Cleaning Up: Work in full swing for Everett Smelter cleanup

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramThe (Everett) Herald has a good rundown on the work under way to clean up arsenic and lead contamination from the Everett Smelter at properties in North Everett.This phase of work will wrap up in spring 2012. More properties will be cleaned up in 2012 and subsequent years.Check out our Everett Smelter web pages to learn more about the

Air Time: Ecology calls off burn bans in Eastern WA

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramBurn bans will expire today (Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011) in seven Eastern Washington counties because air quality has improved, according to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).Ecology’s Stage 1 burn bans for Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Kittitas, and Walla Walla counties will expire at 10 a.m. today.During the burn

Fecal Matters: Hollywood Beach in Port Angeles is Open

BEACH Program UpdatePort Angeles - Hollywood Beach in Clallam County is open for recreational water activity. After receiving notification of a nearby sewage discharge, the county collected bacteria samples at the beach. Results indicate bacteria concentrations have dropped to background levels. Clallam County Health District removed the swimming advisory signs today, previously posted on

Air Time: Some perspective on burn bans

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramEcology started calling burn bans in some Eastern Washington counties on Dec. 3.And here we are, nearly two weeks later, with the burn bans still in effect in Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, Ferry, and Stevens counties. In addition, similar Stage 1 burn bans are in effect in Kittitas and Walla Walla counties.This morning, I mentioned to Clint

Burn bans still going in 7 Eastern WA counties

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramBurn bans will continue until at least Tuesday (Dec. 20, 2011) in seven Eastern Washington counties due to stagnant air conditions, according to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).Ecology’s Stage 1 burn bans for Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Kittitas, and Walla Walla counties will continue until at least 10 a.m.

Fecal Matters: Sewage Spill Near Hollywood Beach in Port Angeles

BEACH Program UpdateToday, the Clallam County Health Department issued a swimming advisory at Hollywood Beach in Port Angeles. The advisory was issued due to a sewage discharge near the beach.Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne

Capture the King and share with Ecology

By Suzanna Stoike and Johanna Ofner, Department of Ecology



Public invited to share photos of high tide
Did you know some of the year’s highest tides occur in the winter?

These tides — often called “King Tides” — occur naturally when the sun and the moon align, causing an increased gravitational pull on the Earth’s oceans.

This year Washington’s king tides occur in December and January.

The

Air Time: Burn ban starts in Kittitas County

By Seth Preston, Communication Manager, Air Quality ProgramA burn ban starts at 4 p.m. today (Friday, Dec. 9, 2011) for Kittitas County, where stagnant air continues to trap harmful smoke, according to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).Ecology’s Stage 1 burn ban for Kittitas County will continue until at least 10 a.m. Tuesday (Dec. 13), when it could be called off or extended. The

WSU students create a buzz about Hanford among Tri-City youth

By Erika Holmes, Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist, Nuclear Waste ProgramWorking with Jeff Holmes (my husband), an English instructor at the Tri-Cities branch of Washington State University (WSU), we tasked his 48 technical communication students with the goal of reaching high school and college students about the Hanford nuclear site cleanup. Usually when students are given

Air Time: Burn bans extended; Walla Walla County added

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramBurn bans will continue until at least Monday (Dec. 12, 2011) in five Eastern Washington counties because stagnant air continues to trap harmful smoke, according to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).In addition, Ecology also is calling a Stage 1 burn ban in Walla Walla County starting at 10 a.m. Friday (Dec. 9).Ecology’s

Ecology, Washington State Patrol and Tukwilla Fire Department responding to semi-tractor trailer truck accident in King County

By Curt Hart, spills communications manager, 360-480-7908 (curt.hart@ecy.wa.gov)UPDATE: Dec. 8, 2011 (2:45 a.m.)Ecology, Washington State Patrol, Tukwila Fire Department, Washington State Department of Transportation, King County Sheriff's Office and private cleanup contractors continued working through the night to remove the truck and trailer from the Duwamish River and keep traffic safely

Dreaming of a greener holiday season

by Margaret Hill, Administrative Services, LaceyThe end of the year can be hard on budgets and on the environment. What follows are some ideas on how to make the upcoming holidays a little greener and maybe even help you keep a little more "green" of your own.Keep giving gifts, but...Consider giving the gift of service such as cooking a meal, tuning up a friend’s bicycle, or watching the kids so

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Public meeting in Des Moines tonight

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramTonight we are holding our fourth and final public meeting on the draft Tacoma Smelter Plume cleanup plan.Tuesday, December 6, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.Des Moines Activity Center2045 South 216th St., Des Moines6:30 - 7:00 p.m. Open house session7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Presentation, question and answer8:00 - 8:30 p.m. Open house

Fecal Matters: Swimming Beach Closure at Seahurst Park, Burien, WA

BEACH Program Update

The King County Health District closed the swimming beach at Seahurst County Park in Burien, WA. The County received notification of a sewage spill near the swimming beach.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne

Air Time: Ecology extends burn bans in 5 Eastern WA counties

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramBurn bans will continue until at least Friday (Dec. 9, 2011) in five Eastern Washington counties where stagnant air continues to trap harmful smoke.Ecology’s Stage 1 burn bans for Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, Ferry, and Stevens counties will continue until at least 10 a.m. Friday, when they could be called off or extended. The Stage 1 bans

Ecology, Coast Guard, NRC and Ballard Diving respond to fuel spill in Port Orchard

By Curt Hart, Ecology Communications Manager, 360-480-7908 SEATTLE – The Washington Department of Ecology, U.S. Coast Guard, NRC Environmental Services and Ballard Diving & Salvage will work tomorrow to raise the Top Notch, an 85-foot boat that sank and spilled diesel fuel today inside the Railway Marina in Port Orchard in Kitsap County.Federal, state and private responders deployed oil

Ecology, Coast Guard and Railway Marina responding to sunken boat in Port Orchard

By Curt Hart, communications manager, 360-480-7908 (curt.hart@ecy.wa.gov)OLYMPIA – The state Department of Ecology, U.S. Coast Guard and Railway Marina are responding to a 85-foot boat that sank today at the Port Orchard marina in Kitsap County. The wood-hulled pleasure craft, Top Knot, has an unknown amount of diesel fuel on board. Railway Marina has hired a private cleanup contractor to help

Air Time: Burn bans start Saturday in 5 counties

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramBurn bans will start Saturday (Dec. 3, 2011) in five Eastern Washington counties to protect residents from worsening air quality.Ecology’s Stage 1 burn bans for Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, Ferry, and Stevens counties takes effect at noon Saturday and will continue until at least 10 a.m. Tuesday (Dec. 6). The bans could be called off or

Air Time: Air advisories issued for central, eastern Washington

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramThe National Weather Service is warning people that stagnant air will cause air pollution to build up during the next several days throughout central and eastern Washington.The agency’s Spokane office issued air stagnation advisories today for a period starting Friday and continuing through at least Monday morning.Smoke from outdoor

Around the Sound: Ecology reviewing a draft report on the Rayonier Mill upland

By Marian Abbett, Site Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

On November 15th, on schedule, I received Rayonier’s draft Upland Data Summary Report. This report pulls together all the contamination data we have for contamination on the Rayonier Mill property.


Why is this report important?
We call this report “Volume One” for short. It is the first of four volumes that will make up the cleanup plan

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Eating from your garden

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup Program

Growing your own fruits and veggies can be rewarding and healthy...even if you may have arsenic and lead in your soil. Many gardeners in the Tacoma Smelter Plume have asked us whether they can still eat from their gardens.

The answer is yes, but you should still take precautions.


Most plants don't take up arsenic and

Multiple agencies respond to gasoline spill in Bellevue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 2:30 a.m., November 28, 2011BELLEVUE – The state Departments of Ecology and Transportation, Washington State Patrol, Bellevue Fire Department, a private cleanup contractor and other teams are responding to a gasoline spill after a tanker overturned on Interstate 405 on Sunday evening in Bellevue.Up to 3,400 gallons of gasoline is believed to have spilled to the roadway,

Ecology, SPU and Coast Guard responding to gasoline release at south end of Lake Union

UPDATE: Nov. 24, 2011 (11 a.m.)On Wednesday evening (Nov. 23, 2011), Ecology and Seattle Public Utilities worked closely with the owner of the property with the old gasoline storage tank. The property owner quickly hired a private cleanup contract to secure the site to keep any more gasoline-contaminated surface water runoff from further reaching the city's storm drain system — including stacking

Ecology Volunteers Harvest for Families in Need

By Johanna Ofner, Carbon Smart Initiative, Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) internOn a recent cloudy Saturday, 35 volunteers – Ecology employees, St. Martin’s University students, Evergreen State College students, Kiwanis Club members, and Washington Conservation Corps members – came together to harvest potatoes and winter squash from the food bank garden located on the grounds of Ecology’s

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Questions about arsenic and lead in soil

By Amy Hargrove, Soil Safety Program Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramAt all three of our recent public meetings — Tacoma, Vashon Island, and University Place — we heard similar questions about arsenic and lead in soil. This blog goes through a little of the science of the Tacoma Smelter Plume...Will the arsenic and lead in soil leach out or decrease over time?In general, no. Arsenic and lead

Our Changing Climate: More floods, drought on the way?

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramThe U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released a new report that concludes climate change will cause more flooding and drought conditions.This Washington Post story notes:“The report — the culmination of a two-year process involving 100 scientists and policy experts — suggests that researchers are far more confident

Ecology’s Director Sturdevant tells D.C. panel why federal chemical policy needs updating

By Ken Zarker, Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program

Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant testified on Nov. 17 at the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 . In conveying his views, Ted outlined the reasons why states care about modernizing Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). He talked about what states have had to do faced with an outdated and

Cleaning Up: Celebrating in Skykomish

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramThe town of Skykomish has gone through an amazing transformation in the past five years. Today (Friday, Nov. 18, 2011), the town’s residents and others will celebrate an historic pollution cleanup and their plans for the future.A railway maintenance and fueling facility operated in Skykomish — located along Stevens Pass — from the

Tacoma Smelter Plume: University Place Public Meeting Recap

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramLast night, we held our third of four public meetings for the Tacoma Smelter Plume cleanup plan in the cafeteria at Curtis High School. The crowd was smaller than our group on Vashon last week, with 32 in attendance.People came from all over the Pierce County part of the plume. We heard many of the same concerns voiced at the

Air Time: Snuffing out smoke problems

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramI’ve written fairly often about the health risks associated with breathing wood smoke.Here’s the latest news on that front – Ecology is providing money to our clean-air partners to help get rid of old, high-polluting wood-burning devices.Fine particles in smoke are so small they can easily get into your lungs. Once there, they can cause

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Public Meeting in University Place November 16

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramTomorrow night we will be at Curtis High School for our third public meeting on a draft cleanup plan for the Tacoma Smelter Plume.Wednesday, November 16, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.Curtis High School cafeteria8425 40th Street West, University Place6:30 - 7:00 p.m. Open house session7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Presentation, question and answer8:00

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Vashon Island Public Meeting Recap

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramLast Wednesday, Vashon Island set a record for the largest public meeting any of our staff had ever witnessed. We had nearly 200 island residents in attendance, prompting a run for extra coffee cups!We already had a large crowd by 6:00 p.m. and a lively open house session. After many good one-on-one conversations, we began

UPDATE: Agencies to monitor slow release of ammonia on Tulalip Reservation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 2:30 a.m., November 14, 2011News release #2Media contact: Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology, 360-701-7401TULALIP RESERVATION – The Washington Department of Ecology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, and Tulalip Fire Department remain on the scene of a tank leaking ammonia on a marine beach on the Tulalip Indian Reservation. Ammonia is a corrosive

Multiple agencies respond to ammonia release on Tulalip Indian Reservation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 12:05 a.m., November 14, 2011Media contact: Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology, 360-701-7401TULALIP RESERVATION – The Washington Department of Ecology, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, Tulalip fire and fisheries departments and a cleanup contractor are responding to an ammonia release from a tank on a marine beach on the Tulalip Indian Reservation.

Edfu arrives safely at Port of Tacoma

By Jim Sachet, Spills Response Manager, Southwest Regional OfficeThe M/V Edfu arrived safely in Tacoma shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday. The Edfu lost both of its anchors during a maneuver on the Columbia Bar on Thursday evening. Because sailing with no anchors is dangerous and the recent history of this vessel, the U.S. Coast Guard required that it be escorted by tug boats from Astoria through the

UPDATE: Emergency response tugs escorting cargo vessel to Port of Tacoma

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 3:45 p.m., November 11, 2011News release #2 Contact: Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology media relations; 360-701-7401OLYMPIA – The Department of Ecology is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard to escort a cargo vessel to the Port of Tacoma for inspection and repairs. The M/V Edfu is currently in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Neah Bay.The M/V Edfu briefly lost

Emergency response tugs deployed to escort cargo vessel to Port Angeles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 10, 2011, 9:50 p.m.Contact: Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology media relations; 360-701-7401OLYMPIA – The Department of Ecology is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard to escort a cargo vessel from Astoria to Port Angeles after it briefly lost propulsion Thursday evening as it was crossing the Columbia River bar. The M/V Edfu has since regained power and is

Around the Sound: Creosote stains the Sound

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramFor decades, creosote was used for coating wood pilings for docks and other structures built in and over Puget Sound waters.While many of those structures have deteriorated or fallen into disrepair, the chemicals from creosote-treated materials continue to leach into the Sound’s water and sediments and onto its beaches.Ecology removes

Tacoma Smelter Plume: How do we tackle such a large cleanup site?

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramThis blog follows up on my recap of our public meeting in Tacoma last week.At over 1,000 square miles, the Tacoma Smelter is our state’s largest cleanup site. It is also one of our more complex sites because it impacts places where people live and where children play.A $94 million settlement from Asarco will cover a great

Our Changing Climate: Pine beetles and other news

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramHere are some links to some recent news articles related to climate change: The Seattle Times reports on the continuing advance of the pine beetle and the threats it poses to Northwest trees. The Seattle Times also published this guest column on how ocean acidification threatens marine conservation and resource management. This piece

Air Time: Ecology helps school districts reduce bus pollution

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramLast week, Ecology’s Air Quality Program announced the latest round of funding that we’re providing to Washington school districts looking to cut fuel costs and harmful emissions from school buses.Ecology helps school districts pay for idle-reduction technology. The devices allow drivers to warm school bus cabins, defrost windows, and

Everett Smelter cleanup work is under way

By Meg Bommarito, Project Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramEcology has started cleanup work in an area of the Everett Smelter cleanup site.Ecology’s contractor, Clearcreek, is removing contaminated soil from residential properties on Balsam Lane and Hawthorne Street. Cleanup this year will include 24 properties north and south of Broadway. Construction work will continue through the winter and

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Public meeting November 9 on Vashon Island

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramJoin us on Vashon Island to learn more about our plan for cleaning up the Tacoma Smelter Plume! McMurray Middle School cafeteria9329 Cemetery Road, Vashon(206) 463-91686:30 – 7:00 p.m. Open house session7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Presentation, question and answer8:00 – 8:30 p.m. Open house sessionYou can review the plan and submit your

Around the Sound: New report looks at toxic pollution

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramOn Thursday (Nov. 3, 2011), Ecology and the Puget Sound Partnership released the latest look at what’s known about toxic chemical pollution in the Puget Sound region.The new Puget Sound Toxics Assessment is the final component of a multi-year, multi-agency effort that started in 2006 to understand where toxic chemicals come from, how

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Tacoma Public Meeting Recap

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramWednesday night, we held our first of four public meetings on a draft cleanup plan for the Tacoma Smelter Plume. Around 45 community members attended the event at Point Defiance Elementary School in Tacoma. After our slide presentation, we had a lively question and answer session that lasted nearly an hour!We received a

When carpet cleaning, where should the wash water go?

By Brook Beeler, watershed education coordinator, Eastern Regional OfficeKnow how to dump smartMy mother-in-law pulled up to our house recently with my daughter, a huge pan of barbecued ribs, and a problem. Luckily the problem was not related to my six-year-old. It had to do with that delicious pan of ribs steeped in rich barbecue sauce and the carpet in her truck. It spilled and she was left

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Public meeting November 2 in Tacoma

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramWe're holding a public comment period October 20 - December 20, 2011. Join us to learn more about our cleanup plan for the Tacoma Smelter Plume!Wednesday, November 2ndPoint Defiance Elementary School cafeteria4330 N. Visscher St., Tacoma(253) 571-69006:30 – 7:00 p.m. Open house session7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Presentation, question

Quincy Basin water rights bring tangible changes to area

by Jani Gilbert, communications manager, Eastern Regional OfficeEcology is working to make water available in the Quincy Basin Groundwater Management Subarea. This means growth in the tourism industry so people have new vacation options; farmers who were for years staring blankly at dry, unproductive land are now looking out at fresh, new crops; and entrepreneurs with dreams of new industry are

Cleaning Up: New chapter for Buena as old building falls

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program BEFORE:AFTER:Razing Roby'sCleanup work in the Central Washington town of Buena got off to a fast — and noticeable — start last week.Last week, Yakima County used money provided by Ecology to hire workers to tear down the old Roby’s Service Station in Buena, a small community in Yakima County. The abandoned husk sat on property

Air Time: Efforts focus on reducing air emissions

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramEcology is asking for comments about a revised proposal for reducing nitrogen oxide emissions from TransAlta’s coal-fired power plant near Centralia in Lewis County.The TransAlta plant is the state’s largest stationary source of nitrogen oxide emissions. Nitrogen oxide is a visibility-reducing pollutant, which contributes to regional

Tacoma Smelter Plume: Cleanup plan out for public comment

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement Coordinator, Toxics Cleanup ProgramEcology is holding a comment period October 20 – December 20 on a cleanup plan for the Tacoma Smelter Plume. This plan includes soil cleanup for the most contaminated areas of the plume and for play areas. It also manages risk by educating people about how to protect themselves.Why it mattersOver 1,000 square miles of King,

Washington and Ecology at center of push for national chemical policy reform

By Ken Zarker, Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction ProgramChemicals regulations are changing across the United States, as well as globally. The federal chemical policy – the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) — is intended to keep the public safe from toxic chemicals. This law was passed more than 35 years ago and has never been updated. It needs an overhaul.The past few months have been an

Spill Log: Puget Sound spills cap off busy week, Partnership sounds alarm

By Curt Hart, Communications Manager, Spills ProgramOn Thursday October 13, I wrote a blog about the oil spill affecting New Zealand and how two recent incidents involving commercial vessels in Washington’s waters highlighted similar spill risks here.Oil spill in West SeattleAnyone who turned on their TV, radio, surfed the web, or read a newspaper last Friday October 14 probably heard about the

Why the state’s municipal stormwater permits matter

By Sandy Howard, communication manager, Water Quality Program

Most people get this idea: What we do on the land causes pollution problems in our lakes, rivers and Puget Sound.


Polluted runoff
Runoff from surfaces in populated areas picks up chemicals and bacteria and carries it downstream into our waters. Right now, polluted runoff is the biggest threat to urban-area lakes, rivers and Puget

Air Time: Events focus on Pierce County air quality

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramIn the next week, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency will host two events to talk about air quality problems in Pierce County and possible solutions.A portion of Pierce County covering a large part of Tacoma and neighboring cities is designated as a “nonattainment area.” That means the air quality within the area failed to meet federal

Ecology, Gig Harbor fire and police departments responding to oil spill in Gig Harbor

By Curt Hart, Communications Manager, Spills ProgramEcology and Gig Harbor fire and police departments are responding to an oil spill in Gig Harbor in Pierce County. A barge owned by Marine Floats with a 5-ton deck crane sank in the harbor. The sunken barge has leaked an unknown amount of fuel, causing an oil sheen on the water. The fuel has been removed from the barge crane. The barge owner has

Ecology, Coast Guard and others responding to diesel spill from fishing support vessel at Tacoma's Hylebos Waterway

By Kathy Davis, Communications Manager, Hazardous Waste ProgramEcology, U.S. Coast Guard, Tacoma Fire Department and Washington State Maritime Cooperative (WSMC) are responding to a diesel spill at the mouth of the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma.The 195-foot fishing tender, “Eastern Wind” spilled an unknown amount of diesel while transferring fuel within the vessel – from one tank to another. The

Cleaning Up: Camp Bonneville cleanup moving ahead

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramWe started seeking comments today (Friday, Oct. 14) for a proposed change in how cleanup work will move ahead at the sprawling Camp Bonneville site in Clark County.Ecology is overseeing the cleanup of the former military reservation, which the U.S. Army used for firing range practice and training from 1910 to 1995.In March 2006,

Spill Log: NZ oil spill and incidents at home

By Curt Hart, Communications Manager, Spills ProgramA dry-cargo barge, St. Elias, aground five miles southwest of Anacortes, Wash., in Rosario Strait, Oct. 10, 2011. Local communities along New Zealand’s North Island are bracing today for the potential impacts of a 450,000 gallon oil spill along that nation’s North Island.The spill started October 5 after the Rena, a 775-foot Liberian-flagged

Cleaning Up: Ecology asks for public's help in protecting human health

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramEcology is starting a public dialogue on how we can update environmental standards to be more protective of people who eat fish and shellfish from the state’s waters.You can find out more information on this issue, and how you can participate in Ecology’s process, on this web portal and in this news release.This effort follows

Around the Sound: Landmark deal for Dabob Bay

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramThe U.S. Navy and The Nature Conservancy announced a landmark deal last week to protect Dabob Bay in Jefferson County.Dabob Bay is one of the most pristine, least developed and ecologically important estuaries in Hood Canal and Puget Sound. The Dabob Bay range is also the Navy’s premier location in the United States for research,

Our Changing Climate: Melting ice means more Arctic ship traffic?

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramThe Seattle Times has this interesting story about how less ice in the Arctic is expected to mean more ship traffic in the region.Melting, thinning ice would open up more navigable waters for increased shipping of goods, more scientific exploration and more tourism activity.The catch is the United States is in danger of lagging behind in

Cleaning Up: Lower Duwamish work forges ahead

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program Combined efforts to clean up the Lower Duwamish Waterway in south Seattle took a major step forward this week.Work is under way on cleaning up the site known as Slip 4, one of the major pollution “hot spots” in the Lower Duwamish, which is a federal Superfund site.“The cleanup of Slip 4, about three miles upstream from Harbor Island,

New Tool Helps Ecology Help Fish

By Tim Hill, Office of Columbia River

Ecology’s Office of Columbia River (OCR) has a new tool to help us find the streamflow improvement projects that provide the most benefits to fish. Created with the help of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the “Columbia River Instream Atlas ” identifies where fish may be struggling and why and where we might have the most success with our

Good News for the Environment

By Barb MacGregor, Web Communications ManagerBefore I worked at Ecology, I thought of the agency as a bunch of people who make and enforce regulations. True, the regulations help protect the environment and enforcers make sure the rules are followed. But I just never imagined it was the kind of place where my background in environmental education and stewardship would fit.Well, I’ve been here

Our Changing Climate: Walking our talk (part 2)

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramI’ve written previously about Ecology’s Carbon Smart initiative. The effort aims to reduce our own climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions and also help other state agencies, businesses and individuals.Here are two more ways that we are working to “walk the talk”:See this recent blog post on electric vehicle charging stations now in

Air Time: Fight urge to burn falling leaves

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramAutumn sends some people searching for their rakes, so they can gather falling leaves and other yard waste into a pile for burning.But don’t strike that match just yet.Lighting up the leaves is illegal in most Washington cities and all urban growth areas because such burning produces smoke that can harm your health when you breathe it.

Electric vehicles hit the road

By Eli Levitt and Johanna Ofner, Climate Policy GroupThanks to a federal grant from the Department of Energy, Ecology recently installed an electric vehicle charging station at our Lacey Headquarters. If you’ve visited our facility, you might have noticed some rather unusual vehicles parked in front of it.Have you seen the brand new Nissan Leaf? How about the yellow Volkswagen Plugbug? Or the

Around the Sound: Irondale cleanup slated for summer 2012

By Diana Smith, Public Involvement CoordinatorView of Indian Island from atop a pile of slag and rubble remaining on the shoreline.Cleanup and restoration work at the former Irondale Iron and Steel site are now being planned for summer 2012. Cleanup will include removing contaminated soils, sediments, and slag; capping remaining contamination; and restoring the beach.The site in Jefferson County

Quick Response Protects People from Harmful Smoke

By Joye Redfield-Wilder, Communication Manager, Central Regional Office^Smoke from the Monastery Complex fire on Satus Pass^Ecology staff Stan Rauh and Greg Hannahs with the mobile monitor.^Air quality monitoring reportTalk about turnaround time — it was midday Friday, Sept. 9, and a request had come in from the Klickitat County Health Department for air quality monitoring in Goldendale. The

Air Time: The latest on ozone

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramAlthough EPA’s plan to strengthen the nation’s health-based air quality standard for ozone levels has been delayed (Air Time, Sept. 2), there’s still movement on that front.That’s because the previous standard proposed by the Bush-era EPA still needs to be officially enacted. This piece from the New York Times explains what’s going

Our Changing Climate: Policy, politics and what people actually see

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramHere are recent, interesting articles and newspaper editorials on climate change policy and politics: Syndicated columnist Neal Peirce writes about how more and more business leaders are realizing that addressing climate change makes business sense. The Associated Press offers this special report about climate change denial in the United

Around the Sound: Catching up ...

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramJust a few interesting things that have come up in the past couple of weeks... The Kitsap Sun offers this rundown on a two-day event in October called “Water Courses: Connecting West Sound.” Looks like there are a number of interesting speakers and topics on the schedule. The Associated Press reported recently on national

Fecal Matters: Seahurst County Park is Open for Swimming

BEACH Program Update

Seahurst County Park in Burien, WA is open for swimming! Sample results show bacteria concentrations have dropped to background levels. The swimming beach was previously closed on September 16, 2011 due to a sewage spill.

Visit the BEACH web site to find the latest results for these and other saltwater beaches: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/beach/

Stay updated about

Boots on the Ground: WCC provides critical support for Olympic Peninsula wildfire fighting efforts

By Bridget Mason, WCC Coordinator, Washington Conservation CorpsAdaptability is not just a slogan for our Washington Conservation Corps members. It’s a fact. We must continuously stay flexible to meet community needs whenever help is required.Washington Department of Natural Resources asks for firefighting helpOn September 6, 2011, our WCC members were working hard on their typical projects –

Fecal Matters: Sewage Spill Near Swimming Beach at Seahurst County Park

BEACH Program Update

The King County Health District closed the beach at Seahurst County Park in Burien after receiving notification of a sewage spill near the beach.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Stay updated about

Brazilian nuclear experts get well-rounded education in Richland

By Dieter Bohrmann, Communications Consultant, Nuclear Waste ProgramA group of five nuclear experts from Brazil had a lot of serious questions when they visited Ecology’s Nuclear Waste Program in Richland last month. One less serious – but no less important – question was: “How is the quality of your wine?”A team of high-ranking officials in the Brazilian government’s nuclear energy sector

Cleaning Up: New initiative focuses on Eastern Washington sites

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramThe 2011 Legislature provided Ecology with $6 million in the 2011-13 budget to work with communities to clean up several sites in Central and Eastern Washington.The money comes from the state’s voter-approved tax on hazardous substances. Funds will be used exclusively in Eastern Washington to clean up properties where the responsible

Late Summer at the Lake? Watch for blue-green algae

by Jani Gilbert, communication manager, Eastern Regional OfficePhotos: Lake SpokaneCaution!Go ahead! Enjoy your late summer swim in the lake! But avoid areas where the water looks like scummy green paint. It's probably a bloom of blue-green algae and sometimes it contains toxins.The algae blooms show up every year in many of our lakes and even rivers, often in late summer or early fall when the

Around the Sound: The changing face of a cleanup site

By Seth Preston Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program Here's a series of images that shows how cleanup work is remaking the Custom Plywood site on the Fidalgo Bay shore in Anacortes.The first photo, on the left, shows how the site — once home to a plywood mill, which burned down about 20 years ago — looked in March 2010.The middle photo was taken after work started in July 2011.The last

Fecal Matters: Bay View State Park is Open for Swimming

BEACH Program Update

Bay View State Park in Skagit County is open for swimming! Additional samples collected show bacteria concentrations have dropped to background levels.

Visit the BEACH web site to find the latest results for these and other saltwater beaches: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/beach/

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal

Our Changing Climate: Resources for students

Our Changing Climate: Resources for students | ECOconnect blog | Washington State Department of EcologyBy Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Programfrom the EPA website A Student's Guide to Global Climate ChangeDepending on where you live, the K-12 school year either is under way or preparing to start. So it makes sense to offer some kid-friendly climate change resources.First,

Air Time: President stops new ozone standard

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Program

President Obama has announced that he is pulling the plug on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to tighten the health-based standard for ozone emissions.

EPA first announced plans to revise the standard in January 2010. But since then, a decision has been delayed repeatedly because of strong pushback from business,

B&L Woodwaste Cleanup: Partial Closure of Interurban Trail

Diana Smith, Public Involvement Coordinator

As part of the B&L Woodwaste landfill cleanup, a section of Interurban Trail in Milton will be closed September 6—9 from 8:00 a.m.—4:30 p.m. The trail will be closed between Fife Way and I-5. Click to see a map of the area that will be closed.

The trail is being closed so workers can build a temporary road for cleanup work at the landfill and wetlands

Fecal Matters: Swimming Advisory at Bay View State Park

BEACH Program Update

Marine water sampling results indicate high bacteria levels at Bay View State Park in Skagit County. The beach will be posted with a swimming advisory on Friday, September 2, 2011. Follow up samples will be collected next week.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children and

Cleaning Up: New series focuses on polluted sites

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

We try to highlight some of our Puget Sound work and Sound issues of interest in the “Around the Sound” blog series.

But there’s a lot of cleanup work being done throughout the state by the Toxics Cleanup Program that is not connected to Puget Sound. So this new “Cleaning Up” series will attempt to provide some helpful information

Wanted: Nominees for advisory group on ocean policy

By Curt Hart, Communications Manager, Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program

Do you know someone who might be interested in helping direct and guide ocean policy and management issues along Washington’s Pacific Coast?

If so, Ecology is seeking nominations for membership on an advisory group for ocean policy.

Advisory group will help State Ocean CaucusThe group will advise the State

Around the Sound: Anacortes cleanup continues

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

As you can see, work is progressing at the Custom Plywood cleanup site on the Anacortes waterfront.

Take a look at what’s happening now at the site, compared with the photos I took during a visit to Anacortes in March 2010. Quite a contrast.

Cleanup workers have dug out and removed contaminated soil and replaced it with clean

Air Time: Oregon wildfires spur smoke warning

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Program

Smoke from Oregon wildfires prompted the National Weather Service to issue a hazardous weather outlook for today (Tuesday, Aug. 30) in parts of central and eastern Washington.

Smoke is blowing into the Yakima Valley, the Columbia Basin and other areas. When smoke is in the air, you can do a number of things to protect your health. You

Air Time: In case you missed it ...

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Program

Last week’s announcement that Ecology is revamping the state’s vehicle emissions testing program drew a lot of attention and even some praise.

Vehicles in Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane counties undergo emission tests to reduce air pollution in the state’s most populated areas. You can check online to see if emissions

Georgetown excavation prepares for cleanup in Duwamish Waterway

by Larry Altose, communication manager, Northwest Regional Office


Workers use water to control dust as an excavating machine lifts soil into a dump truck. When hauled away for disposal, the soil will be covered.


On leaving the work area, the truck receives a spray cleaning to prevent the trackout of dust or mud onto neighborhood streets. The Boeing Co. and the city of Seattle have begun work

Getting to know Citizens for a Healthy Bay, partners in protecting Commencement Bay

By Jocelyn Jones



Tuesday, I was lucky enough to join others from the Department of Ecology on a tour around Tacoma waterways. I saw firsthand the incredible work that has been done to restore the waters—and I met some of the folks instrumental to this success.

Marv Coleman from Ecology’s southwest regional office and Jeff Barney, from Citizens for a Healthy Bay (CHB), took time out of their

Our Changing Climate: Walking our talk

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Program

In late 2009, Gov. Chris Gregoire challenged Ecology to take the lead in finding ways that state agencies, businesses and individuals could reduce their climate-changing emissions.

In response, Ecology launched a “Carbon Smart” initiative. We define being “Carbon Smart” as making choices that:Reduce climate-changing emissions.

Save

Around the Sound: Contaminated soil dug out at Everett site

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

Workers dug out petroleum-contaminated soil at a cleanup site in Everett on Monday (Aug. 22) as part of a quick action to protect people and the environment from the material.

Andy Kallus of Ecology’s Toxics Cleanup Program took the photo. Andy is the project manager for our Port Gardner Bay cleanup sites, which are included in our

Bye, bye, borax

By Michael Bergman, Toxic Free Tips coordinator, Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction


Ecology is pulling a popular video from its YouTube site over concerns about borax. The Greener Cleaner video shows how you can make a “do-it-yourself,” multi-purpose cleaner.


That infomercial-style video has been part of Ecology’s effort to help get the word out about alternatives to harsher household

Work Underway at B&L Woodwaste Cleanup Site

Diana Smith, Public Involvement Coordinator


Now that dry summer weather is here, more cleanup work is underway at the old B&L Woodwaste landfill in Pierce County near Fife and Milton.

Woodwaste contaminated with arsenic-tainted slag from the Tacoma ASARCO smelter was dumped in the landfill in the 1970s and 1980s. Arsenic has been found in soil, groundwater and ditches around the landfill and

Air Time: Wildfire smoke sparks air quality alert

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Program

Health officials have issued an air quality alert because of smoke from the Tumwater Canyon fire in north-central Washington.

Air quality in the area is now in the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category under the Washington Air Quality Advisory (WAQA), according to the Chelan-Douglas Health District.

When air quality reaches "

Stories about Getting to Clean Water: Finding a solution to wine waste woes

By Scott Mallery, Water Quality Program, Eastern Region

Have you ever thought about where your wine comes from? What about the type of wastewater that comes from making wine? Or about what wine wastewater discharges can do to the land or a wastewater treatment plant? The Department of Ecology (Ecology), the Port of Mattawa, the Wahluke Winery, and J & S Crushing have not only thought about it

Ready, set… RODEO!

By Erika Holmes, Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist, Nuclear Waste Program

We’re prepped and psyched to hit the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo with some new activities for passersby. Come one, come all: kids; Hanford workers, neophytes, and haters alike; visitors from out of town. We want to talk to everyone.

This year, our booth really is “more than an 8-second ride”!

Court decision is big gain for groundwater protection

Dan Partridge, communications manager, Water Resources Program


Ecology's Maia BellonThe state Supreme Court has reaffirmed local governments’ obligations to ensure legal groundwater availability when making land use decisions.

In Kittitas County vs. EWGHMB, the court on July 28, 2011, upheld a decision of the Eastern Washington Growth Management Hearings Board that Kittitas County violated

Air Time: Protect your health from wildfire smoke

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Program

Continued dry weather — something you may not have expected this year, based on prior months — means wildfires are popping up throughout the state.

Wildfires produce plenty of smoke, which can harm your health. The biggest threat comes from the fine particles in smoke. These tiny particles can get into your eyes and lungs, where they

Stories about Getting to Clean Water: Turbid runoff and the railroad — Cooperative solutions

By Ted Hamlin, Ecology Spokane Regional Office

This dirt road was sending muddy runoff into the Spokane River.Finding and fixing direct discharges of stormwater into the Spokane River are constant and perplexing problems. There are dirt streets, alleys, parking lots, and access roads around the cities of Spokane and the Spokane Valley that contribute muddy water during each rain event or snow

Our Changing Climate: How about that weather?

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Program



ABC News led its evening newscast last night (Monday, Aug. 15) with a report about the extreme weather that we’re seeing around the world. Click here to watch the report.

Note the comments about how weather conditions are hurting farmers and the agricultural industry. Yesterday here in Washington, Gov. Gregoire asked U.S. Secretary

Around the Sound: Port Gardner site on track for 2012 cleanup

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

We’re closing in on a milestone for a cleanup site on Everett’s Port Gardner Bay.

Ecology and the Port of Everett are preparing to sign a consent decree for the cleanup of the North Marina West End site. The legal agreement between Ecology and the port details what actions are needed to protect human health and the environment at

Stories about Getting to Clean Water: Baby white sturgeon released into Columbia River

By Marcie Mangold, Ecology’s Eastern Regional Office

This future fisherman helps release a baby white sturgeon. On April 28, over 60 people formed a “human chain” to pass buckets containing baby sturgeon so they could release them into the Columbia River in Grant County. A truck transported the 10-month-old sturgeon from the hatchery to the ceremony site near Priest Rapids.

The fish release

Our Changing Climate: Mapping Climate Change

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Program

A friend sent a link to an interesting website, Climate Hot Map, offered by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

It includes a clickable map that shows how climate change is impacting and could impact places all over the world, including in Washington. (The photo, which is not on the website, shows the receding South Cascade Glacier in

Fecal Matters: Hartstene Point Private Beach in Mason County is Open for Swimming

BEACH Program Update



The Hartstene Pointe private swimming beach in Mason County is now open for swimming. Samples collected by the homeowners association indicate low bacteria concentrations. Beach closure signs previously posted due to a sewage spill were removed today.


Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join

Air Time: More vehicle standards will improve air you breathe

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality Program

The Obama administration has announced a follow-up to its recent mandate to increase fuel efficiency in cars and light-duty trucks.

This week, the White House revealed the first-ever fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas pollution standards for work trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles. They were developed in cooperation with

Fecal Matters: Twanoh State Park is Open for Swimming

BEACH Program Update

Twanoh State Park in Mason County is open for swimming. Additional samples collected show bacteria concentrations have dropped to background levels. Beach closure signs previously posted on August 5, 2011 were removed today.

Visit the BEACH web site to find the latest results for these and other saltwater beaches: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/beach/

Stay updated

Ecology Washington Conservation Corps looking for new recruits

By Bridget Mason, WCC Coordinator

WCC Members work at the Reiter Salmon Hatchery in Gold Bar, Wash.
If you’re between 18 and 25 years old, like to work outdoors, and want to help Washington’s environment and our communities, then the Washington Department of Ecology has an opportunity for you!

Our Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) is looking for 245 young adults to fill AmeriCorps crew and

Around the Sound: Cleanup changing Anacortes waterfront

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

Cleanup work continues to reshape the old Custom Plywood site on the shore of Fidalgo Bay in Anacortes.

After four weeks of work, you can see the dramatic transformation going on at the place where the old mill burned down in 1992. The mill’s remains littered the surface with debris. Petroleum, heavy metals, old logs and wood waste

New Ecology video highlights scientists who monitor Washington's marine waters

By Sandra Hughes, Office of Communication and EducationA dream assignmentI care about Puget Sound and also love small aircraft. So when I was invited to spend a day with Mya Keyzers of Ecology’s Marine Monitoring Program — and shoot video of her taking water samples from a seaplane — I jumped at the chance.To get as many samples as possible on a single day, and to save time and money, Mya and her

Air Time: New car standards drive fuel savings, jobs, cleaner air

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramAs this Forbes columnist points out, some major news for Americans and the U.S. economy may have gone without much notice last week because of all the debt drama.President Obama announced new fuel efficiency standards for cars and light-duty trucks. These standards follow up on earlier increases in fuel efficiency that are required

Fecal Matters: Twanoh State Park Closed to Swimming

BEACH Program Update

The Mason County Health Department closed Twanoh State Park to swimming today. Routine monitoring of the marine water showed elevated bacteria levels and additional samples confirmed the pollution is persisting.

Increased pathogen and fecal bacteria levels in marine waters can come from both shore and inland sources. Inland sources can consist of stormwater runoff, sewer

Fecal Matters: Beach Closure at Hartstene Pointe in Mason County

BEACH Program Update

The Mason County Health Department and the Hartstene Pointe Homeowners Association closed the private community beach of Hartstene Pointe today. The County received notification of a sewage spill near the swimming beach.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. Children and the

Our Changing Climate: A new blog series

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramWelcome to the first installment of “Our Changing Climate,” an ongoing series of posts that will focus on climate change in Washington and elsewhere.I’ll start by pointing you to Ecology’s climate change web portal — you will find a wide range of information here on Ecology and what others in Washington have done and are doing about

Around the Sound: Soil Dioxin Study public events August 3rd

By Hannah Aoyagi, Public Involvement CoordinatorEcology is hosting two public events in Port Angeles this Wednesday, August 3rd! They will both be held at the Port Angeles Senior & Community Center at 328 E. 7th St.3:00 - 5:00 pm Technical Workshop in the Craft Room (upstairs)The technical workshop is a chance for the public to hear the details of the study analysis. Our consultant, Greg Glass,

Combined Sewer Overflow Programs: Protecting our waters from stormwater, raw sewage and industrial pollution

By Kelly Susewind, Manager, Department of Ecology Water Quality Program



Projects to control combined sewer overflows provide an important solution to raw sewage discharges and stormwater treatment in the 11 Washington cities that have combined sewer and stormwater systems. Without controls over combined sewer overflows, heavy rains and snowmelt can cause large quantities of raw sewage from

Around the Sound: Coal! Cleanups! And whales! Oh my!

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramI’ve been on the road for most of the past two weeks, so I have some catching up to do. Let’s get to it …Cherry Point marine terminal Gov. Chris Gregoire spoke Monday (July 25) to a packed room at the Bellingham City Club forum. The audience was eager to hear what she had to say about the idea of building and operated a coal terminal

Fecal Matters: Pomeroy Park - Manchester Beach Open for Swimming

BEACH Program Update

Pomeroy Park - Manchester Beach in Kitsap County is open for swimming. Additional samples collected show bacteria concentrations have dropped to background levels. Kitsap County Health District removed the closed signs today previously posted on July 12, 2011.

Visit the BEACH web site to find the latest results for these and other saltwater beaches: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/

Around the Sound: Work in full swing at Anacortes cleanup site

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramCheck out these photos of work being done to clean up part of the old Custom Plywood mill site in Anacortes.Ecology is overseeing the cleanup of part of the site off 35th Street and V Avenue. A sawmill, a wood box factory and a plywood mill previously operated on the site. Fire destroyed the closed plywood mill in 1992.Cleaning up

Air Time: Beware of blowing dust!

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramHave you seen the images of the massive dust storms rolling through Arizona? Jaw-dropping, freaky … pick your own description.Here are some more photos and TV footage from the latest big storm on Monday, July 18. (The image at the right was published in the Seattle Times.)Thankfully, we haven’t seen that kind of craziness here in

Rayonier Mill Soil Dioxin Study: What do the dioxin levels mean?

By Connie Groven, Project ManagerWhenever I hear a number or statistic, I instinctively look for a comparison point. I also think about how that number impacts me personally. The soil dioxin study results we released last week probably raised the same questions for many people.How are dioxin levels measured?Dioixn levels are usually reported as a toxic equivalents or TEQs. We multiply

Dog poop solution: It’s in the bag

by Justine Asohmbom, Puget Sound EducatorSummertime is an exciting, beautiful time of year to enjoy the Puget Sound outdoors with our families and our family pets – particularly our dogs. But I’ve done more than a few quicksteps around doggie poop on our sidewalks and open spaces. It’s something that’s given me cause to pause and ponder.Have you ever stepped in dog poop?Have you ever walked your

Old Hanford misconceptions come home to roost again

By Suzanne Dahl, Tank Waste Treatment manager, Nuclear Waste ProgramNothing is as frustrating as watching history repeat itself negatively.A July 10th Tri-City Herald article highlighted the findings from a recent federal advisory board’s report on tank waste treatment. The report recommends delaying a decision about additional low-activity waste treatment for another 3 to 5 years. Hanford’s

Dog Doogity: A good return on the state’s investment

By Sandy Howard, communication manager, Water Quality Program

Polluted stormwater runoff is the leading pollution problem in our state’s most populated areas. Lots of people and lots of dogs are a big part of that pollution problem.

When it rains, pollution on the land washes downstream, moving that pollution along into our waters.





Protecting our waters
Regulations alone cannot keep

Fecal Matters: High Bacteria Results in Kitsap County

BEACH Program Update

The Kitsap County Health District closed Pomeroy Park - Manchester Beach today. The District received a complaint and marine water sample results identified high bacteria levels.

Indianola Dock and Fay Bainbridge State Park in Kitsap County also had elevated bacteria results. The County will collect additional samples from all three beaches tomorrow.

Increased pathogen and

Rayonier Mill Soil Dioxin Study Report Available to the Public

By Connie Groven, Project ManagerThree years ago, Ecology began a study of dioxins and furans (we refer to them together as dioxins) in surface soils in areas of Port Angeles near the former Rayonier Mill. We looked at two things—the concentration of dioxins in soils, and whether the former Rayonier Mill’s air emissions could have contributed to what we measured. The report is now in and it

Boat grounding

Image of D’Boat on Long Island on June 24 Another boat is reported to have grounded in the San Juan Island area. This is the second in the last two weeks. Seven people were on board and two of them had to be airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.The weather has been unpredictable and the tides rather extreme. When boating, be safe not sorry.For more information:KOMO News video

Air Time: Summer brings welcome heat ... and air problems

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramWell, it looks like summertime temperatures are settling in after the long, cold, wet winter/spring.But with nice weather and heat come air quality challenges.FireworksWhat would summer and the Fourth of July holiday be without a barrage a fireworks in just about every community in the state?Well, for one thing, there would be a whole

Ecology, Coast Guard respond to grounded vessel

By Seth Preston, Communications ManagerThe state Department of Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard are responding to the scene of a grounded vessel near Shaw Island in the San Juan Islands.The Coast Guard has removed seven people from the commercial crabbing vessel, which ran aground west of San Juan Island.For more informationD'Boat Grounding incident pageEcology Spills Program

Abandoned water wells can be life-threatening

by Lynne Geller, Outreach and Communications, Water Resources ProgramThe sad loss of two dogs who died recently after falling into an abandoned well on Vashon Island again brings to light the importance of properly filling in wells no longer in use.Old abandoned water wells are fairly common in Washington State. For example, there are estimated to be thousands of abandoned wells in King County

Nuke waste program experiment may improve state soil sampling standards

By Erika Holmes, Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist, Nuclear Waste ProgramLast week, we completed an exciting service-learning project with statistics students at Columbia Basin College. They helped Ecology’s Nuclear Waste Program do statistical analysis on soil contamination data from Hanford’s 200 Area. Our goal was to see if new multi-increment soil sampling produces

Forests not the problem for toxics in Puget Sound

By Mindy Roberts, Environmental Assessment ProgramWe want to clarify some of the broad findings of the recent study, “Toxics in Surface Runoff to Puget Sound.” Here are the facts:The surface runoff study monitored levels of toxic chemicals in streams representing four major land cover types: commercial/industrial; residential; agricultural; and forest/field/other undeveloped lands.The purpose was

Around the Sound: Sampling data from the Rayonier Mill property now available

By Marian Abbett, Site ManagerWe have reached another milestone in the cleanup of the Rayonier Mill site in Port Angeles on schedule! On June 15, Rayonier submitted the draft Upland Data Collection Technical Memo. This memo pulls together most of the data Rayonier collected on its property between August 2010 and March 2011.Rayonier collected soil, groundwater, and surface water samples from

Fecal Matters: Windjammer Beach Park & Lagoon Update (Island County)

BEACH Program Update
Updated 7/1/2011

Island County Public Health marine water sampling identified high bacteria levels at Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor on 6/28. A permanent swimming advisory is posted for the beach at the Park. The saltwater swimming lagoon also had elevated levels and Staff collected additional samples on 6/30 and results came back low for the lagoon so a swimming advisory is

Fecal Matters: Washington's BEACH Program - the best information source for saltwater beach health

BEACH Program UpdateWashington's BEACH Program -- the best information source for saltwater beach healthA recent wave of "beach report cards" about beach health in our state points out the value of a reliable, trusted source of timely, accurate information, and in our state, the best source is the Washington BEACH (Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication and Health) Program.The state's

Air Time: Ecology grant helps Poulsbo Fire protect air, people, taxpayer money

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Air Quality ProgramEcology’s Air Quality Program and the Poulsbo Fire Department put together a neat project that will cut air pollution, protect people’s health and save taxpayers’ money.Poulsbo Fire is using a $39,000 grant from Ecology to install new idle reduction technology on some emergency vehicles.Responders must keep the engines of emergency

Product stewardship is responsible 21st century "waste" management

by Kara Steward, Waste 2 Resources ProgramThe E-Cycle Program collects and recycles televisions, monitors, and computers.Do you ever wonder how local governments ended up responsible for waste management? A century ago, crowding and waste in industrial cities gave rise to repeated disease epidemics. Fear of these epidemics created political support for public investment in sanitation

CBC stats students shed light on new soil sampling method

By Erika Holmes, Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist, Nuclear Waste ProgramEarly in 2011, I emailed just about every college instructor in the Tri-Cities area who taught a class that might be remotely related to Hanford. One of the replies came from Linda Rogers, a statistics teacher at Columbia Basin College in Pasco. She had two statistics classes in the spring and very much

THIS IS A DRILL - Flight restrictions

THIS IS A DRILLJune 23, 2011, 11:35 a.m.NPREP drill is being held at the US Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor, WA.Temporary Flight RestrictionUnified Command at the Oak Harbor Command Center has established a temporary flight restriction in the area between Gordon Head, Shannon Point and Partridge Point in the Salish Sea. No aircraft may fly below 5,000 feet in this area. The Fedeeral Aviation

THIS IS A DRILL - Avoid Oil

THIS IS A DRILLJune 23, 2011, 10:45 a.m.NPREP drill is being held at the US Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor, WAThe public is encouraged to avoid contact with oil and oiled shorelines. If you see evidence of oil or oiled materials along the shore please do not touch, but report to 1-800-OILS911 (1-800-645-7911).Updated information can be found on www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/spills.html, or for

THIS IS A DRILL - US-CAN Salish Sea 2011 PREP Exercise

By Mary-Ellen Voss, Spill Prevention, Preparedness and Response ProgramToday, Ecology's Spills Program is participating in a full-scale, government-led , multi-agency exercise to test our region's ability to respond to a cross-border spill event.As part of the drill, a Joint Information Center (JIC) has been established to provide immediate response to the news media and the general public

Around the Sound: Unusual dolphins! Octopus parenting! And more!

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup ProgramThe Seattle Times has published a couple of interesting stories about different inhabitants of Puget Sound – some apparently are just visiting, while others make their homes in the Sound.First up, there’s this story of long-beaked tropical dolphins sighted in the Sound around the Olympia area.And then there’s this coverage of the life

Multiple agencies respond to Harbor Island diesel spill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 1:02 a.m., June 21, 2011Contacts: Dieter Bohrmann, Department of Ecology media relations (509-420-3874)Nate Littlejohn, U.S. Coast Guard public affairs (816-582-1725)SEATTLE – The Washington Department of Ecology, Union Pacific Railroad, the U.S. Coast Guard, Seattle Public Utilities and a cleanup contractor are responding to a diesel fuel spill from a Union Pacific

Around the Sound: Radio interview on Port Gardner Cleanup, plus big spill drill

By Seth Preston, Communication Managers, Toxics Cleanup ProgramKSER Radio (90.7 FM) in Everett is featuring an interview today and Tuesday (June 20-21) with Ecology’s baywide coordinator for cleanup work in and around Port Gardner Bay.Andy Kallus spoke last week with Karen Erickson, host of KSER’s “Seein’ Green” program, about Ecology’s work with local partners like the Port of Everett on

Hanford drill tests emergency preparedness teams

By Dieter Bohrmann, Communications Consultant, Nuclear Waste Program Environmental cleanup at the Hanford nuclear site is complex and potentially hazardous. The U.S. Department of Energy as well as numerous state and local agencies have a stake in ensuring the work is done safely and protectively. A large accident at Hanford could threaten the health of not only workers, but potentially local and

Polluted waters listings will not fix the problem of declining pH on marine waters

By Sandy Howard, Communication Manager, Water Quality programYou might be hearing about the problem of declining pH in our ocean’s waters, also called “ocean acidification.” The Center for Biological Diversity is bringing this topic up once again today.What is the cause?What causes declining pH and why is it a problem?It’s a fact that our earth’s oceans are becoming more and more acidic as they

Preparing for the big spill

By Barbara MacGregor, Web Communications Manager“This is a drill.”That's the phrase the Department of Ecology, U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, and EPA will be using next week as we practice responding to a catastrophic oil spill in the international waters we share with Canada.We, along with our counterparts from British Columbia, will practice responding to a major simulated "spill" in waters west of

Everett Smelter Cleanup: Local office hours start this month

By Meg Bommarito, Everett Smelter Project Manager

Starting in a few weeks, Ecology staff will now be more available to the Everett community to provide information on Everett Smelter cleanup work.

Twice a week from June 28 until the end October, either I or Frank Reinart (upland site manager) will be at the Baker Heights Community Center, 1401 Poplar St., to answer questions and share

Planets In the Playground

By Nancy Uziemblo, Geologist, Nuclear Waste ProgramWe talk about Hanford cleanup and actively promote care of the Earth… Why not extend it to the solar system? When asked to share a geology lesson, sometimes I get carried away and think big. So when Sangetta Goswami (wife of Dib Goswami, Hydrogeologist with the Nuclear Waste Program) requested my annual geology lesson for the 3rd graders at