(Cargo traffic on the Duwamish River; photo by Don Brubeck)
With only a month and a half remaining for public comments on the EPA’s proposed cleanup plan for the Duwamish River, one of its official public hearings is tonight at 6 pm (after an early session that’s just about to get under way) at the Georgetown campus of South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) – here are the details from the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition‘s website. The coalition sent a board member to this month’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting – read on for the points made in that mini-briefing:

Omar Barraza from the DRCC board pointed out to HPAC attendees that the Duwamish River is the ONLY river within the city limits. There’s a lot at stake, and they are concerned about protecting the people who fish and consume Duwamish seafood, as well as:

-Protecting people who come into contact with river
-Protecting the river life
-Protecting people who come into contact with sediments
-Protecting the life in the river’s mudflats

Barraza explained that 44 days are left in the EPA’s 105-day cleanup comment period, covering a proposal involving 5.5 miles from Harbor Island to the turning basin. EPA is proposing to dredge about 20 percent of the area at various spots. Another 5 percent of area will be capped. 12 percent will be designated as “enhanced natural recovery” – covering part with “enhanced natural carbon.” And 62 percent of area will be “monitored natural recovery.”

The cleanup “has a direct bearing on not only our lives today but that of our children.”

One concern DRCC has – the plan does not say anything about protecting health of the people who eat seafood from Duwamish.

Also – DRCC wants more done about “source control,” which, Barraza observed, “gets political.” DRCC proposes modifying the plan to remove ALL the highly and moderately toxic sediments, and to use other types of technology for areas where they are not capping or dredging. “They will invest hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup … hiring locally is a goal. It’s important that you weigh in, that you make your voice heard.” (The DRCC’s fact sheet and recommendations can be seen here.)

That could be done by a group like HPAC writing a letter, and/or individuals writing their own.
“The plan is pretty extensive, but it doesn’t cover everything,” he summarized.

In addition to tonight’s hearing, EPA and the state Ecology Department will present one in South Park in Spanish, with English translation, on May 15th, and other events are ahead, even a boat tour of the river this Sunday – they’re all listed on this page of the DRCC website.