Wednesday, 31 August 2011

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

Tuesday, 30 August 2011

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

Friday, 26 August 2011

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

Thursday, 25 August 2011

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

Wednesday, 24 August 2011

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