That video is from three months ago today, when the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition gave river tours after releasing its report on a community-created vision of the polluted waterway’s future (our full report is here). Last night at the Highland Park Action Committee‘s environmentally themed meeting (earlier reports here and here), DRCC’s Cari Simson told the group about the latest turn in the road to that cleanup: A coalition of those she described as “the polluters,” referencing the contamination that has made part of the river a Superfund site, has released its own draft report regarding the future cleanup — a “draft feasibility study” (officially announced here) – and DRCC isn’t liking what it’s seeing so far. Read on to hear why – and to hear about upcoming events (boat tour, kayaking tours and more) in which you can participate:

(August 2008 photo by John LaSpina)
One of DRCC’s main missions is to gather public comment about the federal Superfund cleanup of the toxins that have fouled the river from years of pollution – “5 1/2 miles of the river bottom” and sites along its shores. (“Superfund” is explained on this DRCC webpage.) Simpson notes it’s not just industrial pollution, residential neighborhoods contribute too — “every time you hit the brakes, every time you flush.” She says that besides the environmental implications, there are millions of dollars at stake in the cleanup, so it’s important for nearby neighborhoods to know what’s going on. (And practical concerns – one question she fielded last night was “Would you walk barefoot near the Duwamish?” given the sediment contamination in the area. Without exactly saying “no,” she did discuss suggestions such as leaving your shoes outside after a walk in riverfront parks, and if you take a dog for a walk, washing its feet upon return.)

The draft issued by the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group – a coalition whose members are listed as the port, the city, the county and Boeing – was published April 24; links to individual sections are online here. Its proposals are “wholly inadequate” in DRCC’s view, according to Simson, who added, “What we’ve seen and heard already from this draft is
(that it’s) like sending your child to clean up his room, and he comes out with one piece of paper and says it’s done.” In DRCC’s view, the proposal “is trying to make arguments that doing less of a cleanup is a good thing.”

Her group also is concerned about what they say is an absence of discussion of “green jobs” — “There’s no mention of green job training, though thousands of people could be getting work out of this cleanup.” She said there also will be an EPA meeting coming up about the cleanup, “and we want to pack the house.”

Her group is reviewing the LDWG draft now and expects to have its own draft “bulleted list of issues” out soon. In the meantime, comments are being accepted on the LDWG’s draft till June 22; here’s how to have a say (Simson suggested it’s even appropriate to say you’re having trouble making it through the report, if that turns out to be the case), though she says a more important draft for public comment will be out this fall, and then yet another version of the proposal in a year.

One event you’ll want to attend to find out more from a variety of groups is the annual Duwamish River Festival, coming up August 8th. (Last year, that’s where we learned more about the Superfund cleanup – here’s our story, which led 4 months later to this followup). Simson said a few spaces remain on a free boat tour coming up June 13 — reservations here — and kayak tours are starting in July. There’s lots more information on the DRCC website.