In a Columbian article (January 11, 2004, ‘Rosemere faces off with City Monday’), it says of Victor Erlich (Vancouver City Engineer), “Erlich said Rosemere’s reasoning in applying for the grant based on septic failure ‘is a mystery to us.’ We don’t find any evidence to support the claim that there are environmental health problems stemming from failing septic systems in the neighborhood.” If the City hasn’t found any problems, its because they haven’t been looking! [Read More...]
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The Rosemere Neighborhood Association Pursues Water Quality Issues in Vancouver and Clark County – January 2004
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Burnt Bridge Creek Poem – 1977
I am Burnt Bridge Creek. I wander through eight miles of Clark County starting in the east and carrying silt and water, [Read More...]
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BEACHES AT RISK – TRACKING DOWN THE CONTAMINATION From KATU News, December 17, 2003
From KATU News, December 17, 2003
COOS BAY – This week, two of the state’s most beautiful sandy stretches near Coos Bay continue under a nearly month long “Health Advisory” from the Office of Public Health.
People who go in the water at Sunset Bay State Park or Bastendorff Beach are at risk from contamination that may make them sick.
Surfers like Dan Marshal and Carmen Conn have experienced that risk first hand. They each became sick after surfing near Sunset Bay. According to Marshal, the symptoms were immediate and striking: [Read More...]
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RNA files Title VI Complaint – April 19, 2003
Re: Title VI and Environmental Justice Complaints in Vancouver, WA
This document was prepared by the Rosemere Neighborhood Association (RNA), which is staffed entirely by volunteers who reside in the Rosemere Neighborhood. Part of the RNA’s mission, which is in keeping with the filing of this complaint, is to: “Encourage participation of all residents and to prohibit discrimination based on the following: race, religion, color, gender, national origin, marital status, familial status, income level, age, sexual orientation, disability, political ideology, ethnicity, gender identification, literacy, and the ability to speak English;” and to “Promote and encourage environmental awareness and preservation in Rosemere.”
This document is arranged in two parts: I) A General Overview of the Complaint in Relation to 17 Affected Neighborhoods in West Vancouver; II) The Complaint as it Relates Specifically to the Rosemere Neighborhood.
View full Title VI Complaint here.
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Rosemere Neighborhood Association Water Walk – December 7, 2003
RNA Board Members, Rosemere residents, and concerned environmental activists gather in the rain to hear Thom McConathy explain the terrain and our community's failing stormwater and groundwater facilities.
On December 7, 2003, the RNA Board, accompanied by environmental activists, toured the Burnt Bridge Creek Basin and Vancouver Lake to learn more about the contamination of our waterways. This tour was lead by Thom McConathy, a very active community steward who has passionately fought to save our ground and surface waterbodies for more than 20 years. Mr. McConathy is among our community’s most knowledgeable experts on the subjects of water quality and contamination, and he has been instrumental in helping the RNA address the contamination of Burnt Bridge Creek and Vancouver Lake, as discussed in the RNA’s federal Title 6 complaint.
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Test Your Well Water! Monitor Your Septic Tanks! & Human Health Risks from Exposure to Contaminated Water!
Information included in this article was taken from the following sources:
The Rosemere Neighborhood Association, Vancouver, WA; Addy Labs, Vancouver WA;Thom McConathy, Clark County Natural Resource Council, Vancouver, WA; The Chlorine Chemistry Council 12 June 1997; Corpus Christi Times, July 19, 2002; University of Minnesota College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Services; The Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions; Is Our Water Safe to Drink? By J. Gorden Millichap, MD; San Francisco Chronicle Jan 5, 2003; The Water Quality and Health Council; the Clark County Health Department (Formerly the Southwest Washington Health District); The Washington State Department of Health; The Washington State Department of Ecology
Private Wells
Well water quality is just as important as quantity, but easier to overlook. There is rarely a clear signal when microorganisms, nitrates, pesticides or VOG’s (volatile organic compounds) contaminate well water. Yet these contaminates do make their way into private wells. Homeowners who choose the “blinders” approach, assuming that their well water is OK, are taking a gamble with their health. The potential risks are kidney and nervous system damage, intestinal illness, cancer and birth defects. According to a US Geological Survey, many wells in Clark County and Vancouver were tested and found to contain contaminates. [Read More...]
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THE FLUSHING CHANNEL WILL NOT WORK FOR VANCOUVER LAKE
The Rosemere Neighborhood Association offers this information to substantiate the objection to the proposed re-dredging of the flushing channel connected to Vancouver Lake. This project is being proposed by the Port of Vancouver as an attempt to rid Vancouver Lake of serious contamination. [Read More...]
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BURNT BRIDGE CREEK IN THE NEWS! – September 19, 2003
Friday, September 19, 2003: Vancouver Water Contamination:
“Contamination of a public water supply by human fecal matter would appear to be a problem demanding immediate government action. But a neighborhood association in Vancouver, Washington is discovering that cleaning up their water is a complicated challenge, one that requires the deft application of political pressure, and a sustained effort of community collaboration.” KBOO’s Aaron Ernst visited the neighborhood to investigate and files this report. (Runs 7:01) Audio clip courtesy of KBOO Radio
Download audio clip in MP3 format (6.7 MB. Click link to open or do FILE > “Save as” to save to your hard drive – open with Windows Media Player, Real Player, or WinAmp)
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LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE RNA’S EFFORTS FROM AREA LEADERS – September 2003
State of Washington
Office of the Governor
September 29, 2003I am pleased to endorse The Rosemere Neighborhood Association’s grant proposal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to fund a collaborative process to address the contamination of the Burnt Bridge Creek area. [Read More...]
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Approaches to Water Quality Protection
Protection of our water supply and aquatic habitat is vital to the viability of our economy, as well as the overall sustainability of human and wildlife. Increased population and development threaten our water resources, and management practices must be put into place to protect these resources before they are contaminated beyond repair. [Read More...]
