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Department of Ecology News Release - June 27, 2007
07-173
OLYMPIA - The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is making up to $2 million in grants available to help communities develop alternatives to burning yard waste and other organic materials.
This year, a ban on outdoor burning - including yard waste and land-clearing fires - expanded to include more than 100 smaller communities and urban growth areas. The state's ban now covers all communities with urban growth areas. Cities and counties use urban growth areas to shape how and where homes and businesses develop.
Ecology encourages affected communities to apply for grant money through their local county solid waste programs. Priority will go to urban growth areas with populations of 5,000 or less. Applications will be accepted during two grant cycles: July 2 through Sept. 4, 2007, and June 20 through July 15, 2008. Applicants must provide a 25 percent match.
"This year's burn ban expansion caught some communities off guard," said Ecology's Cullen Stephenson, who oversees statewide solid waste activities. "This money will help them find ways to collect and manage these organic materials without burning."
State lawmakers approved the plan to phase in the ban on outdoor burning as part of the state's Clean Air Act, adopted in 1991. The state has worked to balance the practical uses of fire against the need to protect citizens from inhaling dangerous toxic compounds in smoke.
"Smoke from outdoor burning can pose serious public health risks, such as asthma and lung cancer," said Stu Clark, who manages Ecology's Air Quality Program. "By removing smoke from communities and curbing air pollution, we reduce those risks considerably."
An Ecology work group will begin meeting in July to identify what successful alternatives to burning already exist, such as yard waste collection and composting programs. The work group will share findings with communities throughout the state.
Here's a list of communities and urban growth areas by county that are affected by this year's burn ban expansion:
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Media contacts: Seth Preston, Air Quality public information officer, (360) 407-6848; Kathy Davis, Solid Waste public information officer, (360) 407-6149
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
