Dedicated to promoting the welfare of our neighborhood, our community, and our environment.
A Volunteer Recognition gala banquet was held Thursday, March 9th, 7pm at the Water Resource Service Center.
This event was given specifically for County volunteers, Clean Water Commissioners, and Watershed Stewards, in recognition of their service to environmental programs/projects in Clark County. [Read More...]
On December 4, 2005, a petition was formally submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 10, Seattle, requesting that agency to designate the Troutdale and Unconsolidated Alluvium Aquifer System in Clark County, Washington, as a Sole Source Aquifer. The EPA defines the Sole Source Aquifer Program as a tool used to protect drinking water supplies in areas with few or no alternative sources to groundwater resources, and where if contamination occurred, using an alternative source for the potable water supply would be extremely expensive.
Anglers return to Frenchman’s Bar the day following the report of a sewage spill
The Washington State Department of Ecology’s Spill Responder’s Unit was dispatched to Frenchman’s Bar (near Vancouver Lake) on April 5, 2005 following another report of a raw sewage spill. This scene is a replay from a year ago when fishermen called in the worst sewage spill in memory at Frenchman’s Bar in April 2004, where the spill team found tampons, condoms, syringes, and globules of raw sewage washed ashore along two ½ miles of beach at Riverfront Park. A source was never discovered for the 2004 sewage spill, though a spill responder indicated that wind and weather conditions supported the theory that the spill was caused by a sewer overflow from Portland. However, Oregon’s DEQ was not able to identify a malfunction of Portland sewer treatment facilities. The Health Department closed Frenchman’s Bar under a public health emergency and special equipment was brought in to collect syringes hidden in the beach sand. [Read More...]
The RNA and CCRNC filed a Clean Water Act lawsuit in October 2004 against
the City of Vancouver pertaining to the City’s unpermitted and contaminated stormwater discharge into Burnt Bridge Creek, and the Columbia River (both of which flow into Vancouver Lake). These discharges into threatened or endangered waterbodies are conveyed through the municipal stormwater sewer system.
On April 1, 2005, RNA and CCNRC’s attorneys filed a supplemental notice of
intent to sue the City of Vancouver under the Clean Water Act for
unpermitted and contaminated non-stormwater related discharges. The city’s municipal stormwater system illegally conveys discharges into Burnt Bridge Creek and the Columbia River on a daily basis during dry weather. These discharges travel to and can impact the water quality of Vancouver Lake. [Read More...]
Camp Bonneville Command Post (photo: DOE)
A 2.36" Rocket which was determined to be "Unexploded Ordnance" (Fired armed and did not function) It was found near demolition area 1 during monitoring well installation. (phote: epa)
Camp Bonneville (nearly 4000-acres) is an Army installation that was closed in 1995. It is located in Southeast Clark County about 12 miles east of Vancouver, WA. Established in 1909, the Camp has been used to train many generations of military personnel with field artillery. At one point, Royce Pollard, now Mayor of the City of Vancouver, was the commander of this facility. The Camp was decommissioned by the Army, and the property is slated for transfer to the Clark County Parks Department sometime within the next ten years. Plans have been mentioned for the County to build a public amphitheater and to open the area to hiking and other public uses. [Read More...]
Unabridged letter printed:
This letter to the editor was written by the Rosemere Neighborhood Association’s attorney, Richard Smith. The letter was published in the Columbian on Sunday, December 19, 2004′ however, it was edited by the Columbian staff and pertinent commentary was removed. The letter is included here in its entirety as it was originally penned.
Dear Editor:
Scott Hewitt’s December 9, 2004 Reporter’s Notebook about the Rosemere neighborhood warrants a response. It is too bad that the Columbian chooses to slander the Rosemere Neighborhood Association, which is a group of well-intentioned people pointing out the naked-emperorness of city government for the common good. Also, how is it responsible journalism to repeat unsupported (and easily debunked) defamatory remarks in the context of an obvious neighborhood feud? [Read More...]
Largemouth Bass
Anglers frequent fishing spots along the Columbia River and Vancouver Lake, and have done so for many years. However, Toxic Monitoring Data from the Washington State Department of Ecology indicates that fish in Vancouver Lake are not safe to eat. This is particularly dangerous for low-income folks who fish in this area out of necessity. [Read More...]
Landfill Four is coated in plastic to prevent erosion and movement of the pollution from rain. The yellow posts in the background mark a test well that is used to monitor ammonium perchlorate levels in the groundwater.
Camp Bonneville is a decommissioned military installation in Clark County. The US Army used this forested area for target practice, including the firing of missiles. The camp was also used as a munitions landfill. These buried munitions have caused a toxic underground plume of ammonium perchlorate to develop.
From Left to Right:
Patrica Giles, Greg deBruler, Karen Axell, Leslie Zega
Dvija Michael Bertish (front)
Aboard the Columbia Riverkeeper’s Boat near the I-5 Bridge
Photo taken by Cindy deBruler
On a warm and sunny September day, RNA board members took a 2 ½ hour tour of the Columbia River from Camas all the way to the Port of Vancouver. Greg deBruler, Columbia Riverkeeper, and his wife, Cindy deBruler, Executive Director of Columbia Riverkeeper, brought their motor boat from White Salmon. [Read More...]
On July 26, 2004, Thom McConathy took a tour of the Salmon Creek facility with the facility’s manager, Kay Hurst. Thom was hoping to discuss problems with the facility’s planned expansion to accommodate Battleground’s growth and the foul odors stemming from Battleground’s wastewater contribution. [Read More...]
