Ecology Priorities > Saving Puget Sound > Accomplishments > 2007 Accomplishments

Puget Sound: What we've accomplished in 2007

December 2007

December 20 - State modifies boatyard permit to protect Washington waters
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has modified the state’s Boatyard General Permit -- its primary tool to control the flow of toxic stormwater runoff from boatyard activities into Washington waters. Activities at boatyards can produce copper, lead, zinc and other toxic substances that harm salmon. Copper and zinc are harmful even at relatively low concentrations to threatened and endangered salmon, and aquatic life. Fish that are dependent on clean water in Washington have an annual economic value of more than $1 billion. (More)

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November 2007

November 30 - New state report sheds light on toxic chemicals in Puget Sound
The Washington Department of Ecology has published a preliminary report that estimates the amounts of toxic chemicals that are getting into Puget Sound and where they are coming from. One finding of the report is that “surface-water runoff” from land is generally the largest contributor of toxic chemicals to the Sound. (More)

November 7 - Ecology repeals old spill rules, amends other rules to match state law
The Department of Ecology today repealed six oil spill prevention and preparedness rules that were superseded when the agency adopted new oil transfer and spill contingency plan rules. ecology also amended several existing spills rules, including an expanded definition of oil, to be consistent with statutory changes effective in July 2007. (More)

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October 2007

October 29 - Wind moves low dissolved oxygen problem around in South Sound
An Ecology report has drawn a connection between winds, water circulation and low dissolved oxygen patterns in South Puget Sound. This information helps Ecology determine where human impacts on low dissolved oxygen are most critical. The report finds that wind patterns determine the net direction of water circulation around Harstine Island. It finds also that circulation patterns influence levels of dissolved oxygen near the bottom of the water. Ecology is still investigating why these differences in wind and circulation seem to affect dissolved oxygen. (More)

October 24 - Sound Transit to fund Duwamish restoration projects to settle penalties
Sound Transit will provide $120,000 for environmental restoration work along the Duwamish River to settle two previous Ecology penalties for water pollution violations on the Sound Link light-rail construction project. People For Puget Sound - a non-profit organization - will carry out seven already-planned projects that had not been funded. The work will be completed in the next 18 months. Identified restoration projects include: Riverton Creek Flapgate Removal and Restoration; Codiga Farms located in Tukwila; North Winds Weir along the Duwamish River; Expansion of T-105; Longfellow Creek Outlet that connects the creek with the Duwamish; Duwamish River Revival; Riverside Street End in South Park. (More)

October 23 - Auburn project fined $85,318 for discharging without a permit
Ecology fined JPS Holdings of Normandy Park $85,318 for discharging stormwater from the Brandon Meadows construction project in Auburn without a permit, and for violating an Ecology order to apply for a permit. Muddy water interferes with the ability of fish and other aquatic organisms to obtain oxygen and the silt can smother salmon spawning areas. Water from the Brandon Meadows projects drains to a tributary of Big Soos Creek, a salmon-bearing stream. Parts of the creek do not meet state standards for dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform bacteria. Water from the creek flows by way of the Green and Duwamish rivers to Puget Sound. (More)

October 23 - Washington's 18 largest oil handling operations must 'pre-boom' oil transfers
Beginning Oct. 26, all vessels delivering oil and the state's 18 major land-based, large-volume oil handling facilities must deploy containment boom equipment before starting oil transfers over water at rates of 500 gallons per minute or more. The new requirements are part of Ecology's oil transfer rule that went into effect in October 2006 and cover all types of petroleum and plant-based fuel products such as crude oil, diesel and bio-diesel fuel and heavy fuel oils. The agency has determined that high-rate fuel transfers over water presents the highest risk of a sizeable oil spill. The rule gave high-rate deliverers a year to craft plans showing how they will comply with the new measure. More than 41 million gallons of oil are delivered over Washington waters every day. From the end of November 2006 through September 2007, More than 10,700 oil transfers occurred in the Puget Sound region. (More)

October 19 - Public invited to share input on "footprint" project at Port Angeles mill
Ecology held a public meeting Oct. 26 so Tacoma-area residents could learn about and share their input on the “Industrial Footprint Project” at the Nippon Paper Industries USA pulp and paper mill. The department and Nippon Paper are partnering on the unique project to measure the company’s environmental, economic and social “footprint.” The Port Angeles pulp and paper mill has volunteered, along with three other mills in the state, to provide baseline data to Ecology on a range of indicators. A survey will be available on the Internet later this fall. Follow-up public meetings will be held in the spring. A final stakeholder involvement report for the project will be published in May 2008. (More)

October 18 - Tacoma company ignores permit, receives fine
Ecology fined Marine Floats of Tacoma $12,785 for water quality violations, and ordered the company to correct them. Marine Floats designs and builds docks, floats and boathouses. Located on D Street in downtown Tacoma on the Wheeler-Osgood Waterway, the company operates under a state industrial stormwater general permit that governs the release of stormwater. Under the permit, companies must develop a stormwater pollution prevention plan that describes how the company will protect surface and groundwater quality. A June 2007 inspection revealed the company had never developed or implemented a plan in the 13 years since it received permit coverage. More (More)

October 16 - Sea-Tac airport, contractors fined $20,000 for water quality violations.
Ecology fined the Port of Seattle and two contractors $20,000 for allowing four releases of muddy stormwater from Sea-Tac Airport's north expressway project into storm systems that drain to Gilliam Creek and Des Moines Creek. The violations occurred in November and December, 2006 and January and August, 2007. Ecology issued the penalty jointly to the port - which owns and operates the airport - and to Mowat Construction Co. of Woodinville and Scarsella Brothers Inc. of Seattle, contractors for the expressway project. The port is building a segment of light rail and re-aligning roadways to link Sound Transit's Sound Link light rail project to Sea-Tac Airport. (More)

October 11 - Shellfish Aquaculture Regulatory Committee meets Oct. 15.
The state committee charged with developing recommendations for shellfish aquaculture regulations will hold its fourth meeting on Oct. 15 in Olympia. The meeting included discussions about individual goals regarding the current aquaculture permit process and areas that could be improved. Other topics included final discussion of committee ground rules and an update about the request for geoduck aquaculture research. A public comment session was held at the end of the meeting. (More)

October 10 - Tolt Bridge project fined for water quality violations.
Ecology fined the King County Department of Transportation and its contractor, Wilder Construction Co., $12,000 for violating a construction stormwater permit by allowing water, which had come into contact with freshly placed concrete for the new Tolt Bridge, to reach the Snoqualmie River. The concrete placement for a bridge support occurred, as designed, in a wetland area commonly used by juvenile coho and other salmon and trout species. Until it has cured properly, freshly-placed ready-mix concrete can make surface water caustic and harmful to fish and other aquatic life. Recent flooding had created standing water within the wooden concrete form. Workers placed concrete directly into the formwork, which displaced the standing water. While some erosion control measures had been installed, they were insufficient to contain the flow of water to the immediate work area. Highly alkaline water entered into the surrounding wetland area and reached the river's open water. (More)

October 10 - Ecology investigates source of oil at Port Angeles landfill site.
OLYMPIA – Ecology, the city of Port Angeles, Port Angeles Fire Department and private contractors are monitoring the discovery of old fuel oil that turned up at a city landfill site two miles west of Ediz Hook. City contractors were installing a sea wall and discovered the oil while excavating on the beach at low tide. About 20 gallons of "very old, weathered fuel oil" was recovered before incoming tide halted operations on October 5. No oil has appeared so far in test holes dug on Monday, October 8, for Ecology on the land side of the sea wall but the department is actively investigating to determine where the oil is coming from, so it can be removed. (More)

October 8 - Winter storms can sink unprepared boats and pollute our waters.
Rain, wind, un-repaired leaks and other poor maintenance issues can cause a boat to sink, posing the threat of a fuel spill that will foul Washington waters. In the last year alone, Ecology received more than 190 reports of oil spills from recreational boats and more than 80 reports involving commercial fishing vessels. Most occurred as a result of inattention during fueling, automatic operation of bilge pumps, or vessels sinking. Fuel often gets spilled during the summer months when thousands of boats and jet skis are out in our lakes and marine waters. In addition, during the rainy months boats can easily flood and sink, causing serious spills. (More)

October 5 - Puget Sound businesses and agencies earn state's top environmental honor.
Three Puget Sound are companies and agencies were honored Oct. 9 for their success in moving Washington toward a more sustainable future. The winners received the 2007 Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Practices in a ceremony at the Capitol in Olympia. The award winners reduced or even eliminated their use of toxic materials, applied key principles of sustainability, and conserved resources that otherwise would have been consumed. The Puget Sound area winners were: Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in University Place; The Evergreen State College in Olympia; and Yelm Earth, an earthworm composting and castings farm in Yelm. (More)

October 5 - Lummi Island company earns state environmental honors.
Lummi Island Wild received the 2007 Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Practices in a ceremony at the state capitol on Oct. 9. The commercial fishing business is among 11 companies and agencies Washington is recognizing this year for their success in moving the state towards a more sustainable future. Lummi Island Wild, of Lummi Island, uses the ancient art of reefnet wild salmon fishing to help shape the future of the Pacific Northwest salmon fishery. They use selective and sustainable methods, catching only targeted species while returning protected or unwanted species to Puget Sound unharmed. The company's innovative live well system also helps protect vulnerable species while supplying fresh, sustainably caught salmon to market. The company also has mixed modern and traditional technology and became the world's first solar-powered fishery. They collaborated with Alpha Energy to install solar panels on the boats. The panels charge the batteries for the net winches. The salmon fishers are now "off the grid," and no longer risk a spill from carrying auto batteries across Puget Sound waters. (More)

October 3 - Public invited to share input on "footprint" project at Tacoma mill.
Ecology held a public meeting Oct. 9 so Tacoma-area residents could learn about and share their input on the "Industrial Footprint Project" at the Simpson Tacoma Kraft pulp and paper mill. The department and Simpson Tacoma Kraft are partnering on the unique project to measure the company's environmental, economic and social "footprint." The Tacoma pulp and paper mill has volunteered, along with three other mills in the state, to provide baseline data to Ecology on a range of indicators. A survey will be available on the Internet later this fall. Follow-up public meetings will be held in the spring. A final stakeholder involvement report for the project will be published in May 2008. (More)

October 1 - Emergency response tug coverage starts today at Neah Bay.
Crowley Maritime Corp. kicked off the 2007-08 winter season by stationing its emergency response and rescue tug at Neah Bay on Oct. 1. Crowley will station the tug at Neah Bay through mid-March 2008. Since spring 1999, response tugs have stood by or assisted 34 ships that were disabled or had reduced maneuvering or propulsion capability while transporting oil and other cargo along the coast and through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The actions helped ensure the ships didn't drift onto rocks and spill oil. Lawmakers made about $1.45 million available to fund the tug for about 165 days at $8,500 a day plus fuel. Ecology administers the response tug contract. This is the last winter season that the state has committed funding for the tug. (More) Back to top

September 2007

September 27 - Project to clean up Washington waters gets underway.
Cutting edge technology that removes toxic substances from stormwater runoff will be installed in three Washington boatyards in a new research project. The effort aims to protect water quality in Puget Sound and other nearby waters. The project was constructed in an agreement between the Northwest Marine Trade Association, the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and Ecology. The pilot project studies the new technology-based treatment in three boatyards to control levels of copper, lead and zinc found in the facilities' runoff into nearby bodies of water. Rain and surface water that runs through boatyards picks up debris from the yard and the surrounding areas. (More)

September 24 - Shell refinery spill under investigation; Tulalip Tribe contains marina spill.
Ecology is investigating the actions taken at the Shell Puget Sound Refinery near Anacortes that allowed oil to spray from a loose flange on the company's dock when a Shell Co. dock operator was trying to drain oil in a marine loading arm to the crude oil line. Approximately three gallons of crude oil mixed with other petroleum products spilled off the dock and entered Fildalgo Bay on Sept. 22. Shell has been under an Ecology administrative order since Feb. 28, 2007, to inspect all marine oil transfer pipelines that run from the dock to the refinery. Each transfer pipeline is approximately three miles long. The department issued the order after three small spills occurred between July 2006 and January 2007 due to external and internal corrosion in the refinery's lines. On a happier note, responders from the Tulalip Tribe contained a 70-gallon diesel fuel spill after the 65-foot fishing vessel Saint Nicholas sank at the Tulalip Marina near Marysville on Sept. 23. Using oil containment boom and other spill response equipment provided by Ecology earlier this year, tribal responders were able to place the boom around the ship and used absorbent materials to collect nearly all the fuel on the water. (More)

September 24 - Ecology funds Samish Tribe's study of Fidalgo Bay project.
The Samish Indian Nation will use money from Ecology to study how an old railroad causeway may impact habitat in Fidalgo Bay in Skagit County. The bay covers about 1,575 acres in the Anacortes area. It includes expansive native eelgrass beds and tide flats that support fish spawning and rearing. Fidalgo Bay also is home to bald eagles, blue herons, peregrine falcons, and a mix of shellfish from Dungeness crab to butter clams. The tribe will lead a remedial investigation and feasibility study on part of the 3,300-foot recreational Tommy Thompson Trail extending over Fidalgo Bay. The trail stretches from tribal property at Weaverling Spit to March Point. Originally, the entire length was a trestle made up of creosote pilings. At some point, 1,500 feet of rock causeway was placed over roughly half the creosote pilings; 770 pilings remain, leaching into the marine environment. The Samish believe removing the rock causeway and existing creosote pilings and replacing it with a more open, environmentally friendly support structure that continues to serve the public, will help improve eelgrass habitat by restoring more natural water flow and removing potential contamination. (More)

September 20 - Shellfish Aquaculture Regulatory Committee meets September 24.
The state committee charged with developing recommendations for shellfish aquaculture regulations held its third meeting on Sept. 24 in Olympia. The 14 committee members represent the shellfish industry, environmental community, shoreline property owners, local governments, tribes and the state departments of Agriculture, Ecology, Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources. The 2007 Legislature established the committee to develop an integrated regulatory process for current and new shellfish aquaculture projects, advise Ecology on new geoduck guidelines to assist local Shoreline Master Program updates, and oversee the intertidal geoduck research program. (More)

September 20 - Ecology issues final cleanup plan for Whatcom Waterway Site.
Ecology issues its final cleanup plan that addresses historic contamination at the Whatcom Waterway Site in Bellingham. The Whatcom Waterway Site cleanup plan calls for removing more than 500,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and sludge, capping in areas where future activities are unlikely to disturb bottom sediments, and long-term monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of the cleanup action. The cleanup plan is part of legal agreement, called a consent decree, among Ecology, the Port of Bellingham (Port), City of Bellingham, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and Meridian-Pacific, LLC. Ecology's cleanup plan for the Whatcom Waterway Site stems from a comprehensive 10-year investigation and assessment under state cleanup law. The plan will protect human health and the environment given Port and City land use plans for transitioning Bellingham's waterfront from existing heavy industrial uses to mixed-uses. The Whatcom Waterway Site is one of 11 cleanup sites on the waterfront being coordinated through the multi-agency cooperative partnership of the Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot. (More)

September 19 - Public invited to help set process for dredged spoil disposal.
State residents can help shape procedures for handling dioxin contamination in material dredged from the state's waterways. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ecology and state Department of Natural Resources jointly manage and regulate disposal of material from dredging projects. A joint group, the Dredged Material Management Program, held public meetings in Seattle, Lacey, Bellingham and Port Angeles. The program manages material dredged to maintain navigational waterways and berth depths filled in by natural sediments. Such dredging typically takes place at harbors, ports and marinas. Between 2000 and 2006, roughly 20 million cubic yards of material were dredged and disposed of at open-water disposal sites. Some dredged material contains dioxins, a group of chlorinated organic compounds identified as known human carcinogens. (More)

September 19 - Ecology repealing old spill rules, amending two existing rules.
The department started the process of repealing six spill prevention and preparedness rules that were replaced in October 2006 when the agency adopted its new oil transfer and oil spill contingency plan rules. Ecology is using the state's expedited rule process to repeal the old rules. The department did not repeal the rules last year, waiting until both new rules took full effect in September 2007. The agency also is amending several existing oil spill rules to be consistent with measures adopted by the 2007 Legislature. The first will change the definition of oil to include all types of oils including biologically-derived plant oils and fuels such as biodiesel, making the state's definition consistent with the federal definition of oil. The old definition was restricted to only "hydrocarbons coming from the earth." The second amendment will increase the per gallon ceiling amount of spilled oil from $50 to $100 that the state can assess to compensate Washington residents for injuries to state natural resources caused by an oil spill. (More)

September 13 - Ecology unveils first oil spill-response plan for Snohomish River basin.
The department has developed a series of response strategies designed to reduce adverse environmental effects from oil spills into the waters of the lower Snohomish River basin. The "site specific" response strategies are also known as "geographic response plans." In the event of an oil spill to the lower Snohomish Basin, the draft plan sets priorities on how spill response equipment and cleanup crews should be deployed to reduce impacts to identified sensitive natural, cultural, and significant economic resources. This is the first time that Ecology has developed a draft geographic response plan for the lower Snohomish River basin that covers the confluence of the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers to Possession Sound. (More)

September 13 - Seattle Times Op/Ed: Feds must live up to commitment to maintain failing logging roads.
Ecology Director Jay Manning writes: "There's an old saying that when you find yourself in a hole, you stop digging. Right now, our federal government is in a hole and is still digging. In doing so, it is turning its back on an agreement with Washington state to maintain and restore thousands of miles of decades-old, deteriorating logging roads in our national forests. Prolonged underfunding of forest road maintenance in our national forests has increased erosion and road failures, and the problem grows daily. Muddy water from failing and washed-out forest roads harms fish — including threatened and endangered runs of salmon — that need cold, clear water to thrive and reproduce." (More)

September 12 -Tacoma lumber firm penalized for water quality violations.
Ecology fined Manke Lumber of Tacoma $16,000 for violating terms of its stormwater permit which may have led to further contamination of the Hylebos Waterway. The sawmilling and wood pellet manufacturer operates on the industrial tideflats. Under the terms of its industrial stormwater permit, the company must develop a stormwater pollution prevention plan and use best management practices to keep pollution from entering the stormwater system and nearby Hylebos Waterway. The fine issued today results from the findings of two Ecology inspections conducted in September 2005 and June 2007. Both visits uncovered evidence that important actions to contain soil, wood debris and industrial fluids were not taken, proper stormwater monitoring and reporting was not being done and oil staining on the ground was evident at several locations throughout the worksite. (More)

September 6 - Removing contaminated sediment.
Cleanup is planned for contaminated area on Elliott Bay. King County's Wastewater Treatment Division will remove about an acre of contaminated sediment off Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle under a legal agreement with Ecology. The agency is seeking public comment on the agreed order - which contains the agreement - and two companion documents: an interim action work plan and a public participation plan. The comment period extends through Oct. 8, 2007. The contaminated area is just offshore at the former site of a combined sewer overflow pipe outfall, known as the Denny Way CSO, at 3165 Alaskan Way. The pipe discharged a mixture of stormwater and sewage that overflowed during heavy rains from Seattle's combined sewage and storm drain systems. A variety of chemicals and metals washed out and accumulated in nearby sediments. Work is scheduled to begin Nov. 15, and expected to last about 10 weeks. The project will occur during a Nov. 15-to-Feb. 15 "fish window" between migratory fish runs. (More)

September 5 - New state program offers $2.5 million to help local Puget Sound governments.
Local governments can tap Ecology funds to help protect Puget Sound. Since nearly 70 percent of the state's hazardous water generators are located within the 12 counties contiguous to Puget Sound, Ecology is offering small businesses technical assistance to reduce and prevent water pollution. The department has invited local governments to submit funding proposals under a partnership established this year by the Legislature to aid Puget Sound. Ecology expects to award eight to 12 "partnership agreements," ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 through June, 2009, depending on the response and available funds. Ecology expects to finalize partnership agreements in November. (More)

September 5 - Who's saving the Sound?
Two long-time Washington environmental activists honored. The state-and-provincial organization that coordinates oil spill prevention and response efforts in the Pacific region will honor two of Washington's long-time environmental activists for their tireless work in protecting Puget Sound. The Pacific States-British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force will present its 2007 Legacy Awards to Chad Bowechop, policy analyst for the Makah Tribal Nation and Chris Wilke of the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance - along with recipients from elsewhere in the region - at the organization's annual Clean Pacific Conference week in Seattle. The conference starts on Sept. 13 at 8:30 a.m. with a keynote address from Washington Governor Chris Gregoire's Chief of Staff, Tom Fitzsimmons. The Task Force comprises environmental agencies in Alaska, British Columbia, California, Oregon, Hawaii and Washington. The theme for this year's conference is "expanding partnerships in spill prevention, response, and port security." (More) Back to top

August 2007

August 29 - Oil spill readiness.
Ecology fines Greek shipping company for failure to have oil spill readiness plan. The Greek shipping firm Marmaras Navigation Co. Ltd. was fined $8,500 for operating a cargo vessel in Washington waters without a state-approved oil spill readiness plan. The penalty against Marmaras Navigation marks the first time Ecology has levied a fine under its new oil spill contingency plan rule adopted in October 2006. Ecology requires that cargo and passenger ships, tank vessels, oil storage facilities and pipeline companies demonstrate that they can mount an effective, timely response if they spill oil. The fine was based on the five days the ship was in Washington waters without coverage. Ecology could have levied a fine up to $100,000 a day. (More)

August 23 – Toxics cleanup.
No further cleanup action required. As part of its twice-a-year update of contaminated sites in Washington, Ecology listed 49 newly assessed sites in 22 counties to its list of hazardous sites targeted for cleanup. Although the department added nearly 50 properties for cleanup, Ecology also determined that 11 sites in the Puget Sound region needed no further action: Clallam County (1 site); Island County (1 site); Jefferson County (1 site); King County (1 site); Mason County (1 site); Pierce County (4 sites); and Thurston County (1 site). (More)

August 23 – Industrial Footprint Project.
Simpson Tacoma Kraft to measure environmental footprint. The Simpson Tacoma Kraft Co., LLC mill in Tacoma has made a voluntary commitment along with three other pulp and paper mills in the state to provide baseline data to Ecology on a range of environmental, economic and social indicators. The department will use the data to create a scoring system to establish a "footprint" measurement for each facility. The footprint will serve as a baseline to help companies set targets for improving over time. (More)

August 22 – Shellfish regulations.
Shellfish committee meets Aug. 27. The state committee charged with helping examine shellfish aquaculture regulations will hold its second meeting next week in Olympia. The Shellfish Aquaculture Regulatory Committee meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 27, from 12:45 to 4:30 p.m. in the John L. O'Brien Building, House Hearing Room A, 504 15th Ave., Olympia. (More)

August 21 – Health of Fidalgo Bay.
Sediment sampling begins in Fidalgo Bay. Ecology announced it will start work this week to characterize the health of Fidalgo Bay sediments. The department hired a contractor to determine the nature and extent of potential sediment contamination at the site. The contractor will collect samples during a three-week period from now through Sept. 7. Ecology anticipates receiving the completed study in January 2008. Other bays targeted for accelerated cleanup include: Port Gardner at Everett; Port Gamble in Kitsap County; Oakland Bay in Mason County; Dumas Bay and the Lower Duwamish Waterway in King County; Port Angeles in Clallam County; and Budd Inlet in Thurston County. (More)

August 20 – Watershed integration grants.
Puget Sound watershed restoration and protection grants. Ecology has awarded $50,000 each to 14 Puget Sound watershed groups to help the groups weave together the many protection and restoration plans already in place within each watershed. There are 14 river systems or watersheds that drain to the Puget Sound region. Together the grants total $700,000 and are part of Gov. Chris Gregoire's efforts to restore Puget Sound. Watershed organizations that will receive the grants are: Duwamish-Green; East Kitsap; Hood Canal; Island County; Kennedy-Goldsborough and Deschutes; Lake Washington/Cedar-Sammamish; Nisqually; Nooksack; North Olympic; Puyallup-White and Chambers-Clover; San Juan; Skagit; Snohomish; and Stillaguamish. (More)

August 16 – Reclaimed water.
Grants offered to help Puget Sound governments reclaim water In a first-ever effort, the state is offering $5.4 million in grants to help local governments in the 12 Puget Sound counties reclaim water and help Puget Sound. Reclaiming, or re-using, water means using human-engineered treatment systems to speed up nature's restoration of water quality. Treatment allows wastewater to be cleansed and re-used in many non-drinking uses in landscapes, public parks, and to irrigate golf courses. Reclaimed water may also be used in agricultural and industrial uses, for toilet flushing, dust control, construction activities, and to create wetlands and ponds. (More)

August 16 – Dioxin contamination.
Budd Inlet dioxin contamination investigation. The investigation into the cause and extent of dioxin contamination in Olympia's Budd Inlet is expanding to include further sediment analysis and possibly more sampling. Elevated levels of dioxins were found in Budd Inlet sediments in 2006 during the Port of Olympia's preparations to dredge its shipping berths. Dioxins, which are common in the environment, are believed to have potential health risks for humans. Ecology's cleanup efforts in Budd Inlet are part of Gov. Gregoire's Puget Sound Initiative to restore Puget Sound to a healthy condition by 2020. (More)

August 15 – Water quality violation.
Ecology fines Whatcom County Fire District 18. Ecology fined the Whatcom County Fire District 18 $21,000 for allowing soil to erode into Lake Whatcom during un-permitted construction activities. The lake provides drinking water for approximately 95,000 people. The lake is already considered an impaired water body under the federal Clean Water Act. The fire district was fined after clearing vegetation along the shoreline behind the Sedro Woolley fire station. The bank was removed and soil entered the lake along the shoreline. Wave action caused the exposed soil to erode into south Lake Whatcom. (More)

August 15 – Oil spill.
Tacoma oil refinery fined for leaky pipes. Ecology fined the U.S. Oil and Refining Co. $10,000 after a leaking pipeline saturated the ground at its Tacoma refinery near Blair Waterway in Tacoma. Ecology inspectors found a hairline crack after the company excavated its 16-inch crude oil line. About 6,552 gallons of crude oil were recovered at the location. The refinery is in the tide flats within the Port of Tacoma. Depending on the time of year, the water table below the refinery and its pipelines ranges from one to two feet below the surface to eight to 12 feet. Therefore, leaks from buried pipelines can potentially contaminate groundwater at least six to 10 months a year. (More)

August 9 – Water pollution prevention.
Fighting stormwater pollution. Ecology is offering grants, workshops, and a new educational brochure to help local governments tackle stormwater, the state's largest source of urban water pollution. Polluted stormwater from runoff is a major threat to urban waters because it carries a toxic blend of pollution downstream into lakes, rivers and marine waters. Uncontrolled stormwater can carry muddy water downstream and suffocate salmon and trout and their egg nests. It can also cause flooding and slope failures that threaten people's homes and the environment. The department is providing about $7 million for local stormwater programs in the Puget Sound region. (More)

August 3 – Industrial footprint project.
Nippon Paper Industries USA agrees to measure environmental footprint. Nippon Industries USA, Co. in Port Angeles has made a voluntary commitment to provide baseline data to Ecology on a range of environmental, economic and social indicators. The department will use the data to create a scoring system to establish a "footprint" measurement for the Nippon facility. The footprint will serve as a baseline to help companies set targets for improving over time. (More)

August 3 – Water supplies.
Peninsula residents learn about water supply problems, solutions. Population growth, over-allocation of water, saltwater intrusion on groundwater, and naturally occurring low flows in streams and creeks are among factors stressing local water supplies in the Quilcene-Snow watershed. Ecology hosted a second forum regarding the challenges of managing water in the basin so there is enough water in the future for people, farms and fish. Ecology is working to adopt an instream flow rule to establish water rights for streams that extend to fish and other instream resources. An instream flow rule specifies the amount of water needed at a particular stream location on a month-to-month basis, and does not affect existing water rights. (More) Back to top

July 2007

July 31 – Water pollution.
Seattle fined for sewage discharge. Ecology fined the city of Seattle $12,000 for an April overflow of sewage into Lake Washington. The sewage overflow occurred as a result of a pump failure. The overflow went undetected from April 5 to April 8 due to malfunctions of the pump station alarm and the overflow notification system. With the underground pump out of operation, wastewater entered an overflow line that discharges into Lake Washington. Wastewater also overflowed into the lake from another nearby outfall. (More)

July 27 – Toxics cleanup.
Clean soils improve children's safety at local schools. Ecology along with Nautilus Elementary (Federal Way School District) and Cherrydale Elementary (Steilacoom School District), will begin removing, replacing and capping arsenic- and lead-contaminated soils at the schools to make sure children return to safe play areas this fall. Projects were completed at nine other elementary schools and one child care center in late spring. The program is part of Ecology's efforts to tackle a 1,000-square-mile plume of arsenic and lead contamination left by the former Asarco Smelter on the north side of Tacoma in Ruston. (More)

July 26 – Improving water quality.
State passes along $113 million for clean waters, including Puget Sound. Ecology (Ecology) is sending $113 million in grants and loans to cities, counties, tribes and conservation districts working to improve and protect dozens of waters across Washington, including Puget Sound. The funding pays for projects like wastewater treatment (sewer) plant upgrades, sewer collection system improvements, on-site septic system repairs and replacements and water reclamation and reuse facilities. Mason County will use $13.6 million to build a new wastewater treatment plant and receive $3 million design a reclaimed water system in Belfair. Kitsap County will receive $3 million to assist homeowners in repairing on-site sewage systems along Hood Canal and another $250,000 to identify sources of human and animal waste and eliminate or reduce harm to shellfish at the mouth of Jump Off Joe Creek. Friday Harbor will get $5.6 million to replace and relocate a leaky underwater sewer line. Jefferson County will receive $500,000 to improve on-site sewage systems and agricultural practices to benefit water quality at commercial shellfish beaches in Discovery Bay. Olympia will receive a $250,000 to help financially challenged owners who own on-site septic systems to connect to a sewer system. (More)

July 25 – Water quality study.
Researchers use dye to test water in Soos Creek, nearby streams. As part of a water-quality study of Soos Creek and nearby streams, Ecology placed a pinkish dye in the water to trace the movement and mixing of water in the streams. Scientists are particularly concerned about dissolved oxygen levels in the streams during the summer dry months. The tests were conducted at various places on Big Soos, Little Soos, Jenkins, Covington, and Soosette creeks. The creeks flow through unincorporated King County and cities of Black Diamond, Covington, Kent and Maple Valley, and converge into the Green River. Water from the creeks eventually enters Puget Sound via the Green and Duwamish rivers at Elliott Bay in Seattle. (More)

July 25 – Water quality improvement.
State dollars help Puget Sound residents improve, replace failing septic systems. Homeowners and small businesses in seven counties bordering Puget Sound and Hood Canal are taking advantage of a $4.2 million program provided by Ecology to help residents repair, replace or improve their existing onsite septic systems. Unwanted nutrients in Puget Sound fuel algae growth. When algae die, they consume oxygen. Low oxygen levels in water can suffocate fish and other sea life, and contribute to the growing dead zones in Hood Canal. Malfunctioning septic systems are linked to shellfish bed closures due to high levels of bacteria. Recipients include: Hood Canal Coordinating Council ($601,807) and includes Jefferson, Kitsap and Mason counties and Port Gamble S'Klallam and Skokomish tribal governments; Skagit County ($409,723); Island County ($121,000); Thurston County ($183,735); and Pierce County ($433,735). (More)

July 16 – Water supplies.
Forum invites community comments on water management. Ecology conducted the second of three forums for residents of the northeast Olympic Peninsula and others interested in managing water for people, farms and fish in the Quilcene-Snow watershed. The forums were targeted so residents could learn more about how population growth, low summer and fall river flows and other factors affect water supply in the watershed. Previous work to create instream flow rules for the Quilcene-Snow watershed experienced a few hiccups. The community did not feel adequately included in the first rulemaking attempt, so it was suspended in 2005. Ecology started over with a renewed focus on public involvement and outreach for residents of Jefferson and Clallam counties. (More)

July 13 – Toxics cleanup.
State invites public review of Whatcom Waterway site cleanup plan. The Whatcom Waterway is one of 11 cleanup sites on the Bellingham Bay waterfront being coordinated through the multi-agency cooperative partnership of the Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot. Sediments at the waterway site, which includes properties adjacent to the former Georgia Pacific (GP) paper mill on Bellingham Bay, contain mercury and other contaminants at levels that exceed state cleanup standards. Ecology initiated cleanup with GP in 1996. Between 1996 and 2000, GP closed several of its operations. In 2005, the Port of Bellingham (Port) acquired GP-owned property within the waterway site. The Port acquired the property to develop a portion into a marina and to convert another portion from existing industrial uses to mixed uses. Due to these planned use changes, Ecology issued supplemental environmental documents in October 2006 evaluating eight different cleanup options for the site. Ecology received 162 comments during that public review period. Ecology used the supplemental environmental documents and considered the public comments it received to determine that a combination of dredging and capping, with long-term monitoring and use restrictions is the cleanup that is permanent and to the greatest extent practical under state law. (More)

July 12 – Preventing oil spills.
Crowley Maritime Corp. agrees to extend winter rescue tug coverage. Crowley Maritime Corp. has agreed to continue a contract with Ecology o station a company emergency response tug at Neah Bay for winter 2007-08. A rescue tug has been stationed at Neah Bay since spring 1999. The tug has stood by or assisted 34 ships that were disabled or had reduced maneuvering or propulsion capability while transporting oil and other cargo along the coast and through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The actions helped ensure the ships didn't drift onto rocks and spill oil. Crowley will station the tug starting Oct. 1, 2007, through mid-March, 2008. Lawmakers made about $1.45 million available to fund the tug for 168 days at $8,750 a day. (More)

July 5 – Toxics cleanup.
State invites public review of cleanup plan for UNOCAL Edmonds. Ecology began seeking public comment on several environmental reports concerning the cleanup of the Unocal Bulk Fuel Terminal site in Edmonds. Several Ecology documents including the remedial investigation report, supplemental investigation report and agreed order for interim action are all currently available for public review. The agreed order includes a work plan for cleanup actions to begin July 16 and a public participation plan as well as State Environmental Policy Act documents. Cleanup activities at the Unocal site, located at 11720 Unoco Road, Edmonds, have been ongoing since 2001. The reports address the next phase of cleanup designed to remove petroleum and metal-contaminated soils and monitor groundwater quality. (More) Back to top

June 2007

June 29 – Ecology Finishes Response Equipment Deliveries. In Puget Sound, 35 local and tribal governments are now better prepared to deal with oil spills thanks to a $1.45 million grant program authorized by the 2006 Legislature and administered by the Ecology. Governor Chris Gregoire said the project already has demonstrated its value. Local first responders have deployed the new spill response equipment on at least seven occasions, helping prevent greater damage to the environment. (More)

June 29 – Clean Marinas Campaign. July Fourth is typically a busy time for boaters and marinas in Puget Sound and this year many marinas are promoting higher standards to help keep Washington waters clean. More marina operators are expecting boat owners to help protect the environment around the marinas. Fuel spills, boat maintenance and repairs, disposal of hazardous materials, bilge care, and managing sewage and food waste are among the potential environmental hazards from boaters. For example Stimson Marina in Seattle provides facilities so boat owners can dispose of oil and other hazardous waste properly. (More)

June 28 – Dangerous Waste Violations. Ecology fined Philip Services Corp. $76,000 for improperly handling a dangerous waste shipment last year at the company's Burlington Environmental, Inc. treatment and storage facility in Kent. The incident involved an 18,000 pound shipment of dangerous waste from a Tacoma wood-products company. Company staff did not use information supplied by the Tacoma firm that described the shipment's contents. As a result, the liquids underwent treatment intended for less hazardous materials. (More)

June 11 – Stormwater Discharge Violation. Ecology issued a $15,725 penalty against Tacoma Metals, a recycling operation on the industrial tide flats of Commencement Bay. The company recycles nonferrous (without iron) metals such as copper, lead and zinc. It also processes a small amount of cardboard and computer components. Regular testing of stormwater discharge is required to check for any contamination and allow the company to take corrective steps if needed. (More)

June 6 – Agreement Reached With Fort Lewis. Ecology and Fort Lewis forged a new agreement to eliminate potential discharges of hazardous wastes to the Fort's wastewater treatment plant. The agreement outlines the steps and timeline Fort Lewis will follow to develop and implement a pretreatment program for any industrial wastes generated by the Fort and other potential sources that use the garrison's wastewater treatment plant. A pretreatment program will intercept, capture and appropriately manage industrial wastes, providing an even stronger measure of protection for wastewater that eventually drains to Puget Sound. (More) Back to top

May 2007

May 23 – Water Quality Violations. Ecology fined the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) and PCL Construction Services (PCL) $79,000 for water-quality and permit violations along the Tukwila portion of the Central Link light rail line under construction between Sea-Tac Airport and Seattle. The agency documented numerous violations from October 2006, through March of this year in Tukwila. The most significant of these - accounting for $40,000 of the penalty - was the project's lack of an adequate stormwater pollution prevention plan, which the state requires. (More)

May 22 – Everett Smelter Site Cleanup. Contractors for Ecology returned to northeast Everett to remove soil – contaminated a century ago by the former ASARCO smelter nearby – from the yards of private homes. Ecology has ordered work around 10 homes along Bridgeway through the summer, adding to the 47 yards cleaned from 1999 through 2003. An additional 34 properties will be surveyed over the summer for possible future cleanups. Ecology has spent more than $3 million on removing contaminated soil from properties that were not part of the smelter. (More)

May 21 – Wastewater Treatment Plants Receive Recognition. Ecology recognized 25 different s wastewater treatment plants for perfect performances in 2006 to keep Washington's waters clean. The 2006 award winners include Island County (two plants), Jefferson County (two), King County (one), Kitsap County (four), Pierce County (six) San Juan County (one), Skagit County (two), Snohomish County (five), and Whatcom County (two). (More)

May 16 – Tire Pile Cleanup. Ecology hired private cleanup contractors to remove tire piles in Thurston and Jefferson counties. Due to their petroleum content, tires pose a serious risk to surface and groundwater sources, especially if they catch on fire. (More)

May 14 – Oil Spill Violation. Ecology issued a $4,000 penalty to the owner of a boat that caused the August 2005 Harborview Marina fire in Gig Harbor. The fire resulted in millions of dollars in property damage and involved more than 6,000 gallons of fuel and lube oil from the other boats moored at the marina. Most of the fuel was recovered but Ecology estimates at least 450 gallons of diesel, gasoline and lube oil contaminated Gig Harbor. (More)

May 8 – Water Quality Violation. Ecology fined the Darigold, Inc. operation in Lynden $95,000 for repeatedly violating water-quality permit requirements. Darigold failed to follow proper operating, maintenance and notification procedures during a February 2007 milk spill that discharged polluted water to the city of Lynden. The spill caused the wastewater treatment plant to malfunction, resulting in the release of polluted and mostly untreated sewage to the Nooksack River. (More)

May 3 – Managing Water. Ecology hosted forums in Quilcene and Chimacum to highlight watershed challenges, tap residents for opinions who reside in the Quilcene-Snow watershed in Jefferson and Clallam counties. The meetings provided an opportunity for people to learn more about water supplies in the watershed and share their views on ways to manage water for the community's unique needs. (More)

May 3 – Spill Prevention. The state-commissioned rescue tug at Neah Bay finished a busy 2006-07 season with a last-minute assist for an oil tanker. After the May 3 assist, the tug will stop providing service until next fall to rescue at-risk ocean-going vessels. The tug was used or put on notice to assist four times during the 2006-07 season, and has been dispatched 34 times since 1999. (More)

May 1 – Sediment Contamination. The Jorgensen Forge Corp. will study its industrial south Seattle property along the Lower Duwamish Waterway to investigate whether the company's property is an ongoing source of sediment contamination in the river. Pollutants identified in Duwamish sediments include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and metals, including arsenic, lead, copper, and zinc. (More) Back to top

April 2007

April 27 – Improving Water Quality. Ecology sought public comment on a water quality improvement plan in the Stillaguamish watershed. The department and many partners have identified pollutants and developed the plan to improve oxygen levels, bacteria concentrations, and water temperatures in the Stillaguamish River and its tributaries. The river basin fails to meet several state water-quality standards due to a variety of reasons. (More)

April 24 – Stormwater Control. Ecology announced it settled a 2005 penalty for water quality violations at the Skagit Highlands neighborhood under construction in eastern Mount Vernon. The contractor agreed to pay the $14,000 fine will be paid. Construction management practices and technologies have been adopted to ensure that runoff discharged from the site meets state permit standards. (More)

April 24 – Low Impact Development. Green building advocates from Oregon, Washington northern Idaho and British Columbia met in Seattle for the Cascadia Strategic Collaboration Initiative. They identified the most pressing issues facing the sustainable building movement and mapped out 10-year action plan promoting environmentally friendly building practices. Ecology, Portland's Office of Sustainable Development and the Cascadia Region Green Building Council sponsored the event. (More)

April 20 – Promoting Citizen Education. Ecology announced it has expanded its Coastal Atlas website to include satellite data, more information on Puget Sound shoreline features, a series of photos taken between the 1940s and 2000s. The updated site gives users the ability to view land changes throughout Puget Sound. (More)

April 18 – Preventing Small Oil Spills. Ecology urged boaters to go "clean and green" during the 2007 boating season. More than 270,000 boats are registered in Washington but a sinking boat can threaten lives and contaminate Puget Sound region waters. The agency highlighted six maintenance steps that boaters can take to be safe and avoid small oil spills. (More)

April 12 – Preventing Pipeline Oil Spills. The Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force hosted an all-day roundtable meeting in Portland on April 24 to discuss regional preparations to prevent and respond to oil spills from pipelines. Ecology is the Washington member agency of the task force. (More)

April 10 – Toxic Cleanup. Residents and other interested parties were invited to review and comment on documents related to cleanup efforts at the Cap Sante Marine site in Fidalgo Bay at Anacortes. The documents are part of an agreement Ecology and the Port of Anacortes, the site's owner. (More)

April 5 – Sediment Contamination. Ecology invited public comment on a plan to study the extent of dioxin contamination in Olympia's Budd Inlet. Elevated levels of dioxins were found in the inlet's sediments last year when the Port of Olympia was making plans to dredge its shipping channel. Dioxins pose potential health risks to humans, including the possibility of cancer. (More)

April 4 – Lagoon Cleanup. A former settling pond, once used by the City of Snohomish to treat waste water, will undergo cleanup this spring and summer under a settlement agreement between the city and Ecology. The city has agreed to pay $25,000 of an $180,000 fine for failing to treat or remove biosolids left behind after the 25-acre lagoon's closure in 1996. The city closed its lagoon in 1996 when it constructed a new wastewater treatment plant. (More) Back to top

March 2007

March 23 – Spill Prevention. Washington companies and operators that transfer oil over water to non-recreational vessels got some unanticipated help this month on successfully complying with Ecology's new oil transfer rules, adopted in September 2006. The agency estimates that on average more than 31 million gallons of oil are transferred over water every day in Washington. (More)

March 20 – Karcher Creek Sewer District in Kitsap County received a $10,500 fine for applying and storing biosolids material without proper permits. Biosolids, the residual solid material generated during the wastewater or sewage treatment process, are suitable for land application. Both the biosolids material and the land on which is can be applied are regulated and monitored by Ecology. (More)

March 12 – Illegal Stormwater Discharge. Ecology levied a $12,230 fine to Quality Rock Products of Olympia for failing to take corrective actions to prevent muddy runoff from its mining operations from flowing into a salmon-bearing tributary of McClane Creek. (More)

March 8 – Illegal Stormwater Discharge. Ecology fined JPS Holdings of Normandy Park $21,000 for discharging stormwater from its Christelle Ridge construction project in Renton without first obtaining a construction stormwater permit which outlines proper pollution controls. Muddied water from the site drained via a roadside ditch into May Creek, a salmon-bearing stream that flows to Lake Washington. (More)

March 7 – Elwha Dam Removal. Ecology issued a critical water quality permit certifying that the dam removal and related ecosystem restoration project will meet state water quality standards and other water protection regulations. The Elwha River project is considered to be the most important salmon recovery project in the state. (More) Back to top

February 2007

Feb. 27 – Spill Response. Gov. Chris Gregoire announced that $1.45 million for oil spill response and protection equipment has been allocated to communities across Washington. By June 2007, oil containment boom, absorbent materials, personal protective gear and support equipment will be placed in 99 strategic locations across Washington, including 35 Puget Sound locations. The department also will train 750 local first responders. (More)

Feb. 23 – Toxic sites. Ecology added 17 new hazardous sites planned for cleanup in the 12 counties bordering Puget Sound. The department also determined that no further action was required at 12 Puget Sound sites and two sites in Snohomish were removed from the state's cleanup list. (More)

Feb. 22 – Cruiseship Wastewater. Ecology, Port of Seattle and NorthWest Cruiseship Association reached an accord to cover state administrative costs for administering an environmental agreement that limits and tracks wastewater discharges from large cruise liners. Last year, Ecology spent about $47,500 to inspect the wastewater treatment systems aboard the large ships, collect and test wastewater samples, review records, monitor compliance and prepare reports. The agreement helps ensure that Ecology can continue its environmental work with cruise ships agreement, adding protection to Puget Sound and Washington's marine waters. The Port of Seattle expects 18 cruise ships to make 189 port calls in Seattle this year. (More)

Feb. 21 – Public Input. Ecology announced it is seeking public comments on a revised Industrial Stormwater General Permit that increases protection of Washington waters, and is easier for permit holders to read and understand. The permit regulates industrial facilities that discharge stormwater into surface waters and into storm sewers. The permit primarily regulates runoff from industrial activities, materials and loading docks. This permit is one of the state's key tools to protect water quality in Puget Sound. Approximately 70 percent of permit holders discharge stormwater in the 12 counties that border Puget Sound. Unmanaged, polluted stormwater runoff is the state's largest source of urban water pollution. (More)

Feb. 15 – Environmental Excellence. Dale Anderson, one of the state's earliest proponents of green building, received the state's highest environmental award from Ecology. The award recognizes individuals, businesses and organizations that have shown leadership, innovation or extraordinary service in protecting, improving or cleaning up the environment. The Tacoma-based architect has been a pioneer and a leader in Washington's green building movement. The concepts of sustainable design will play a valuable role in helping restore and preserve Puget Sound. (More)

Feb. 14 – Coastal Wetlands. Ecology is using $1.47 million in federal grants to help local partners return nearly 500 acres of critical and increasingly rare coastal wetland habitat back to their natural conditions. Ecology and the Lummi Indian Nation will invest $705,355 to restore and conserve 250 acres of Smuggler's Slough wetlands in Whatcom County which will restore important salmon habitat. The agency also is working in partnership with the Jefferson Land Trust and the Northwest Watershed Institute to invest $770,000 to acquire 124 acres of Lower Tarboo Creek in the Tarboo-Dabob Bay watershed in Jefferson County. (More)

Feb. 1 – Spills Response. After four small oil spills in seven months, Ecology ordered the Shell Puget Sound Refinery near Anacortes to inspect all of its oil transfer lines and related equipment. Under an administrative order issued Jan. 30, Shell will report back to Ecology on the problems it has identified and how the company intends to fix them. In 2006, the refinery reported two small gasoline spills. Ecology spill prevention engineers found that external pipeline corrosion had weakened portions of the three-mile long oil transfer lines that run between the refinery's tanks and the dock where oil is transferred to and from oil tankers and fuel barges. On Jan. 27, five gallons of crude oil leaked from one of the refinery's pipeline segments under the loading dock. Ecology determined that that the spill occurred due to internal pipeline corrosion. On Jan. 30, about one gallon of oil spilled into Fidalgo Bay during marine transfer operations. That spill was not related to pipeline corrosion but is under investigation. (More) Back to top

January 2007

Jan. 16 – Municipal Stormwater. Ecology is enlisting additional help from more cities and counties in Western Washington to tackle stormwater runoff, the state's largest source of urban water pollution. Polluted stormwater is a major threat to Puget Sound since it carries a toxic stew of pollution downstream into the state's lakes, rivers and marine waters. Uncontrolled stormwater can carry muddy water downstream that can suffocate salmon and salmon egg nests as well as cause flooding and slope failures that threaten people's homes and the environment. Under the state's new "Phase II" municipal stormwater permit, Ecology will require 81 cities and five counties in Western Washington, where stormwater has not been previously regulated, to develop and use a stormwater management program to control stormwater discharges. The program also includes controls on new development and re-development to ensure stormwater runoff is properly managed to prevent pollution. (More)

Jan. 12 – Spills Prevention. Backup generators proved a wise investment for many businesses this winter. However, the storms also pointed out that seasonal equipment needs year-round attention, inspection and maintenance. Ecology and local officials reminded businesses that formal spill prevention and cleanup plans are required for emergency generator fuel tanks. The need for spill prevention and cleanup plans was highlighted after an unknown amount of diesel fuel made its way into the Thea Foss Waterway over the course of several days. Tacoma Public Works inspectors determined that the fuel had seeped came from above ground standby generators operated by the Key Bank Operations Center in Tacoma and entered the waterway through the city's stormwater system. (More)