The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 10 Office has announced the results of its Preliminary Assessment of Camp Bonneville, the former US Military installation in Clark County, Washington.
In a letter dated March 1, 2010, EPA informed Camp Bonneville cleanup contractors and the Washington State Department of Ecology that based on the information gathered [...]
Posts under ‘Safety’
EPA Moves Forward With Site Inspection of Camp Bonneville for Consideration to List as Superfund Site
Press Release: Rosemere Neighborhood Association, Columbia Riverkeeper, Northwest Environmental Defense Center Challenge Clark County Over Weak Stormwater Controls
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 18, 2010
Contact: Jan Hasselman, Earthjustice, (206) 343-7340 ext. 25
Clark County Challenged for Weak Stormwater Controls
Clean water advocates put county on notice illegal loopholes must be closed
Vancouver, WA–Clean water advocates, represented by Earthjustice, today formally put Clark County on notice it could be sued under the federal Clean Water Act [...]
Press Release: Rosemere Neighborhood Association, Columbia Riverkeeper, Northwest Environmental Defense Center Fight For Stronger Stormwater Controls in Clark County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2010
Contacts:
Jan Hasselman, Earthjustice, 206-343-7340 ext. 25
Dvija Michael Bertish, Rosemere Neighborhood Association, 360-281-4747
Brett VandenHeuvel, Columbia Riverkeeper, 503-348-2436
Mark Riskedahl, Northwest Environmental Defense Center, 503-768-6673
Clean Water Advocates Fight For Stronger Stormwater Controls in Clark County
Lawsuit filed to protect salmon and close illegal loopholes
Lacey, WA.–Local residents and clean water advocates today filed a challenge [...]
A Coal-Free Washington is Possible
More than 20% of our Electricity in Washington comes from Coal.
Coal is our nation’s dirtiest energy souce. But few Washingtonians realize that the TransAlta coal plan in Centralia bruns roughly 4 million tons of coal each year.
TransAlta coal plant is the largest single source of pollution in Washington.
Toxic pollution from coal plants contributes to heart and ling disease, cancer, stroke and premature death.
The TransAlta coal plant is Washington’s biggest polluter of toxic mercury. Mercury pollutes the water we drink, the fish we eat, and is especially dangerous to children and womena who are pregnant or may become pregnant.
Dirty coal can be replaced with clean energy solutions that will reduce pollution and protect our health.
Hanford: Proposed Settlement Could Allow for Decades of Cleanup Delays and “Hottest” Nuclear Waste to be Shipped to Hanford Nuclear Reservation
The states of Oregon and Washington, having filed suit against the US Department of Energy in 2008, have negotiated a court-enforceable settlement agreement regarding continuing cleanup activities at Hanford nuclear reservation. Hanford is the most heavily contaminated facility in the western hemisphere with 53 million gallons of radioactive waste at 194 million Curies, the measure of radioactive potency.
The core of the settlement agreement focuses on languishing federal efforts to empty 140 remaining single shell storage tanks of radioactive sludge, and the severely delayed construction of the largest radioactive waste treatment facility in the US. Almost half of the single shell storage tanks are known to be leaking into the soil and to have infiltrated the groundwater in the Hanford plateau. This radioactive spill is moving toward the Columbia River and will reach the shoreline within 20-50 years according to current estimates. A seismic event could increase the speed of travel.
Toxics at Vancouver Lake
Thursday, October 22, marked the 5 year anniversary of the Vancouver Lake Watershed Partnership, created to address longstanding problems that prevent the lake from being swimmable and fishable, including toxic blue green algae.
Patty Boydon, Port of Vancouver Environmental Director, gave a presentation on the installation of an air stripping facility installed to remediate toxic groundwater plumes produced by Cadet/Swan Manufacturing. Groundwater plumes that have expanded into the Fruit Valley Neighborhood were caused by the use of industrial chemical solvents. The shallow groundwater plumes were first discovered in 1998 during road construction, marking the largest groundwater cleanup in Washington State.
Pipe Replacement in Vancouver: Water Main Break at 32nd & Q St.
Water Main Break – September 26, 2009
Rosemere residents were unwinding from a busy week on Saturday night, September 26, 2009.
As relaxing bubble baths were being drawn, water ceased flowing. Those with shampoo in their hair found this most inconvenient, but employees of the City of Vancouver who were wrestling with a broken water main on 32nd & Q St. had bigger problems.
In inky darkness, water was shooting out of the broken main, creating a sinkhole which overflowed, flooding the streets. A city employee was probing the massive hole to test for depth. Suddenly the edge he was standing on gave way, plunging him into the raging waters. After swirling around in the maelstrom for what seemed an eternity, he was able to extract himself to safer grounds.
Water flowed down 32nd towards R St., turning the alley into a churning creek, flooding a home on the corner. The area was a news clip disaster. By Sunday morning, hard working city employees repaired the broken main and filled the sink hole.
Regulation of Perchlorate in Drinking Water
In August, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened a public comment period regarding the potential health impacts from exposure to perchlorate through drinking water.
EPA is re-evaluating the need to collect data on the level of health concern, the frequency of occurrence of perchlorate in drinking water, and the opportunity for health risk reduction through [...]
Lead Pipe Replacement in England & Wales – Part 2
Ancient Lead Pipe, Bath, England
The solution to the lead issue in drinking water would optimally be replacement of all lead piping.
However, there are certain issues:
The ownernership of the lead piping is between the supplier and the property owner, leading to possible legal aspects.
The replacement costs are very high. Approximately 8-10 billion sterling pounds to replace all lead piping in the UK
The density of properties with lead piping can be up to 75% in many cities. The replacment program would create much disruption to road users and property owners
When the lead in water is not visible, tasted, odorless, it is not perceived as a problem. Property owners are then reluctant to take expensive actions.
Corrective Treatment
Comments wanted on Camp Bonneville Cleanup Plans
WA Department of Ecology News Release – May 28, 2009
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) seeks comments on draft documents related to cleaning up part of the Camp Bonneville military reservation in Clark County.
This phase of the ongoing cleanup focuses on the Central Impact Target Area. The former artillery target area covers roughly 465 acres.
