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Department of Ecology News Release - November 24, 2008
08-309
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) Coordinated Prevention Grant program is funding nearly $1 million in local environmental projects throughout Eastern Washington. Statewide, the grants will provide more than $5 million for projects ranging from green building and composting/chipping to waste reduction/recycling and product stewardship.
The grants are made possible by a voter-approved initiative for reducing toxic threats in Washington state and are awarded every two years.
In awarding the grants, Ecology evaluated statewide requests totaling $10 million for the available $5 million in grant funds. Sixty-five projects were chosen through in a competitive process. The grant amounts range from $3,975 to $487,500. Projects all across the state, from Clallam to Asotin counties, received funding.
“These grants give local communities the resources to move basic environmental work to a more sustainable level. Much of the money will go to programs that expand recycling, composting and toxics reduction efforts,” said Ecology Director Jay Manning. “A clean, green Washington is good for our public health and our economy. These are innovative projects and we are happy to move them forward.”
Funds were awarded in five categories, with the following totals for the entire state:
Of the $5 million in grant money awarded, $630,000 is going to communities to implement programs that provide safe alternatives to burning yard waste. Burning yard waste in Washington’s designated urban growth areas was phased out over a period of years to protect people and communities from serious human health problems resulting from breathing wood smoke.
For example, Whitman County is building a composting facility in Oakesdale to accept grass clippings, leaves, tree limbs and branches — materials that might otherwise end up in a burn pile. The town of Coulee Dam will receive $30,000 for a wood chipper to convert organic material from spring cleanups to a nutritious ground cover for parks and other areas.
Most of the CPG funding -- $4 million -- is provided by the Legislature through Ecology’s Beyond Waste program, which supports efforts to reduce the amount of waste and toxic substances generated.
These funds come from a hazardous substance tax created by Washington voters when they passed Initiative 97 — the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) — in 1988. It is dedicated specifically to environmental cleanups and protection in Washington state.
Ten counties (15 projects) in Eastern Washington have received grants from Ecology for waste reduction and recycling efforts:
Asotin County Landfill will receive about $129,500 to provide a no-cost option for Asotin County residents to take organics and wood waste to the landfill. The material will be collected, weighed and hauled to a composting facility. Wood waste will be chipped and hauled off site for recycling or reuse.
Columbia County Solid Waste will receive $60,000 to hire a consultant to help update the county’s solid waste management plans.
Ferry County Solid Waste Management will receive $45,000 to hire a consultant to help review and update county’s solid waste management plan.
Grant County Public Works, solid waste division, will receive two grants:
The town of Coulee Dam in Grant County will receive $30,000 for a wood chipper. The chipper will help divert municipal and residential yard waste from the local regional landfill and future transfer station by converting yard waste to organic material. The organics will be used for ground cover in local parks and other public areas.
Lincoln County Public Works will receive $45,000 to complete an update of the county’s solid waste management plan.
Pend Oreille County Public Works will receive $60,000 to complete the upgrade to the county’s recycling facility and buy equipment for it. The county plans to purchase a used-oil heater and 2,000-gallon oil tank to heat the recycling facility with the used oil that people drop off. The county also plans to buy mobile recycling containers that can be placed in areas like RV parks, the county fairgrounds and park and at special events such as the rodeo.
The Spokane Regional Health District will receive $33,000 for enforcement of solid waste violations and investigations of citizen solid waste complaints.
Walla Walla County will receive $487,500 to construct a waste processing and recycling facility for organic waste.
Whitman County Public Works will receive four grants:
For a listing of all the grant projects statewide, link here: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/grants/CPG0910OffSetListPR.pdf
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Media Contacts:
Cathy Cochrane, media relations, Spokane, 509-329-3433
Jani Gilbert, media relations, Spokane, 509-329-3495
Kathy Davis, media relations, Lacey, 360-407-6149
Shelly McMurry, Solid Waste and Financial Assistance, 360-407-6223
For more information:
Coordinated Prevention Grants Program:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/grants/cpg.html
Beyond Waste Initiative:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/beyondwaste/
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
