington Building and Trades Council; the Washington State Labor Council; numerous chambers of commerce; the King County Labor Council; several economic development councils; the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties; and other business and labor groups. The hearings will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the south concourse of Lakewood Mall, 10507-23 Gravely Lake Dr. S.W., Lakewood. They will continue for 10 weeks. For further information, see the EFSEC Web site. Opponents have a site as well.

King County studies straw bale construction

SEATTLE -- King County's Department of Development and Environmental Services is working with University of Washington Professor David Riley to develop construction standards for straw bales. The effort reflects growing interest in straw as a building material, and follows its approval by some California jurisdictions and Jefferson and Island counties in Washington. During its review of straw bale permit applications, DDES identified some concerns that will have to be addressed. They include moisture and vapor control standards, structural capabilities and fire and insulation standards. Riley and DDES have begun testing straw bales for these criteria, and will publish their results.

Illegal dumpers spoil Earth Day

VAUGHN, Wash. (AP) -- A dump by any other name is still a dump, Earth Day volunteers trying to clean up the newly dedicated Rocky Creek Natural Area have discovered. About 20 people found themselves overwhelmed Saturday as they tried to remove illegally discarded trash from the 224-acre park north of this small town in the northwest corner of Pierce County. Roy Lampson, a retired shipyard mechanic who lives nearby, picked his way through carpet scraps, a disemboweled easy chair and a four-foot metal tank riddled with bullet holes. "Here's a washing machine ... a couch ... part of a mobile home," Lampson said. "When you clean up on Saturday and Sunday, and you come back on Monday and it's just as bad -- well, it's discouraging," he said. "You put up 'no dumping' signs and they use them for target practice." Lampson's wife, Kathy, rummaged through sacks of trash to find mail that would identify the culprits. "I'll track them down, all right," she said. In an earlier, unsuccessful attempt to bring midnight dumpers to justice, she said, health officials told her she needed at least three pieces of evidence. This time she hit paydirt, a pile of bills and mailing labels. Garbage is just one problem plaguing the new park. Miles of excellent salmon habitat along the meandering creek are inaccessible to the fish because of a culvert downstream. Four-wheelers drive through the stream and up the steep banks, churning up gravel and choking the water with sediment. Tires and metal cans litter the creek bed. Even so, spurred partly by Endangered Species Act listings of numerous salmon runs in the region, the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group is working with Lampson and others to restore Rocky Creek for spawning. As the adults gathered roadside trash, about 40 high school students labored with hedge clippers, saws and ax-like tools called Pulaskis to extend a network of trails through the upland woods.

Logging in snow angers environmentalists

GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. (AP) -- A record snowpack on Mount Hood has created some extreme conditions for loggers who are opting to work in neck-deep snow rather than wait for a spring melt-off. But work on one logging operation has angered environmentalists, who have sued to stop logging in the area and say the trees should not have been cut until the court case was decided. At issue is the 118-acre Roundup timber sale purchased in January by the Grimm Logging Co. of Salem. The property is eight miles south of Government Camp on U.S. 26. Bob Grimm, a partner in the family company, said they opted to log over the winter months to avoid layoffs. "A small company like ours has to maintain some level of operation to survive," said Grimm, 49, who owns the business with his brother, Don, 47. Both the loggers and the U.S. Forest Service say the snowpack cushions the ground, protecting fragile plants from tramping men and machines. Packed, frozen snow plasters the graveled road, guarding against the wear and tear of heavy equipment. But environmentalists complain the Forest Service failed to survey rare plants and animals before the timber sale. They contend that logging early in the year might upset the breeding cycles of birds and wildlife. The case, which seeks to halt logging in the Abbott-Salmon Planning Area -- including Roundup -- will be heard in U.S. District Court in Seattle in June. Logging in snow is fairly common but usually occurs east of the Cascades, said Fred Temler, a Forest Service timber contracting officer. The Roundup sale was initially designed as a helicopter logging project. The goal was to improve the appearance of old clear-cuts that have offended tourists looking south across the forest from Timberline Lodge. But after it failed to attract bidders, Grimm scouted the terrain and came up with a plan to log the land during winter when weather would prohibit the use of a helicopter. Grimm figured he could accomplish that goal by feathering out trees along the edges of the clear-cuts and pulling the logs up by cable. He offered the Mount Hood National Forest $550,695, the Forest Service's minimum acceptable bid. Temler said any savings Grimm achieved from cable logging were offset by the expenses of plowing the road and digging out the trees. Temler, who would not discuss the lawsuit, said he consulted a Forest Service biologist to determine whether cutting trees would disrupt winter activities of the wolverine. Temler said the biologist's opinion was that wolverines -- shy, reclusive animals that abhor humans -- were not likely to be active within a mile of a highly traveled corridor such as U.S. 26. Jon Savelle is the Journal's environment editor. He can be contacted at (206) 622-8272.

YMCA of Greater Seattle

The Kresge Foundation recently awarded a challenge grant of $750,000 for the YMCA of Greater Seattle's Step up for Kids Capital Campaign. The campaign has a goal of $14 million, and the grant places it within $2.3 million of victory. The campaign involves projects including the total renovation of the downtown YMCA. The downtown YMCA will be adding a Youth Development Center, including youth employment and training, educational services and computer resources for at-risk youth and young adults, 20 new transitional housing units, foster care support, counseling and youth leadership training. Other remodeling and expansion projects will include the University Family, Bellevue Family and Camp Orkila facilities. The final two projects include construction of a new YMCA in Edmonds and plans for future development on the Sammamish Plateau.

Wavtrace

Wavtrace, a Bellevue-based developer of wireless broadband access systems and technology, recently named Steven D. Warwick vice president of product strategy. Warwick formerly served as senior vice president and chief technology officer at WebCel Communications.

Publicis

Publicis was recently selected to create an integrated marketing program over the next two years for the Washington State Tourism office of the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. Paige St. John recently joined Publicis as a principal, associate creative director. St. John formerly served as a creative director/senior vice president for Saatchi & Saatchi in New York.

Emerald Solutions

Emerald Solutions, a provider of project-based Internet and information technology consulting services, recently hired Kevin Greenan as vice president heading the Bellevue office. Greenan formerly served as vice president of U.S. sales for Data Dimensions.

Lease Crutcher

Lease Crutcher Lewis has promoted four top employees. Jeff Cleator is now a senior project manager. He was project manager for Pacific Place and is now overseeing preconstruction for the upcoming Union Bay office building overlooking Lake Union and the Northgate North retail complex. He has been with the firm for 11 years. Jay Sorensen is now a senior project manager, assigned to the Special Projects Division. He was project manager coordinating tenant improvement contractors at Pacific Place. Sorensen is overseeing LCL's renovations at the former Nordstrom store in downtown Seattle and preconstruction of the Virginia Mason clinic in Federal Way. Chris Martindale has been promoted to project manager in the Special Projects Division and is managing tenant improvements for bSQUARE at the Sunset North office complex. Mike Lawrence is now a superintendent within the Special Projects Division, currently working on expansion of the Enlisted Dining Hall at Bremerton Naval Shipyard.