Bellingham Bay Cleanup - North Sound Baykeeper - RE Sources for Sustainable Communities - one of the premier non-profit environmental education organizations in the Northwest offering a variety of community education programs that focus on waste reduction and recycling, fresh and marine water quality and air quality, and sustainable business practices.


	The Bellingham Bay Cleanup Monitoring clean ups of contaminated sites
	The North Sound Baykeeper has written a series of articles below on the planning processes around Bellingham Bay and its implications for cleanup.
		CLICK HERE to jump to the bottom of this page to learn how to be involved in preserving habitat in Bellingham’s central waterfront area. Related North Sound Baykeeper links: Read letters from the Baykeeper regarding the City of Bellingham Waterfront Redevelopment proposals Comments on the April 12, 2006 draft of the City of Bellingham, Shoreline Master Program
	How Much Does Clean Up Cost? Cascadia Weekly, 10/28/06 Cleanup in the Whatcom Waterway and ASB October-November Issue, 2006 Whatcom Watch The hot topic in Bellingham is the cleanup of mercury-contaminated sediments from the Whatcom Waterway and from Georgia-Pacific’s former treatment lagoon, known as the ASB. As the North Sound Baykeeper, I’ve been closely tracking and commenting on the many aspects of this issue, including the various cleanup... Click here for the full story at: http://www.whatcomwatch.org/php/WW_open.php?id=757 State’s Cleanup vs. RE Sources’ Position October-November lssue, 2006 Whatcom Watch The Ecology remedy caIIs for capping contamination in the Whatcom Waterway (with Iimited dredging) and dredging it in the ASB. AIthough capping in the Whatcom Waterway is cheaper, it is a far Iess protective soIution than dredging and removaI. We ask that the protective solution of ... Click here for the full story at: http://www.whatcomwatch.org/php/WW_open.php?id=758 Understanding Cleanup Choices Cascadia Weekly - 9/20/06 It’s time to clean up the mercury in Bellingham Bay Cascadia Weekly, 8/30/06 Bellingham Bay Cleanup: The Whatcom Waterway, the Upland, and the ASB Cascadia Weekly, 8/9/06 `·.¸¸ ><((((º>.·´¯`·><((((º>`·.¸¸ ><((((º>.·´¯`·><((((º> Whatcom Waterway: The Next Chapter (February 2006) Now is the time for the cleanup of the Whatcom Waterway. Now that waterfront redevelopment has momentum. Now that the Port of Bellingham is looking to redevelop the Georgia-Pacific (G-P) treatment lagoon into a marina. Now that investors are interested. Finally, we’re ready to clean up the mess. http://www.whatcomwatch.org/php/WW_open.php?id=658 Learn about the familiar toxicant mercury and what it has in common with less well known chemicals that populate our every day lives. (January 05) PBT? What does it mean? PBT is a fairly well-known acronym in circles of people who think environmental toxicology is a perfectly normal thing to talk about over lunch. PBT stands for Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxin. Okay-that's what it stands for-what does it mean? PBTs are long-lived chemicals or metals that accumulate in animal tissue and that are toxic. Simple and straightforward; they are everywhere. This article will highlight a few PBTs and what we can do about them. The specific PBTs that will be discussed are mercury (past legacy), flame retardants (present regulations) and polyvinyl chloride (future concern). http://www.whatcomwatch.org/php/WW_open.php?id=504 `·.¸¸ ><((((º>.·´¯`·><((((º>`·.¸¸ ><((((º>.·´¯`·><((((º> Follow the story of the relationship between land use, land ownership, and the implications for and pollution cleanup at the Whatcom Waterway and Georgia-Pacific treatment lagoon. (July 04) The Georgia-Pacific (G-P) wastewater treatment lagoon is a hot commodity. One wouldn't think it, to look at it, but it's true. The beginning of the lagoon story starts back in 1978, when G-P was court-ordered to construct a pond to treat its mill waste. Back then, G-P's effluent had severely contaminated the Whatcom Waterway-leaving it nearly lifeless, with sediments containing 0.5 to 37 ug/g of mercury. (For some perspective, the minimum cleanup level for mercury in sediments is 0.59 ug/g.) After 1979, the lagoon was used as a standard part of G-P's waste treatment system, and it, too, is contaminated with mercury. http://www.whatcomwatch.org/php/WW_open.php?id=445 `·.¸¸ ><((((º>.·´¯`·><((((º>`·.¸¸ ><((((º>.·´¯`·><((((º> Explore the Waterfront Futures Group planning process and citizen response in these two part articles. (Dec 03, Jan 04) The city of Bellingham and Port of Bellingham recognized there was redevelopment potential when Georgia-Pacific (G-P) permanently shut down its centrally located waterfront pulp mill in 2001. This closure presented an opportunity to rethink, revitalize, and reconnect the waterfront, and to potentially get a cheap, centrally located marina by redesign and reuse of G-P's treatment lagoon. (Dec 03) http://www.whatcomwatch.org/php/WW_open.php?id=348 The closure of Georgia-Pacific's pulp and chemical operation signals the end of a heavy industrial era on Bellingham Bay. The city now has the opportunity to develop a cohesive waterfront plan that integrates ecosystem function with economic viability and aesthetic enjoyment. Simply bringing such a vision into focus presents a daunting task. Translating these ideas into physical reality will be a huge challenge. We recognize this work will need to include the entire community and continue for the long term-perhaps a hundred years and more. (Jan 04) http://www.whatcomwatch.org/php/WW_open.php?id=373 NEW WHATCOM REDEVELOPMENT: How to be involved in preserving habitat in Bellingham’s central waterfront area: Learn more Sign up on the Baykeeper’s News & Events list to get weekly updates on the waterfront goings on, plus other marine related news and events around the County. Email sign-up: waters@re-sources.org Check out the New Whatcom Website: www.newwhatcom.org Participate in the City of Bellingham Shoreline Master program update: The Shoreline Master Program will dictate development regulations around the City’s shorelines, including those around New Whatcom. Attend the next public hearing on the Draft Shoreline Master Program: The draft plan is available at : www.cob.org/pcd/planning/environment.htm Visit the Baykeeper’s web page to view comment letters Participate in the Whatcom Waterway cleanup public comment period The Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study (RI/FS) is an important decision-making document that will come from the Washington State Department of Ecology in late June or early July. It will give background information on the cleanup, compare cleanup options and select a preferred cleanup remedy. When the RI/FS becomes available for public review, it is important to review and comment on it, because public comment can influence the remedy. Ask for a solution with the best cleanup and habitat benefits. For information on the Whatcom Waterway cleanup see Ecology’s website: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/tcp/sites/whatcom/ww.htm Check out the Baykeeper’s web page for comments on the cleanup and the RI/FS Participate in the New Whatcom Development Master Plan The Master Plan, developed by the Port and City, with input from the public will provide the base plan for the New Whatcom area. This plan will include whether a marina will be present within the GP treatment lagoon, and the location and size of major transportation routes, parks, restoration projects, and trails. After numerous meeting and draft plans in early 2006, and a summer hiatus, expect revised planning documents and new meetings to start in September, with an expected decision on the final plan in late fall. See the public comment calendar and more information at: www.newwhatcom.org/public-involvement.htm Check out the Baykeeper’s web page for comments on the New Whatcom draft plans: www.re-sources.org/baykeeper.htm -------- The North Sound Baykeeper is your local advocate for the protection and conservation of marine waters in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. The North Sound Baykeeper is a project of RE Sources, a local not-for-profit organization, dedicated to providing education about local environmental issues, assisting the public in identifying and solving local environmental problems, and to demonstrating environmentally viable business practices. Events and Opportunities listings are provided to the interested community as a service of the North Sound Baykeeper The North Sound Baykeeper is funded by private giving dollars. To help support the North Sound Baykeeper project, send a check to North Sound Baykeeper, RE Sources, 1155 N. State St., suite 623, Bellingham, WA, 98225. Specify Baykeeper in the subject line.

Understanding Cleanup Choices Cascadia Weekly - 9/20/06

Understanding Cleanup Choices
Cascadia Weekly - 9/20/06