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2000 News

December 28, 2000

• Petroleum leaks cleaned up at Walla Walla motor pool
• Once-polluted Geiger housing site declared clean

December 21, 2000

• Ecology hands utility notice to help fish in the Skagit River

December 19, 2000

• Contaminated property near Hamilton St. Bridge subject of new reports

December 14, 2000

• Cleanup to begin next month at contaminated Pasco Landfill
• Ecology reaches settlement with Parkway developer

December 12, 2000

• Ecology Department, Navy to receive federal award tomorrow for government "reinvention" to reduce pollution

December 7, 2000

• Emission Check stations set Dec. 23 holiday closure

December 5, 2000

• Zirkle-Rainier Fruit honored for environmental stewardship

December 1, 2000

• Report cites value of rescue tug at Neah Bay

November 30, 2000

• UPS fined $22,000 for improperly handling hazardous waste

November 29, 2000

• Ecology Department adopts new shoreline guidelines

November 28, 2000

• Department of Ecology buys water to help fish survive

November 27, 2000

• Public hearing slated for proposal to set minimum Skagit River flows

November 22, 2000

• Ecology to end outdoor burning ban as weather shifts

November 21, 2000

• Washington state and U.S. Forest Service agree to improve water quality

November 20, 2000

• Kimberly-Clark Corp. fined $20,000 for water quality violations
• $15,000 given for environmental education in Chehalis watershed 

November 16, 2000

• Outdoor burning banned while calm weather locks in pollution

November 14, 2000

• Pipeline spill nets Tidewater $240,000 fine

November 13, 2000

• Illegal water use results in more penalties, totaling nearly $200,000
• Quilcene-Snow Creek watershed gets $122,500 grant 

November 6, 2000

• Looking for water rights to buy or lease

November 2, 2000

• Dairies honored for preventing pollution and keeping waters clean

November 1, 2000

• Penalty Summary for Third-Quarter (July-September 2000)

October 26, 2000

• Walla Walla chrome plater honored for Environmental Excellence
• How's the health of Washington's waters?

October 23, 2000

• Comments sought on state's largest water-quality funding program
• WCC crew to help with restoration projects
• Conservation corps begins Yakima work

October 20, 2000

• New Hanford budget will keep cleanup on track

October 18, 2000

• Public meeting on Tacoma Narrows wastewater permit

October 17, 2000

• Cleanup agreement proposed for Superfund site in Hillyard

October 16, 2000

• Whitworth Water District recognized for environmental excellence
• Walla Walla water planning gets $50,000 boost

October 12, 2000

• $50,000 grant kicks off planning effort for Upper Crab Creek watershed
• Progress and successes to be trumpeted at groundwater symposium

October 10, 2000

• MTBE found at 48 percent of petroleum-contaminated sites tested

October 9, 2000

• $50,000 grant kicks off Kettle River water planning effort

October 5, 2000

• Public asked to comment on change to Hanford cleanup agreement

October 3, 2000

• Ecology proposes "in-stream flow" rule for Skagit River system

October 2, 2000

• Yard-waste fires to end in Wenatchee area

September 29, 2000

• Washington, Oregon agree to deny Corps' channel-deepening permits

September 27, 2000

• Stevens County man earns Environmental Excellence Award

September 22, 2000

• CORRECTION to Sept. 21 news release #00-185

September 21, 2000

• Public invited to comment on stormwater guidance manual
• Governor, Ecology Department honor facilities for preventing pollution
• 650 grade schoolers will 'Make A Splash' learning about water
• Kaiser Mead fined $388,000 for air pollution violations
• Upper-Chehalis farms to get water-quality inspections

September 20, 2000

• Hoquiam's Pettit Oil Co. fined for July gasoline spill

September 18, 2000

• Rescue tug begins 8-month duty in Strait of Juan de Fuca
• Low stream flows prompt water restrictions

September 11, 2000

• Judge affirms some authority for water conservancy boards, but questions remain

September 7, 2000

• Public meeting Sept. 14 on state's coastal-zone management program
• State task force studying water storage takes a look at Skagit County
• Ecology Department adds 26 hazardous-waste sites to cleanup list

September 6, 2000

• Washington communities to share nearly $94 million to improve water quality

August 30, 2000

• Ecology advances efforts to clean up polluted waterways

August 29, 2000

• Ecology Department tells Willows Run Golf Course it doesn't have a valid water right

August 24, 2000

• Governor to honor program that helps low-income motorists get emission repairs

August 23, 2000

• $400,000 grant award to further local water planning efforts

August 22, 2000

• Ecology Department unveils strategy for reducing toxic exposures

August 21, 2000

• Pesticide spill nets $23,000 penalty

August 16, 2000

• Ecology Department seeks to improve toxic-cleanup standards

August 10, 2000

• Rochester Poultry Farm oil spill gets $5,000 Ecology fine

August 9, 2000

• Eloika Lake residents learn how to cope with invasion of waterweeds

August 7, 2000

• 'Wetlands mitigation' topic at workshops

August 4, 2000

• Effort continues to find extent of Tidewater contamination

August 3, 2000

• City of Spokane penalty settlement to help stabilize Latah Creek
• $450,000 awarded for Colville River watershed planning

August 2, 2000

• Ecology issues first major decision for Pend Oreille Mine

August 1, 2000

• Penalty Summary for Second-Quarter (April-June 2000)
• Hutterian Brethren and land owner fined $40,200 for illegal irrigation
• Dept. of Ecology reaffirmed water delivery for Tacoma, Seattle and South King Co.

July 28, 2000

• Pipeline leak reported at Pasco tank farm

July 27, 2000

• Task force to examine state water storage issues

July 26, 2000

• Health district awarded $1.5 million to keep investigating soil contamination

July 25, 2000

• Lakewood Emission Check station re-opens

July 24, 2000

• Ecology Dept. hosts hearings on Columbia River proposal

July 20, 2000

• Bay Zinc agrees to innovative penalty settlement

July 17, 2000

• $900,000 awarded for Lewis, Salmon-Washougal watershed planning
• Cosmopolis mill fined another $20,000 for repeated discharges

July 13, 2000

• $900,000 awarded for Grays-Elochoman, Cowlitz watershed planning

July 12, 2000

• More wastewater treatment plants than ever earn perfect compliance rate
• Public comment sought on change to accommodate Market Pointe II

July 11, 2000

• Managing lake weeds with chemicals to be discussed at meetings

July 10, 2000

• Final Pend Oreille Mine environmental report available July 12

July 6, 2000

• Public hearing July 12 on proposal to apply bio-solids
• Local governments get money for pilot water-cleanup projects

July 5, 2000

• Money offered to help communities improve water quality statewide
• Studies support de-listing for metals, confirm DDT contamination

July 3, 2000

• Four federal agencies must help clean Pasco Landfill

June 29, 2000

• Kaiser fined $20,000 for air quality violations at Mead

June 28, 2000

• Hutterian Brethren fined for illegally using water
• Ecology Dept. warns companies that haven't renewed their stormwater permits

June 27, 2000

• Ecology Department finds litter problem is bigger than ever
• $250,000 awarded for Dungeness, Elwha-Morse watershed planning

June 26, 2000

• Major legal snag curtails work on long-term water request
• Marine park owner fined, ordered to halt unlawful development
• Ruston Way casino owner cited for violating shoreline rules

June 22, 2000

• Moses Lake man fined $12,000 for burning prohibited materials

June 21, 2000

• Stevens County man fined second time for illegally using water
• Ecology to present Maury Island gravel-mine study findings June 22

June 20, 2000

• Spokane River fish advisory issued
• Lapsed sand & gravel permit results in penalty

June 19, 2000

• Well-drilling alert south of Chehalis
• Redmond firm fined for putting workers, environment at risk

June 14, 2000

• Inspections show most dairy farmers complying with water quality laws

June 13, 2000

• Energy Department fined for incomplete assessment of high-level waste tanks
• Ecology to help local group protect Rocky Ford Creek

June 12, 2000

• Ecology Dept. suspends enforcement of spill prevention by oil vessels

June 7, 2000

• New version of shoreline guidelines offers flexibility, choice

June 6, 2000

• Sewer line "cross connect" polluting Leach Creek fixed

June 5, 2000

• Stormwater in Western and Eastern Washington will be managed differently

June 1, 2000

• Ecology names watershed lead for north central Washington

May 30, 2000

• 1996-model vehicles don't need emission check this year

May 26, 2000

• Public hearing planned on proposal to apply biosolids near Deer Park

May 25, 2000

• Franklin County man can change water right to develop new dairy
• Clarkston metal fabricator fined $10,000

May 24, 2000

• Substance in river is not toilet paper

May 23, 2000

• Public invited to comment on Juanita Village cleanup proposal

May 18, 2000

• Northwest Alloys fined for air pollution violations
• Agreement seals state-led cleanup of Rayonier site
• Volunteers recognized

May 17, 2000

• Cashmere school recyclers win accolades

May 16, 2000

• Students recognized for trashing wasteful habits

May 12, 2000

• Ecology Department rewards schools for recycling

May 10, 2000

• Orting dairy fined $40,000 for discharging manure into creek

May 8, 2000

• Business, government facilities honored for waste reduction and recycling
• Methow water-right decisions put residents on wells

May 3, 2000

• Ecology to lead soil cleanup efforts on Vashon and Maury islands

May 1, 2000

• Days posted for yard-waste burning in greater-Wenatchee area
• Ecology seeks public comment on Gibbons Creek water-cleanup plan

April 28, 2000

• Public can learn about cleanup progress for Cenex site in Quincy

April 27, 2000

• Ecology seeks input on which polluted waterways to clean up
• Environmental assessment under way at Lincoln Creek oil spill

April 26, 2000

• Penalty summary for first-quarter

April 25, 2000

• Gas station fined for failing to have liability insurance

April 19, 2000

• Looking for a good visual Earth Day warm-up story for today?
• WCC crew to clean up heavy debris along Yakima River on Earth Day

April 18, 2000

• Loan to fund Okanogan wastewater plant improvements

April 13, 2000

• Ecology asks court to rule on water supplies for developments
• Developer fined for sewage spills at housing subdivision
• Kent Emission Check Station named year's best

April 12, 2000

• Ecology passes $5.6 million to port to help cleanup Cascade Pole site

April 5, 2000

• Ecology poised to enforce major Hanford deadline to ensure tank safety

March 31, 2000

• Pasco developers to receive environmental excellence award

March 30, 2000

• Tacoma waste handler fined for dangerous waste violations
• Walla Walla company fined $210,000 for hazardous waste violations
• Petroleum companies ordered to monitor aquifer contamination

March 29, 2000

• State imposes new schedule for treating Hanford tank wastes

March 27, 2000

• Development permit violations lead to $25,000 fine for Newport man

March 24, 2000

• Penalty issued for illegal berm built in Wenatchee River floodplain

March 23, 2000

• Royal City men fined for well-drilling violations after two men die
• Governor, Ecology seek applicants for Pollution Prevention Awards
• Late notification of raw sewage spill costs Port Angeles $24,000

March 22, 2000

• Ecology Department expands chemical tracking
• Portable-toilet company penalty partially reduced
• Ecology revises open-burning rule

March 21, 2000

• Reflex Recycling Corporation fined $20,000 for improperly handling waste

March 20, 2000

• Investing in sewage treatment results in better water quality

March 16, 2000

• Grant, loan to help fund Leavenworth treatment plant
• Future of Spokane's watershed to be discussed at public meetings
• Ecology seeks changes for effective measuring of water use

March 15, 2000

• Ecology will not challenge ruling on gold mine permit
• Ecology Department grants two-week extension on Hanford negotiations

March 14, 2000

• Bailie penalty rescinded

March 10, 2000

• Fire closes Lakewood emission-check station

March 9, 2000

• State to appeal Everett Smelter ruling to the Supreme Court
• Grant County farm fined for illegal burning

March 7, 2000

• Twenty-five hazardous-waste sites added to state cleanup list

March 3, 2000

• Ecology Dept., Save Our Summers, U.S. EPA enter mediation to resolve burning dispute

March 2, 2000

• Dairy general permit to protect water quality issued with little fanfare
• Transportation, Ecology departments settle spills penalty

February 29, 2000

• Walla Walla plating company ordered to study soil, groundwater contamination
• Comments sought on water quality permit for fish hatcheries

February 24, 2000

• Wenatchee air pollution cause for wood-burning caution

February 22, 2000

• Pend Oreille Mine environmental report available for public review

February 16, 2000

• Franklin County grass-seed and wheat growers fined for illegal burning
• Ecology and Atlas Foundry settlement agreement reached
• Vancouver developer penalized $23,000 for violating environmental regulations

February 15, 2000

• Mercer Island meeting to outline proposed requirements for docks and bulkheads

February 14, 2000

• Businesses cut hazardous waste by 88 million pounds in six years

February 10, 2000

• New rule would affect business fluorescent light disposal

February 1, 2000

• Six agricultural burning violators receive fines

January 31, 2000

• Seven burn days posted for greater-Wenatchee area
• Penalty Summary for Fourth-Quarter (October-December 1999)

January 27, 2000

• Meeting planned to discuss protection of Rocky Ford Creek

January 26, 2000

• Statewide plan to reduce water pollution goes to federal government

January 24, 2000

• Grant County farm fined for catastrophic fire and permitting violations
• Clean air saves lives and billions of dollars in Washington

January 21, 2000

• Ecology testing storage tank sites for MTBE contamination

January 18, 2000

• Ecology seeks outstanding recyclers in business and government

January 14, 2000

• Firm that kills lake weeds penalized for failing to warn local residents

January 7, 2000

• Judge finds Ecology did not purposely withhold documents

January 6, 2000

• Public hearing addresses Osoyoos Lake water-right transfer

January 4, 2000

• Ecology adopts changes to wastewater-discharge permit fees

January 3, 2000

• Millions of dollars available for water-quality and salmon habitat projects