New career opportunities with the Wastewater Operator-in-Training Program

Ecology is growing the operator certification training program by adding three new Operator-in-Training levels.

Recently, we announced awards for the top-performing wastewater treatment plants and their operators. This week, we are excited to announce new career opportunities are now available through our Operator-in-Training (OIT) program.

Why Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators matter

Anything that goes down the sink or toilet ends up at a wastewater treatment plant (treatment plant).  Treatment plants are the frontlines of public health and environmental safety as they work around the clock to clean up our wastewater before it goes into Washington's rivers, lakes, streams, and Puget Sound.

Wastewater treatment operator drawing by 

James R Davis, Senior Gardener for South 

King County Wastewater Treatment Plant 

Wastewater treatment plant operators are the unsung heroes, responsible for ensuring treatment plants keep functioning properly and cleaning the wastewater. These operators have an undeniably important role in keeping Washington’s waters clean.

“Washington’s growing population creates a greater need for wastewater treatment every day. Talented and proficient plant operators are critical to meeting this challenge,” said Ecology Water Quality Program Manager Heather Bartlett. “There are jobs to be had, and we encourage people to go into this field to help serve the public and protect the environment.”

Because their work is so critical to the protection of public health and the environment, Ecology certifies wastewater treatment plant operators to help ensure that they are knowledgeable and able to properly operate and maintain wastewater treatment plants. We certify operators based on wastewater operating experience, relevant experience, and education. We are growing our operator certification training program by adding three new Operator in Training (OIT) Group Levels. 

Why Add Operator in Training Group Levels?

Ecology added new OIT Group levels II-IV to incentivize and encourage entry into, and growth within, the profession. This program creates more pathways for operators to advance to higher group levels. It also helps managers at treatment plants to plan for their most experienced operators’ retirements.

How did we design the OIT levels? 

We listened to operators. In 2018, we conducted a survey and formed a stakeholder Rule Advisory Committee (RAC). The RAC—made up of certified operators, statewide, from each group level—came together to advise us on the necessary changes to the rule. We then released an informal draft of our proposal for public comment. This past spring we held a formal comment period on the new levels.

During the survey and the RAC meetings, wastewater operators voiced their concern about the number of operators retiring from the workforce and the challenges for new operators entering the industry. We have repeatedly heard how important it is to get entry into this field and to promote growth from within the talented pool of operators that the state certifies. These OIT group levels help us do that. 

How it Works

A certified operator for the City of Enumclaw is cleaning a
secondary clarifier, just one of many tasks operators do to keep
treatment plants running smoothly. 

The formal regulatory action we took was adopting new OIT Group levels II-IV in chapter 173-230 WAC. These new OIT Group levels are for operators who can pass the next higher Group level exam, but do not yet meet the certification requirements to qualify for a full certification at that higher Group level. This means operators do not have to wait as long before taking the exam for the next certification level.  

Applicants who already hold a full certification 

If you meet the requirements for the OIT group level, you may apply for an OIT certification one level above your current full certification group level. If you pass the exam, you will then hold both your new OIT certification and your existing full certification.

You may keep your Group II – IV OIT certification for two exam cycles, up to 10 years, while gaining the necessary experience to upgrade to the next group level for full certification. 

While holding an OIT II-IV certification, you are only required to meet the professional growth requirements for their full certification and will pay only one renewal fee.

You will not be required to earn an OIT group level II-IV certification to advance to the next full certification level. It is merely an option for those operators lacking the operating experience necessary to qualify for the next level full certification. It allows you to take and pass the exam and gain the experience on the job. 

Applicants not yet certified 

If you do not already hold a certification, you may apply only for an OIT I. There is no time limit to how long an OTI I may remain at this group level.

Be a part of the solution

Given our state’s growing population, we need to treat more and more wastewater. This is a great field, with growth opportunities—often right in your own community.

Every treatment plant is unique - 

like the Cowiche Treatment Plant pictured here.

Not sure if you have the right experience? We find that people with experience as a welder, machinist, mechanic, operator at other similar facilities, laboratory technician, or engineer, often have the right type of experience for this important work. Check out our certification program website for more information. 

Evergreen Rural Water of Washington (ERWoW) is in the process of launching their Wastewater Utility Apprenticeship Program. The program offers hands-on and classroom training, which are both invaluable to wastewater treatment plant operators. We have had the opportunity to review their proposed program and training courses. Based on our review, operators who are successful in the program can qualify for the Operator-In-Training, Group I, Group II OIT, and eventually Group II level wastewater operator certification exams.

By: Jocelyn Jones, Senior Water Quality Rules Planner

Boots on the ground: Touring WCC projects across the state

From the peaks of the Olympic Mountains to the fields of Eastern Washington, our 53 (six-member) Washington Conservation Corps crews and 14 Individual Placement AmeriCorps members complete hundreds of restoration and habitat enhancement projects annually. Join us on a spin around the state to learn more about a few of the projects our AmeriCorps members have contributed to this year!

Assessing smolt traps along Padden Creek in North Puget Sound

This spring, WCC AmeriCorps members serving the City of Bellingham started checking smolt traps along Padden Creek - in some long-awaited sunshine! Several years ago, the City of Bellingham helped re-route – or “daylight” – a portion of Padden Creek that once ran through a tunnel. The project has helped restore fish passage, improve water quality, and reduce flood risks for nearby residents. Members played a key role in kicking off the planting phase of the city project, installing more than 15,000 native plants and ensuring freshly planted shrubs survived their first spring.

WCC AmeriCorps members and supervisor Paul Argites team up
to record data at a smolt trap along Padden Creek. Photo by Mitch Metcalf.

In addition, our restoration crews are often involved in installing and gathering data from smolt traps – structures in a stream that help measure the quantity of juvenile fish moving through a waterway. Members also conduct stream surveys and take photos using previously installed photo points.

Data from smolt traps along Padden Creek show how juvenile salmonids are using the creek following the 2015 daylighting project. On a single spring day, members recorded more than 400 juvenile fish in the traps.

Restoring the Klickitat River in Eastern Washington

In fall 2017, ten AmeriCorps members serving in Eastern Washington spent two weeks transporting and planting native trees and shrubs along a four-mile stretch of Klickitat River that provides habitat for threatened salmon and steelhead. Our members transported native plants as much as four miles a day by foot, planting 6,098 native trees and shrubs along the river.

Since the project required long hikes to reach planting sites, members learned about project preparation as well as proper techniques for planting in difficult, rocky soil.  

“Our days consisted of de-potting plants for a specific section, loading them in plant bags and starting our hike that was anywhere from a half-mile to four miles long, depending on what section we were at,” said WCC crew supervisor Leo Arias.

Members take a well-deserved lunch break along the Klickitat River.
Photo contributed by Adrianne Grimm.

The native vegetation will create shade for juvenile salmon and improve erosion control, important elements to the overall effort of helping the river reconnect with its floodplain.

The Klickitat River restoration project also involved adding large woody debris and re-establishing backwater channels to create more suitable habitat for juvenile salmon. Yakama Nation Fisheries  and non-profit Columbia Land Trust have been collaborating on the large-scale floodplain restoration project since 2007. 

Monitoring seagrass in Washington's Puget Sound aquatic reserves

Puget SoundCorps members serving the state Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Aquatic Reserves Program starting hitting Puget Sound beaches in April to support seagrass monitoring and more. DNR will use the data to learn more about seagrass, a critical component for a healthy nearshore ecosystem. 

WCC AmeriCorps member Lydia Mahr monitors common
eelgrass in a plot on Cypress Island Aquatic Reserve. Photo
contributed by Taylor Belisle.

What does collecting this data actually involve? Members place square plots along a transect – a long measuring tape – and record the species and numbers of all seagrass within the plot. They also collect sediment samples for examination back at the lab. AmeriCorps members also use temperature and light sensors to collect even more information about current water conditions. 

'Spring cleaning' the Overland Trail on Kitsap Peninsula

Our DNR crew serving in Tahuya in Kitsap County embarked on spring projects by getting the Overland Trail ready for seasonal hikers. The 18.5-mile trail, located near Belfair, was full of thick brush and downed trees after the blustery 2017-18 winter. With a summer of upcoming recreation support projects, the Overland Trail and surrounding trail networks afforded members a great opportunity to get in rhythm with multi-week trail projects.

During their first week, members navigated through a few power equipment glitches but the crew conquered initial tasks such as removing encroaching plants and brush, digging drainage structures to move water off the trail, and removing hazards such as sharp sticks and leaning but standing dead trees. 

Sometimes crews team up to complete trail projects! Here, 10 WCC
AmeriCorps members from two crews in northwest Washington gather on
a freshly-constructed section of the Harry-Osborne State Forest trail.
Photo contributed by Trevor Cassidy. 

“An extended trail assignment gives a crew the chance to get acquainted with a backcountry setting and developing efficiencies as they progress from week to week,” said supervisor Brennan Moores. “We have fallen into our grove of daily operations. Crew members are keying in on safety and continue to maintain our standard crew procedures: Safety, quality and quantity." 

A month into the project, our members completed activities on the Overland Trail and moved on to building fencing. They provided hikers with a trail free of hazards and drainage channels cleared of leaves. Their efforts also mean all-terrain vehicles are more likely to stay on the trail rather than driving through wooded areas to avoid standing water and harming sensitive understory plants.

Individual Placement Program members clean up Longfellow Creek Legacy Trail on Martin Luther King Jr Day

WCC Individual Placement member Stevie Knapp organized a debris cleanup along Longfellow Creek Legacy Trail for her Martin Luther King Jr Day project in February. Stevie scouted the project site before the event, but on the morning of the national holiday, she spotted a section of the creek that had gone unnoticed during their initial site visit.

“The area was filled with garbage, so much so that you could barely see the creek,” Stevie said, adding that members chose to refocus their efforts on the newly spotted section.

Since MLK Day this winter, Stevie has organized workshops
on Plastics Pollution and Policy for August 2018 as part of
her role as King Conservation District's education program
coordinator. Photo by Laura Schlabach.

After a welcome and safety talk, the five-person team donned gloves and grabbed some buckets to start collecting debris. Just four hours later, the team had collected 978 glass bottles, 20 cardboard containers, 150 plastic bags, 70 plastic food packaging items, 76 aluminum cans, and more miscellaneous items.

“This event goes to show that even with a small amount of people, you can make a big difference,” Stevie said.  The next day, she sent the data to Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group that advises ocean policy at federal and state levels.

Join WCC

Do you want to help the environment, meet great people and make a difference in your community? WCC is currently recruiting for the 2018-2019 AmeriCorps service year! Ecology's WCC consists of three subprograms: the original WCC, Veteran Conservation Corps and Puget SoundCorps.

See photos of the types of projects WCC members support during their service in our WCC Projects Flickr set. Learn more and apply online today to become a WCC member: www.ecology.wa.gov/wcc

Boots on the ground: Two deployments, two different roles

By Eric Rushton, Washington Conservation Corps AmeriCorps member

WCC AmeriCorps members have been serving in Puerto Rico for 30-days at a time since October 2017, assisting communities after Hurricane Maria made landfall in September 2017. WCC AmeriCorps members will return home this month from deployments to Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

An avid hiker, I joined the Washington Conservation Corps last fall to learn how to build and improve trails around my hometown of Issaquah. During the recruitment process, I learned my crew would be supporting more than trail projects: We were set to deploy to the U.S. Virgin Islands in the first week of our 11-month term to assist with hurricane relief efforts.

The prospect of being away from home for a month didn’t concern me, especially since I had served five years in the U.S. Navy where I only saw my home on occasion. Helping communities on the islands of St. Thomas and St. John proved to be rewarding, illuminating, and challenging. WCC AmeriCorps members are serving with a local volunteer organization, All Hands and Hearts. Together we assisted homeowners who needed storm-damaged materials and trees removed from their homes and properties.

A second mission: Puerto Rico

WCC AmeriCorps member Erin Harris uses her
Spanish skills to set up assessment appointments.
Photo contributed by Eric Rushton.

Two months after returning home from the U.S. Virgin Islands, we got another opportunity to assist communities affected by hurricanes, this time in Puerto Rico. We arrived on Jan. 12 as part of WCC’s third mission assignment in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Similar to my previous deployment, the local residents are facing damaged property and a variety of other challenges.  Our team of 48 WCC AmeriCorps members is serving alongside AmeriCorps members from St. Louis, SBP, and the California Conservation Corps.

Unlike my last deployment, where I served in the field interacting directly with the community, I have been given the opportunity to serve in the command center, or Joint Field Office (JFO), as public information officer and deputy operations chief. I’ve experienced how the command staff bears the brunt of responsibility in handling incoming information and requests from the community, issuing daily work orders, and generally ensuring the mission is a success for everyone.

Embracing responsibility
Day after day, responsibility is the word and feeling of the day. My colleagues and I take to heart the responsibility we have to Puerto Rico and our fellow citizens who have been affected by the hurricanes. We have the responsibility to equip our AmeriCorps members with the supplies, information, and direction they need to help as much as possible before this whirlwind of grit and sweat comes to an end.

This responsibility drives each of us minute by minute, and the stress wears on us as the days go by. But the great thing about being part of a team is that we get to lift each other up throughout the day!

We can only be successful if everyone is successful. Every day I hear conversations and see actions by each one of us that builds up our team. This was true when I was serving in the field removing debris in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and I’m happy to report that it’s true as I serve in a command staff position in Puerto Rico. Does it trickle down, or does it trickle up? It’s both. We all can affect the success of this or any mission by the individual actions we take, no matter which role we find ourselves in.

WCC AmeriCorps members gather for a briefing on how to properly re-seal a concrete roof.
Photo by Liz Esikoff.

Join the WCC
Do you want to help the environment, meet great people and make a difference in your community? We are now accepting applications for six-month WCC AmeriCorps members! Learn more and apply online today. See photos of the types of projects WCC members support during their service in our WCC projects Flickr set and WCC featured projects story map.

Making progress on air pollution

Managing air pollution in Washington can be tricky during the winter. Many people heat their homes with wood stoves and fireplaces but the particle pollution from burning wood can reach unhealthy levels. This was a challenge for Pierce County in recent years but Ecology, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, and the community worked to overcome the issue.

The problem

Particle pollution is a mixture of tiny solids that come from wood stoves, vehicles, dust, and more. It is harmful to your health when breathed in and one of the most serious air quality problems in Pierce County, WA.

Prior to 2015 Pierce County had serious air quality problems. It was the only area of the state to be in “non-attainment.” This means the area failed to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Because of this, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency worked with Ecology to develop more protective regulations to help residents improve their air quality.

The area came into compliance with the NAAQS in 2015 after significant efforts to reduce wood smoke. It is now considered to be a “maintenance area” and is following the first of two required 10-year plans to maintain healthy air quality. Today, all areas of Washington meet the NAAQS set by the EPA therefore are considered in “attainment.”

The effects of particle pollution

Particle pollution, or particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), is so small that you won’t realize you are breathing it in. It affects the airways and lungs, and can cause problems in other parts of your body. It's especially bad for those with chronic heart and lung disease (like asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema), children, and the elderly. It worsens these diseases, which can lead to hospitalization or even early death.

Children are at high risk because their lungs are still growing and they spend more time at high activity levels. Exercise and physical activity cause people to breathe faster and more deeply, taking more particles into their lungs.

Even if you’re healthy, you may experience temporary symptoms, such as irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory system.

Particle pollution affects more than just your health, it affects the economy too! Families and businesses lose nearly $200 million each year in preventable health care costs from just from fine particles.

What we are doing

In order to protect health and the economy, Ecology and Puget Sound Clean Air Agency monitor particle pollution to ensure it doesn't reach harmful levels again. They have developed tools to reduce pollution levels, such as:

• Grants.
• Wood stove change-out programs.
• Uncertified wood stove bounty programs.
• Earlier burn bans and alerts.

In 2013—15, Ecology awarded $4 million in grant money to seven communities that are most vulnerable to violating national air pollution standards. Since then over 3,500 uncertified woodstoves have been changed out or replaced in high-risk communities. That number is expected to climb to 4,000 by the end of 2017. Many participants in the programs cite the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s uncertified wood stove removal rule as a motivator for their participation.

Another successful strategy has been calling for burn restrictions and public alerts earlier. This is accomplished by sending emails, text messages, using social media, and posting notices on websites. As a result of these efforts, the public now has a better understanding of the potential health effects and is being proactive.

Pierce County is still of high concern and is being watched closely. If it falls into non-attainment status again the consequences could include:

• New businesses would be less attracted to the area.
• High costs to clean up the pollution and prevent future recurrences.
• Stigma of being the only community in the state that did not meet the NAAQS.
• Citizen health could be at risk when exposed to high levels of pollution.

Although progress has been made, many communities are still at high risk of violating federal standards. We will continue to monitor this area closely to protect public health.

By Kim Vaughn | Air Quality

A breath of fresh air … 50 years of the Clean Air Act

(This is the third post of a three-part series.)

In parts one and two of this blog series we discussed Washington’s air pollution history and how pollutants affect public health and the environment. 

Clean air acts nationwide have lowered harmful levels air pollution over the past 50 years and now we all need to do our part to protect the future of our air.

Because Washington’s population is on the rise there is a demand for more fuel, housing, food, and transportation. All of these needs impact the air we breathe.

Here are a few things you can do to minimize your contribution to air pollution:

Buy local

The less time products spend on a ship, train, or semi-truck the less air pollution is created. Consider ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, and reconsider where your items originate from. Buying local also supports small businesses and creates jobs. We all win when you buy local!

Burn wood the right way

You should only burn dry wood that has been split, stacked, and stored for at least a year. Dry wood emits less smoke and makes a hotter fire. You should be able to easily see through the smoke coming from your chimney. If you buy wood, ask if it has been properly seasoned. Properly dried and aged wood burns more efficient and saves you money! 

Use an adequate wood burning device

During winter we often have stagnant air that traps smoke near the ground. Heating your home with a wood burning device can increase your family’s risk of lung and breathing problems. 

Wood burning devices include:
•    Wood stoves.
•    Pellet stoves.
•    Wood furnaces.
•    Manufactured fireplaces.
•    Masonry heaters.

Only certified wood burning devices are legal to purchase, sell, or give away in this state, whether new or used. They must meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Washington standards. If it doesn’t, check with your local air authority for grant programs to help replace your old stove, or better yet, switch to electric heat! Many electric companies offer grants to help convert your house to electric heat.

Only burn vegetation

Never burn anything other than vegetation. Check for burn bans before you start a fire and keep something nearby to extinguish it. For campfires, be sure to put them out completely and never leave them unattended. Everybody loves a good fire, but the smoke shouldn’t annoy your neighbor.

Construction debris, garbage, and scraps from another property are illegal to burn.  Use of burn barrels is illegal too.

Reconsider burning altogether

There are many alternatives to burning yard waste. When mowing, leave grass clippings where they land. They provide nutrients for your lawn. Start making your own garden compost, or check with your community for free yard waste drop off days. The less you burn, the cleaner the air.

Use alternative transportation

Vehicles are one of the main sources of air pollution in Washington. 

You can help reduce emissions by participating in the following:
•    Share a ride with others, carpool, or take a bus.
•    Ride your bike. Your heart will thank you!
•    Don’t let your car idle.
•    Consider being the first on your block to buy a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV).

ZEVs, or  electric vehicles, are gaining in popularity and the savings to your pocketbook, health, and environment add up quick. Imagine not having to get an oil change or stop and pay for gas!

Charging an electric vehicle is getting easier too! There is a significant effort to build the infrastructure to support the use of electric vehicles.

For example: the West Coast Electric Highway is an extensive network of electric vehicle (EV) DC fast charging stations located every 25 to 50 miles along Interstate 5 and other major roadways in the Pacific Northwest. Planning your trip just got easier with this map of Washington charging stations.

If you are heading outside the Pacific Northwest you can check out the Department of Energy maps of electric vehicle charging stations and alternative fueling locations nationwide.

Dispose of chemicals responsibly

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) contribute to ground-level ozone formation because they evaporate into the air. You can learn more about ground-level ozone in part two of this series.
Check with your local landfill or visit Ecology’s website to find a proper disposal facility. 

Some common VOCs are:
•    Acetone (nail polish remover, furniture polish, wallpaper).
•    Benzene (glue, paint, carpet, gasoline emissions).
•    Butanal (barbeque emissions, burning candles, stoves, cigarettes).
•    Carbon disulfide (chlorinated tap water).
•    Dichlorobenzene (mothballs, deodorizers).
•    Ethanol (glass cleaners, dishwasher and laundry detergents).
•    Formaldehyde (floor lacquers, some molded plastics).
•    Terpene (fragrances such as soap and detergents).
•    Toluene (paint).
•    Xylene (traffic emissions, idling cars).

Clean energy

Concerns about climate change, the use of fossil fuels, and air pollution are accelerating clean energy development. Did you know that approximately two-thirds of Washington’s electric is generated from hydropower? Washington also ranks as one of the top nationwide producers of wind power. It’s also becoming more popular and affordable to use solar power for your home needs. 

Check with your local utility provider or find a clean energy non-profit group for possible incentives or grants. 

Doing our part

The federal Clean Air Act requires states to develop plans to monitor and reduce air pollution to protect the environment and public health. The EPA sets national standards, or limits, for six criteria air pollutants called the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.  We discussed some of these in part two of this series. 

The six criteria air pollutants are:
•    Nitrogen dioxide
•    Ozone
•    Particle pollution
•    Sulfur dioxide
•    Carbon monoxide
•    Lead

It is each state’s responsibility to monitor the air and make sure they are meeting the national standards. If air pollution reaches levels that harm human health, the state must develop a plan to clean up the air. These plans are known as State Implementation Plans.

Ecology and its partners continue to work together to monitor and create rules that help maintain healthy air quality in Washington. 

We will continue to work to “protect clean air, public health, and the environment,” we hope you will too.


Look for your local air authority at community events, on Facebook, Instagram or visit their websites for more information. 


Part I: We’ve come a long way baby … celebrating 50 years of the Clean Air Act
Part 2: The best solution is less pollution … 50 years of the Clean Air Act

By Kim Allen | Air Quality

wacleanair50.org

Reynolds Smelter Cleanup/Millennium Bulk Terminals - Longview Update

There’s a lot happening at the former Reynolds smelter site in Cowlitz County’s industrial area this autumn. Some of it will be tangible, boots-on-the-ground work, but there’s also a tremendous amount going on behind the scenes. Although cleanup of the site and redevelopment are on separate regulatory paths, parallel progress is being made.

First an overview of what’s up with the site cleanup, then an outline of what’s happening with environmental reviews related to coal export proposed by Millennium Bulk Terminals – Longview.

Cleanup Action Plan

For almost three-quarters of a century, the site of the former Reynolds Metals Reduction Plant in Longview has hosted intense industrial activity. For 70 years, this property was an active aluminum smelter and continued to receive bulk shipments of alumina after the smelter closed in 2001. The ore continued on to a Wenatchee smelter.

For the past decade, most of activity at the site has centered on understanding and developing options for cleaning up the chemical contamination and waste byproducts left behind by the operations of the first 70 years. While working alongside the local community, property owners and Cowlitz County, the Department of Ecology has carried out a regulatory oversight role ensuring future cleanup will meet strict legal standards that protect people and the environment.

Rigorous studies and sampling of the site identified soils with elevated levels of fluoride, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total petroleum hydrocarbons. Testing has shown that the shallow groundwater at the site contains fluoride and PAHs.

The importance of cleaning up this site to the local community is reflected by the robust public engagement during the cleanup process. This includes local leaders, community members, tribal governments, the property owner Northwest Alloys, Inc., and Millennium, which leases the property. As a result, this complex cleanup is well-informed and comprehensive, as outlined in the draft Cleanup Action Plan, which Ecology expects to finalize later this year.

A thorough cleanup of this site is a high priority for everyone. Northwest Alloys, Inc., and Millennium are responsible for funding the cleanup. Once the final Cleanup Action Plan is issued and a legal Consent Decree is signed, cleanup can begin.

Columbia River Sediment Dredging

While investigating the site, Ecology found contamination in nearby Columbia River sediments. A small area of sediment is contaminated with PAHs.

In November, this pocket of pollution is scheduled to be dredged and sent to a landfill licensed to accept contaminated sediments. More information about the early dredging action is outlined in an approved interim cleanup work plan.

Clean, sandy backfill will replace the material that is removed.

Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview Environmental Review

Separate and distinct from the site cleanup, Millennium is proposing to build and operate a coal export terminal on a portion of the site. Before any permit decisions can be made, Cowlitz County, Ecology and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must complete federal and local environmental studies.

The federal study is led by the Army Corps of Engineers and follows the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The local study is being co-led by Cowlitz County and Ecology and follows the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The two studies are on different timelines and both are required before local, state and federal permit decisions can be made.

Final SEPA EIS planned for Spring

The SEPA final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a much-anticipated project milestone. After three public hearings that drew hundreds of people and an unprecedented 267,000 public comments, the draft study requires significant additional work before issuing it in a final form.

Cowlitz County and Ecology announced that they plan to release the final SEPA EIS on April 29, 2017, four months ahead of schedule.

NEPA Draft EIS Out for Public Review

On Sept. 30, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued its draft EIS for the federal review required by NEPA. The 60-day public comment period on the federal draft study continues until Nov. 29. More information is available at the Millennium Bulk Terminals NEPA Draft EIS webpage.

There are also public comment periods for two federal permits related to the proposed coal export terminal that continue through Nov. 29. Read the joint public notice.

Recap

Cleaning up legacy pollution from large industrial sites is a big deal for any Washington community. For the Longview-Kelso region, the cleanup and redevelopment of the old Reynolds smelter offers important economic opportunities, and a chance to reclaim a contaminated site.

Cowlitz County and Ecology continue to ensure activities at the site, whether they are related to cleanup or a future use, are meeting local and state requirements.

Back in 1941, when the Reynolds smelter was manufacturing aluminum to build aircraft for the war effort, it’s unlikely that anyone imagined what the future of this site held; both the immense effort required to clean up the site, and the equally immense efforts from people of all walks of life to influence its future.

One thing is for sure: there is a lot of activity on the site. It’s a flurry of activity and it’s not even winter, and there’s much more happening in the months ahead.

By: Dave Bennett, Southwest Region communications manager

Our WCC crews support wildfire response statewide

By Laura Schlabach, WCC Outreach Coordinator

WCC members Lane Cromelin and Sonya Kaufman
dig line and remove debris on the Illabot Fire.

Raging wildfires across Central and Eastern Washington have kept firefighters busy across the state, including some of our own Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) crews. Twenty AmeriCorps members, led by WCC supervisor Jay McMillen, assisted Department of Natural Resources as a hand crew on multiple fire dispatches this summer, starting with the Illabot Fire near Rockport in mid-June.

Serving on the fire line

Our WCC hand crew first dispatched to the Stewart Mountain Fire, supporting efforts within the first 48-72 hour period – referred to as an initial attack. On multiple fires following Stewart Mountain, the hand crew surveyed burned land, examining it closely for remaining heat, smoke or embers and extinguishing the spots with water and dirt – a procedure referred to as mopping up. These AmeriCorps hand crew members also dug fire line, or linear ditches that serve as fire barriers to prevent the fires from advancing.

WCC member Justin Beebe wraps fire
hose at Sleepy Hollow fire camp.

Supporting fire camps

In addition to our hand crew, over 80 of our WCC AmeriCorps members deployed this summer to support 15 different fire camps across the state. Camp crews assist with food distribution, volunteer management, camp maintenance, equipment organization and anything else that might come up.

Although recent heavy rainfall across Washington has provided temporary relief to low stream and river flows, wildfires continue to burn across parts of Eastern Washington. Wildfire risk is still extremely high. As of September 8, 10 of our WCC AmeriCorps members are still serving at the Okanagan Complex fire camp.

Visit Governor Inslee’s wildfire resource page for wildfire status updates and other resources.

Dispatch from the fireline: A personal account

Michael Hanley, a second-year AmeriCorps member on the King County Spike Crew, served on our WCC hand crew this summer. He wrote the following description of the crew’s recent dispatch to the Rutter Canyon Fire:

“Handheld radios crackle to life outside the rural fire station. All twenty AmeriCorps members of the WCC hand crew fall silent. A scratchy voice announces a new fire burning northeast of Spokane. Any conversation with the Department of Natural Resources dispatcher is transmitted in a dialect of unit names, fire numbers, township and range positions and fire jargon. (WCC Supervisor) Jay McMillen, fluent in fire jargon, flashes a pen to a notepad. I strain to understand the conversation. Zach Leavitt, fellow AmeriCorps member, Googles the fire address. We move around excitedly when he tells us the satellite image shows forest and hills. Bulldozers build fire line wherever possible, but command sends in hand crews like us when terrain is too rough for heavy equipment. 

Our unit name is called. We pile into trucks. The first bursts of adrenaline hit as our caravan drives south. The radio croaks with fire engine traffic. "Fire's origin is in a box canyon." "Difficult access and egress." Trees torch and black smoke pours into the growing grey cloud. The fire is too hot. Helicopters drop buckets of water from the nearby river. Tankers drop retardant lines to cool the flanks. We wait at the staging area. We hydrate and spit sunflower seeds. We talk to homeowners who thank us and take pictures. As the sun sets, command sends us to hold the east edge of the fire. We patrol for embers that might jump our line. The Perseid meteor shower throws sparks across the sky. No fire crosses our line. We're back at our trucks eating pizza by 1:30 a.m. The Rutter Canyon fire is held to 150 acres. 

At this moment, 17 WCC folks and three DNR employees have been fighting fire together in the Northeast corner of the state for two weeks. We are on our fifth fire. We have cut thousands of feet of hand line, called in water drops from helicopters and air tankers and mopped up acres of smoldering ash. Our bodies have been pushed to the limits. Our tempers have occasionally been tested, but we have all come out stronger. I can honestly say this experience has left a lasting mark on me. There is something amazing about depending on 19 other individuals as deeply as is required to fight fire. I am very grateful to supervisors Rob Crawford, Ernie Farmer and Jay McMillen for building the WCC's firefighting capacity and keeping me safe out here.”

This WCC crew walks in a grid formation to search the ground for heat and smoke as part of their wildfire mop-up
procedure at the MacMahon Fire near Deer Creek. Photo courtesy of Michael Hanley

WCC’s disaster response program

Long hours, unpredictable conditions and ultimately rewarding experiences serving communities in need often characterize WCC disaster response efforts. Deployments range from national to local disasters, supporting flood response and prevention, wildfire operations, hurricane assistance and more. Four of our WCC crews are designated disaster response crews, though any crew has the potential to deploy.

Join WCC

Do you want to help the environment, meet great people and make a real difference? WCC is currently hiring for the 2015-2016 crew year! Ecology's Washington Conservation Corps, an AmeriCorps Program, consists of three subprograms: the original WCC, Veteran Conservation Corps and Puget SoundCorps.

See photos of the types of projects WCC members work on during their service in our WCC Projects Flickr set. Learn more and apply online today to become a member of WCC:

www.ecy.wa.gov/wcc

Let’s Talk Science! Bugs and baby fish help scientists pinpoint stream pollution

By Jessica Payne, Environmental Assessment Program communications manager

Ecology scientists place trout eggs in Indian Creek
to test stream health. Photo by: Ecology

Here at Ecology, our scientists study the environment in a number of ways. Sometimes we're looking large scale and trying to investigate the big issues that might harm humans, animals or the environment. Other times, we're knee-deep in your own backyard stream trying to track down sources of pollution.

Scientists from our Environmental Assessment Program recently worked on a project just like that. They wanted to find out where pollution might be entering Indian Creek in Olympia. To answer this question, they focused on the stream's ability to support baby fish and the food they need to survive and grow. They tested for toxins in the stream water with baby trout.

For the study, they placed trout eggs into the creek at different test sites and waited to see how they did in the water. If the water is healthy, the fish should thrive. If it’s polluted with toxins, the fish will be affected.

Bugs and baby fish

A standard way of testing water quality is by running a chemical analysis through an instrument at a laboratory. However, many toxins can’t be detected by chemical analysis. We don’t have the ability
to test for everything that’s out there, and even for those that we can, there’s limited information available to tell us how those chemicals will affect aquatic life. What’s more, chemicals can have a very different effect on wildlife when they’re combined than when they stand alone.

“Sometimes, biology is the best way to test the waters.” said Brandee Era-Miller, our scientist running samples on the creek. “Why? Animals will respond to any toxin or combination of toxins. We don’t always have to know what’s in the water to see that it’s not good for fish.”

Aside from fish, our scientists also tested soils, aquatic stream bugs, periphyton (the green slime on rocks), and groundwater that was entering the stream.

Where, what and how did we test?

We first monitored the stream in 2010. From that study, we knew there was a stormwater pipe carrying runoff from nearby parking lots that may be adding pollutants to the stream. We tested both upstream and downstream from that suspected source to verify if it was indeed a source of toxins.

We looked to see if the fish could thrive in the stream. This means more than just surviving; we also checked to see if they failed to hatch from their eggs, if they had birth defects or stunted growth.

Fish are sensitive to different pollutants in each early stage of their life.

Those life stages include:

• Eggs
• Alevin stage - when they look like a fish but the egg is still attached
• Fry - fully formed, but tiny, baby fish

Our results

What did we find out from this research? Two main things. First, we learned that the test itself was successful; that trout early lifestage testing can be done in streams to directly assess environmental conditions.

Second, results from the tests showed that the creek was a healthy habitat for fish at the upper site, but impaired at the lower one. What does this mean? Baby fish were more likely to survive and grow into healthy fry at the site upstream from the stormwater pipe than the one downstream.

Why this research matters

Not only did we use this method of research to identify sources of pollution for Indian Creek, we also tested a system that is accessible and affordable for all communities. This biological test is an easy and fairly affordable method that local cities, counties and even volunteers could use to test the health of their streams.

Running chemical analysis for every known toxicant in the stream is very expensive; this gives communities a way to find out how healthy their streams are without that cost.

Want read details of the study? 

You can find them on our Environmental Assessment Program report summary webpage.

You can also read a detailed review in the city of Olympia’s STREAM TEAM spring newsletter.

How you can protect your streams

It’s important for people to know the health of the streams in their neighborhood. It’s even more important for them to know how to protect those streams from toxic chemicals and contaminated stormwater runoff.

You can start by learning what stormwater is online and taking our stormwater quiz.

Every small action makes a difference. Learn what you can do to protect your water on our Washington Waters webpages and at Puget Sound Starts Here.

More about the Environmental Assessment Program

Ecology houses a department of scientists that work to measure and assess environmental conditions in Washington. We work hard to understand the state's land, air and water to keep everyone healthier. To learn more about us and the type of research we do, please visit the Environmental Assessment Program webpage.

New Hanford Display at Richland Public Library

by Heather John, education & community outreach specialist, Nuclear Waste Program

As a new hire to Ecology’s public involvement team, I was certainly excited to get my feet wet in the education outreach pool. But not being a native to Tri-Cities, I definitely had a lot to learn about Hanford before I could start finding creative ways to teach others. Everything from local history and legends to the science of radioactivity and the history of the Cold War was on my agenda. Because I was new to all of this, I thought the best method to learn was to start from the beginning and collect all the facts I could.