the south park news

The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition reminds us that only days remain to sign up for free training for river-cleanup jobs – get the info here.

(Our video of the entire 2-hour meeting)
5:48 PM: We’re at South Park Community Center, where the presentation is under way at the latest public hearing about the EPA’s proposed Duwamish River cleanup plan – primarily in Spanish, though an English translator is on hand and speaking into a system that can be accessed by headsets, which are available. It’s starting with a slide show that began by showing the Duwamish’s 1909 configuration versus today, and has now moved into graphics showing the cleanup alternatives, followed by a presentation about sources of pollution/contamination – both a discussion of industry and also showing of photos including a street drain with cigarette butts teetering precariously over the edge. The hearing’s being held in the gym, and will include a public-comment period.

6:02 PM: The third presenter is going over the Environmental Justice Analysis for the cleanup – which also, according to DRCC, is a first. “Why is your opinion important?” asks one question – for one, because this is a new analysis, the first in the nation. This last part of the presentation is followed by questions – this period is becoming a bit more bilingual, as the first person to answer questions is speaking in English, with a translator next to her. The question was in part about lead levels in the river; the reply is that there hasn’t historically been much of a problem, so they haven’t studied it, so far. But then comes the discussion of kiln dust from nearby industry – and the Ecology Department is reported to be studying all the areas that lead- and arsenic-heavy material has been laid down. A report is expected in September of this year.

Another question is about what will be done with feedback on the overall cleanup plan. The next version, incorporating feedback, is expected early the next year, is the reply. It’s also noted that some cleanup in the worst areas is already under way. But the rest of the cleanup is likely 5 to 7 years from beginning – since it will have to be determined who pays for it.

Next question – which required some crowdsourcing to interpret – how to ensure that the cleanup doesn’t hurt nature in the area? Reply: They hope to minimize the amount of truck traffic related to the cleanup, and also hope to restore habitat in the course of the cleanup. And they were asked about past cleanups; Commencement Bay in Tacoma was among those mentioned.

6:24 PM: Alberto Rodriguez from the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition is making a presentation now. He’s presenting a study which includes the questions and concerns raised by DRCC – including how the people who live and work along the river in South Park and Georgetown are affected by what’s on and in its shores. And with a pie chart, he shows that almost two thirds of the affected area is proposed for natural, monitored recovery – a much smaller percentage for dredging/removal or for being covered. The “natural recovery” presents problems, DRCC says, and they return to the concern over toxicity of the resident seafood. Another slide shows the cancer risks from PCBs in tribal children who have eaten more seafood. There’s an examination of what to do about that – how to reduce risks and exposure, particularly from river fish and area shellfish. And the DRCC voices concerns because some of the risks are not distributed equally – some are more at risk than others, especially because of the seafood consumption. He calls attention to page 87 of the proposed plan, which discusses this, and a disagreement with the EPA’s recommendation(s). More sediment removal could mean more certainty and less risk, they posit; concerns about addressing “source control” resurface, too, so that the cleanup isn’t followed by a new round of contamination.

June 13 is the comment deadline set by EPA, Rodriguez reminds the crowd – less than a month now.

6:46 PM: The first person to comment is speaking now. He’s talking about pollution resulting from industry serving the rest of the world – but affecting those who live here in South Park.

The microphone faces the attendees, rather than any panel of people. Everyone has mentioned concern about children, including those at Concord International (Elementary) here in South Park. The third person to comment is talking about how difficult it is to keep kids away from water and beach and parkland that you know is or could be contaminated. The fourth person also speaks of the illnesses that befall children, including her son, and hopes that the cleanup will do justice to families. Next, a woman speaking passionately about how there is so much nature here – but the river isn’t clean, and hasn’t been for years, but has to be made that way. Each speaker is receiving applause as s/he finishes.

7 PM: Speakers continue to be called from a list that the coordinator, Michael, is holding. Now Pam Elardo from the King County Wastewater Treatment Division is speaking, saying her Spanish doesn’t go much further than introducing herself, so a translator is now standing with her and speaking after every few sentences. She says that source control, which has been brought up, falls under her purview, every day, as do jobs, which somebody else brought up. “There are a number of source-control projects we will be building along the Duwamish River.” She says she’s brought brochures about jobs with her agency – jobs represent another issue that has come up. She also declares that after the EPA’s cleanup program, the Duwamish will be as clean as some other regional bodies of water, including Lake Sammamish – clean enough to swim in and to fish in, she vows.

She is followed by more community members, and then a Boeing representative who says they are excited about already being involved with an early cleanup. He says that the lower Duwamish will not be helped by a plan that advocates more dredging. “More dredging will take longer and have impacts on the surrounding community,” he contends.

7:20 PM: A Seattle city rep speaks next, also in English with a Spanish translator coming to stand and speak by his side. He talks about what the early-action cleanup has done – 29 acres at a cost of $95 million. He also mentions something that has come up a few times before – green stormwater treatment/infrastructure reducing runoff into the river and therefore being one part of source control for the future. He’s followed by Maggie from Puget Sound Sage, also speaking in English with Spanish translation. She mentions the South Park/Georgetown air-quality research project they’ve been working on – “knocked on over 500 doors, and held multiple community meetings in this very building. … Working with this community is an honor, and hearing of their health struggles must not be taken lightly.” She says Puget Sound Sage has three major concerns with the EPA proposal:
*The lack of controls on upriver pollution
*Responsible parties should pay into a mitigation fund for communities to direct where they see fit – since they aren’t the ones who polluted the river, it was nearby industry, for its own profit
*”They need to hire local people – this is a critical part of the cleanup plan … Hiring local will demonstrate the commitment to the local community.”

7:30 PM: A Port of Seattle representative follows, also in English, using the provided translator. She says they believe that the cleanup can be achieved more quickly and at less cost – 5 years, is their belief. Second to last person on the list is Alberto of the DRCC. He again addresses the audience – acknowledging that everybody wants what’s best for them, their family, their community. And last is a woman introduced by Maria, who promises she will be brief, drawing laughter.

FINAL UPDATE: The meeting wraps up at 7:40 pm with a reminder that they are continuing to take comments on the plan via e-mail. The remaining meetings are listed here, culminating with a public hearing downtown at Town Hall on the 29th, with two sessions, 2 pm and 6 pm.

Only five weeks remain for you to have your say on the proposed Duwamish River cleanup. A multi-language event tomorrow is one way to find out what’s being proposed and how it would affect you. Incentives, too, as explained by this announcement from the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition:

Concord International School, South Park’s neighborhood school, will co-host a workshop about the Duwamish River cleanup for families and community members this Thursday.

The workshop will be held in four languages – English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali – reflecting the diversity of the school’s students. Co-host Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/Technical Advisory Group (DRCC/TAG) will facilitate a hands-on workshop about the proposed cleanup plan and its recommendations for improvement, followed by a family dinner, river-themed tile-making activity, and free tickets courtesy of the Seattle Aquarium.

WHAT: Multilingual Duwamish Cleanup Workshop & Tile-Making

WHEN: Thursday, May 9, 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: Concord International School, 723 S. Concord St., Seattle

“This is a great opportunity to voice our concerns in our own languages,” says Concord School parent and South Park resident Paulina Lopez, who serves as DRCC/TAG’s Outreach Coordinator. “We want to make sure that the cleanup protects the health of our children and our families. ”

“This will help empower the community,” says DRCC/TAG Program Manager Alberto Rodriguez. “South Park residents will be teaching each other about the cleanup options, and they’ll get to design their own cleanup plan to submit to EPA as formal public comments.”

DRCC/TAG serves as EPA’s Community Advisory Group for the Superfund cleanup. Representatives will also be available from EPA, the WA Department of Ecology, and the “Lower Duwamish Waterway Group,” comprised of four potentially responsible parties with liability for cleanup (Boeing, Seattle, King County, and the Port of Seattle).

DRCC/TAG will also announce and recruit school families interested in its new river cleanup Job Training Program, a partnership with EPA’s Superfund Job Training Initiative.

EPA’s Proposed River Cleanup Plan is currently out for public review, and public comments are due by June 13.