Stormwater runoff is a leading pollution threat to rivers, streams, lakes and Puget Sound in urban areas of Washington. As rain and snowmelt runs off buildings, paved roads, and parking lots, it increases in speed and volume, and can pick up pollution such as oil, fertilizers, pesticides, tire wear, trash, and pet waste. These pollutants…
Washington State Ferries announced Tuesday it has awarded a roughly $150 million contract to ship builder Vigor to convert up to three of the state’s largest vessels to hybrid-electric power. Under the deal, Vigor in September will start work on the Wenatchee ferry at its Harbor Island shipyard in Seattle. The Jumbo Mark II vessel,…
The Washington Department of Ecology is issuing penalties of $10,000 each to Community Transit and its contractor CA Carey for stormwater permit violations identified in October 2022 during construction work at a park and ride in unincorporated Snohomish County. Community Transit and CA Carey have been constructing new facilities at the park and ride at…
The Marine Resources Committee (MRC), a service provided by Snohomish County Surface Water Management, is looking for new members who are eager to learn about marine conservation, participate in science-based research and contribute to policy recommendations on marine issues. The committee is focused on protecting and restoring the county’s marine and estuarine environment. Those selected to serve…
Along with the temperature, Snohomish County PUD customers’ power and water demands promise to climb over the next few days. The PUD is prepared to meet high energy and water demand, but small changes in customer behavior to conserve can decrease stress on the grid and water system. Earlier this week, the National Weather Service…
Washington regulators derailed earlier this year when they tried to mandate electric heat pumps, rather than natural gas, be used to warm newly built homes and apartments. But now a path is emerging for them to offer builders incentives to choose heat pumps instead of gas and to make obtaining a construction permit more difficult…
Decades of data show that despite billions in taxpayer investment, salmon and steelhead hatchery programs and restoration projects in the Columbia River Basin have failed to support or boost native fish populations and in fact are contributing to their decline. Oregon State University economics professor William Jaeger and Mark Scheuerell, a biologist with the U.S….
Two tribes in Washington are asking federal regulators to ban a chemical widely used in car tires that scientists have identified as highly toxic to salmon and other fish. The Port Gamble S’Klallam and Puyallup tribes, along with the Yurok, which is the largest native nation in California, petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on…
Planning for severe storms, flooding, wildfires and poor air quality will soon be required for Washington cities and counties. A new law passed by the Washington State Legislature this year requires local governments to consider climate change in their 20-year comprehensive plans beginning in 2025. The Department of Commerce released early guidance last month for…
In 2021, the Washington State Department of Ecology established the Puget Sound Nutrient General Permit. This permit addresses the largest source of nutrient pollution in Puget Sound — the excess nitrogen that comes from local homes and businesses and through wastewater treatment plants before entering Puget Sound. The 58 wastewater treatment plants under the permit…
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Do you ever find yourself standing at the recycling bin wondering what can and can’t be recycled, and why? Curious about climate change and how your individual actions can make a difference? Wondering how you can get more engaged in your local community? WSU Snohomish County Extension promises you can get answers to these questions…
The Washington State Department of Ecology recently announced new regulations on several classes of toxic chemicals in products consumers use every day — an important step because most consumer products are not required to be safety tested before going on the market. Toxic chemicals in consumer products can escape into homes, workplaces and schools, and…
Every year in Washington, debris from unsecured loads causes more than 300 traffic crashes and 30 injuries. In 2022, that toll included five deaths attributed to debris in the roadway. Not only is litter unsightly and diminishes the beauty of our state, it’s dangerous to travelers, roadside workers and people who walk, bike and roll….
The Meadowdale Beach Park & Estuary Restoration Project was recently awarded both the National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA)’s “Innovation in Conservation Award” and the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC)’s “Vision 2050 Award.” This project is regionally significant for its role in salmon recovery and Puget Sound shoreline restoration while making significant improvements to the…
Hot and dry conditions in Western Washington have already prompted a fire risk warning, brush fires in Vancouver, burn bans in some counties and strict admonishments from officials to watch for sparks and extinguish campfires properly. And the hottest months of the year are still ahead. The early fire risk west of the Cascades is…
Wetlands, seasonal streams and other waters in Washington remain protected under state law, and developers still need to apply for review and approval prior to beginning work that could affect these waters. The Washington Department of Ecology is reiterating those state protections in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that narrowed federal protections for…
Companies involved in making and selling firefighting foam used for decades in Washington hid potential health risks from chemicals in the product, contributing to drinking water pollution around the state, according to allegations in a lawsuit Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed on Tuesday. The case centers on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, often referred…
A long-awaited groundbreaking Tuesday marked the beginning of efforts to create a natural sanctuary at Mountlake Terrace’s 16-acre Ballinger Park. Among those attending were 32nd District State Reps. Cindy Ryu and Lauren Davis and State Sen. Jesse Salomon, and representatives from the offices of U.S. Reps. Rick Larsen and Suzan DelBene, both of whom couldn’t…
The Alderwood Water & Wastewater District’s (AWWD) Picnic Point Wastewater Treatment Plant was recently recognized by the Washington State Department of Ecology as the recipient of the agency’s 2022 Outstanding Performance Awards for wastewater treatment plants across the state. This will be the fifth consecutive time that AWWD’s wastewater processing facility has received this award…
How Washington invests cap-and-invest auction revenues to prepare for climate change will be captured in public reporting that the Department of Ecology is responsible for publishing under the Climate Commitment Act. Ecology said in a news release last week that it is starting new rulemaking focused on reporting requirements for state agencies that receive and…
The City of Lynnwood has released the results of a report that assesses the health of Lynnwood’s urban forest in parks and open spaces. The Lynnwood Parks Urban Forest Health Assessment identifies the forest conditions using a “tree-iage” matrix to score the overall health and level of threat – by habitat management unit – within the forested…
Planning some time on your boat as summer kicks off? A reminder not to empty your boat’s holding tank into Puget Sound or inland waters. Puget Sound is a No Discharge Zone, meaning that vessels in the Sound can’t release sewage, either raw or treated. This doesn’t just apply to commercial vessels, it applies to…
Composting is a great way to turn yard debris and food scraps into a valuable soil amendment that enriches soil. The Washington State Department of Ecology reminds consumers to keep the compost “clean” by not including contaminants like plastic packaging and wrappers. Recycle your plastics or place them in a garbage container. Just like other recycling systems,…
The Edmonds College Green Team, working together with the campus community, was able to divert the equivalent of 30 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) out of landfills during the eight-week-long 2023 Campus Race to Zero Waste competition. Edmonds joined more than 3.4 million college students and staff nationwide in a competition organized by the…
Dozens of volunteers spent their morning Saturday wrestling with vines and branches during a cleanup at Picnic Point Park in unincorporated Edmonds, aimed at improving the marine habitat and restoring a vital salmon run at Picnic Point Beach. Organized jointly by the Olympic Fly Fishers of Edmonds and the Snohomish County Healthy Forest Project, the work focused on…
