Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 25, 1999

99-115

CONTACT: Jani Gilbert, Ecology Public Information Manager, 509-456-4464; pager 509-622-1289
Dale Arnold, Spokane Environmental Programs Director, 509-625-6270

Environmental representative joins Waste-to-Energy technical committee

SPOKANE--The technical oversight committee charged with developing a scope of work and hiring a consultant to complete a "health risk assessment" at the Waste-to-Energy plant has a new member.

The group this week added Bonnie Mager of the Citizens for Clean Air group to its ranks.

The committee began meeting on May 18 to begin the process of hiring a consultant to prepare a final "health risk assessment" for the solid-waste incinerator west of Spokane.

The committee includes specialists from the city and the Department of Ecology. The group meets each Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in the conference room of the Waste-to-Energy plant, located at 2900 S. Geiger Blvd., west of Spokane.

The technical oversight committee wants a final health-risk assessment in hand by spring of next year.

"We’re fortunate to have Bonnie on the committee to give us valuable input while we move forward with this important work," said Dale Arnold, the city’s director of environmental programs. "This assessment is being done for the public, so it’s important that we have a broad perspective and a clear understanding of the questions this report should answer."

Members of the technical oversight committee include Bonnie Mager and Dale Arnold; Lloyd Brewer, Spokane environmental programs manager; Wayne Krafft, a solid-waste specialist with Ecology; and Dr. Harriet Ammann, an Ecology toxicologist.