The comment period is up tomorrow November 6, 2018 per message below from the WA State Department of Ecology ("Ecology"). There is only one public comment (plus one question) on the Ecology's web page for the South State Street Manufactured Gas Plant. It is estimated to be a $9.3 million endeavor. I would like to see more participation by citizens and NGOs.
It would be good if the City of Bellingham included these Ecology meetings on their live stream and archival video feeds. The City and Puget Sound Energy are responsible for the project, with oversight by WA State Dept of Ecology ("Ecology"). The City has many meetings airing at Bellingham Television channel on YouTube therefore if citizens insist then perhaps current/future city leaders will consider making other important presentations similarly available to the public. Alternatively, perhaps citizens could ask Ecology to see about showing such meetings on TVW.org.
"Manufactured Gas" (MGP) has to do with turning coal and oil materials into gas for use by consumers. Many Superfund sites nationwide have resulted from the industry. This one in Bellingham is a lengthy project (as are most of the twelve cleanup sites around Bellingham Bay). Hopefully the Gas Plant cleanup will be complete by the time the world is kaput (per IPCC report). See the timeline for this project on Slide 7 used at the public meeting Oct 30th: South State Street MGP webpage (Also, Slide 13 is a slick illustration of the extent of the various shocking contaminants--press to see each outlined in different colors). It is such disasters that lead to the decimation of orca populations and other aspects of natural ecological systems.
Other helpful links (BTW, please persuade children and grandchildren to be environmental engineers since this and similar attempts are such long projects!):
----- Forwarded message ----
It would be good if the City of Bellingham included these Ecology meetings on their live stream and archival video feeds. The City and Puget Sound Energy are responsible for the project, with oversight by WA State Dept of Ecology ("Ecology"). The City has many meetings airing at Bellingham Television channel on YouTube therefore if citizens insist then perhaps current/future city leaders will consider making other important presentations similarly available to the public. Alternatively, perhaps citizens could ask Ecology to see about showing such meetings on TVW.org.
"Manufactured Gas" (MGP) has to do with turning coal and oil materials into gas for use by consumers. Many Superfund sites nationwide have resulted from the industry. This one in Bellingham is a lengthy project (as are most of the twelve cleanup sites around Bellingham Bay). Hopefully the Gas Plant cleanup will be complete by the time the world is kaput (per IPCC report). See the timeline for this project on Slide 7 used at the public meeting Oct 30th: South State Street MGP webpage (Also, Slide 13 is a slick illustration of the extent of the various shocking contaminants--press to see each outlined in different colors). It is such disasters that lead to the decimation of orca populations and other aspects of natural ecological systems.
Other helpful links (BTW, please persuade children and grandchildren to be environmental engineers since this and similar attempts are such long projects!):
- The FACT SHEET noted in following message as attached
- Toxic Legacy: The Environmental Impact of the Manufactured Gas Industry in the United States
- History of manufactured fuel gases page on Wikipedia
- On Flickr 21 photos by EcologyWA re the South State Street Gas Plant project
- Images in Google search for "South State Street Manufactured Gas Plant"
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| image source |
----- Forwarded message ----
From: Fawley, Ian (ECY) <IFAW461@ecy.wa.gov>
Date: Thu, Oct 4, 2018 at 9:31 AM
Subject: Ecology: South State Street MGP Environmental Report (RI/FS) Comment Period: 10/8 – 11/6; Meeting: 10/30
To:
Cc: Fawley, Ian (ECY) <IFAW461@ecy.wa.gov>, Guenther, John (ECY) <jgue461@ecy.wa.gov>
Date: Thu, Oct 4, 2018 at 9:31 AM
Subject: Ecology: South State Street MGP Environmental Report (RI/FS) Comment Period: 10/8 – 11/6; Meeting: 10/30
To:
Cc: Fawley, Ian (ECY) <IFAW461@ecy.wa.gov>, Guenther, John (ECY) <jgue461@ecy.wa.gov>
Greetings,
You are receiving this email notice because you have expressed interest in the Department of Ecology's Bellingham Bay cleanup activities.
The Department of Ecology invites you to review and comment on an environmental report for the South State Street Manufactured Gas Plant cleanup site in Bellingham. The report, called a remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS):
· Describes contamination found at the site.
· Evaluates cleanup alternatives.
· Identifies a preferred cleanup alternative.
The City of Bellingham (City) and Puget Sound Energy (PSE) prepared the report with Ecology oversight.
The contamination is from a former manufactured gas plant and other historic operations located at the north end of Boulevard Park. The cleanup site includes both upland and marine areas. The contaminant levels are potentially harmful and must be addressed under Washington's cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA).
Ecology will also hold a public meeting to provide more information and collect comments:
October 30, 2018; 6-8 pm
Bellingham City Hall
210 Lottie St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
Comments accepted:
October 8 – November 6, 2018
Ecology's South State Street Manufactured Gas Plant webpage:
· RI/FS report document and review locations
· Site details
· Contact information
Attached:
FACTSHEET_South_State_St_MGP_RI-FS_Final2.0
Best Regards,
Ian
Ian Fawley
Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist
Washington State Department of Ecology
Bellingham Field Office | Toxics Cleanup Program
Office: 360-255-4382 | Cell: 425-324-5901 | ian.fawley@ecy.wa.gov
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