On one side are the berm proponents, those who think it will be just fine to have the Sounder train climb from Freighthouse Square to a bridge over Pacific Avenue via an earthen berm.

On the other side are those who prefer a post-and-beam structure – essentially a viduct – to do the same work.

Tacoma cartoonist R.R. Anderson weighs in with his perspective.

They made no endorsement in the 5th District council race, which has Beckie Summers Kirby, Joe Lonergan and John Miles. But they DID endorse incumbent Tacoma Councilman Jake Fey, who is running unopposed.

Wasn't that nice?

Pierce Conservation Voters and Sierra Club Tatoosh Group announce environmental endorsements for key Tacoma City races

Washington Conservation Voters

Tacoma – With primary ballots arriving in mailboxes this week, Pierce Conservation Voters and the Tatoosh Group of the Sierra Club (Pierce County) formally announced both organization’s Mayor and City Council endorsements. These endorsements provide voters with a clear sense of the best environmental candidate in each race.

“The environmental challenges facing Tacoma require strong champions on the Council,” said Pierce Conservation Board Chair Michael Garrity. “Together, our endorsements establish a clear environmental slate for voters in Tacoma,” said Bliss Moore, Sierra Club Tatoosh Group Chair. The organizations each evaluated these candidates separately and came to the same conclusions on who would best provide climate change leadership, promote transit options and protect open space.

=> Read more!

A Washington, D.C., think tank thinks highly of two Puget Sound region efforts to capitalize on the federal economic stimulus package.

In a new report, the Brookings Institution is generally critical of the federal stimulus effort, calling it a rigid plan that stifles creativity. But it cites 11 projects nationwide as possible models for future metropolitan economic development.

Among them:

• Government and utility officials from four Puget Sound-area counties (including Pierce County) are trying to get federal funding for long-term energy sustainability measures like “smart” electric grids and electrified transportation. You can download a Brookings snapshot of the effort here.

• The Puget Sound Regional Council took a lead role in facilitating a regional approach to secure federal stimulus dollars for transportation and other projects. You can download the Brookings description of the effort here.

Manke has 30 days to appeal the fine - or pay it.

According to the state Department of Ecology, this isn't the first time that Manke has been in trouble with DOE. DOE says the fine is just its way of trying to get Manke's attention.

Manke Lumber has a history of compliance problems. Ecology inspections in 2005 and 2007 led to a $16,000 penalty and administrative order. Prior to that, the same facility was fined in 2002. Other Manke facilities elsewhere in the region have also been fined for stormwater permit problems.

Here's the full news release:

Manke Lumber in Tacoma fined for permit violations

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is penalizing Manke Lumber’s Tacoma mill $69,000 for ongoing stormwater management problems and failure to implement corrective actions outlined in a 2007 Ecology order. Along with the penalty, Ecology is issuing a new order directing Manke Lumber to fix problems without delay.

=> Read more!

The creation of "green" jobs was all the rage over the past session.

There's a lot of flexibility in defining green. For instance, an electrician can be green, if he or she knows how to install solar panels.

There's much more detail on the issue at this link.

Here is a link to the Washington Policy Center posting.

The on-line publication Crosscut has carved out a nice niche in its coverage of historic preservation – often an afterthought in other Seattle publications. Today, Knute Berger uses examples of successes in Seattle and a big failure in Tacoma to write about the difficulty in saving sacred places.

A link to the article is here.

As Berger notes, I wrote last week about efforts to learn from Tacoma's past mistakes. But churches face problems other historic buildings don't.

The state Supreme Court ruled that government can't enforce preservation laws against churches because it would interfere with their worship rights. Tax-exempt churches don't need tax benefits that have helped other historic buildings. At the same time, church-state separation policies make it difficult to use government money to help preserve religious buildings.

Berger notes that a conference on the topic will be held in Seattle Sept. 12 featuring Robert Jaeger of the Philadelphia-based Partners for Sacred Places.

Here are two images of Tacoma's First United Methodist Church, first before (by Drew Perine) and then during demolition (by Bruce Kellman).

The Washinton Department of Ecology sent out this news release today, but it sounds as if DOE and X-cell Feeds in Tacoma have been butting heads over this issue for years. The animal feed company can appeal the fine.

X-Cel Feeds penalized for refusing stormwater rules

OLYMPIA – A company in Tacoma that makes animal feed is facing a $14,641 fine from the Washington Department of Ecology for refusing to follow clean water rules.

X-Cel Feeds has disagreed with Ecology for four years over a requirement to get a stormwater permit. Ecology’s permit spells out requirements for preventing water pollution and sets up regular water quality monitoring. The company is also receiving a formal Ecology order to apply for the stormwater permit.

X-Cel Feeds, 5436 S. Washington St., processes a variety of raw materials into animal feed. Many of the activities and products on the site are exposed to stormwater, which triggers the requirement an industrial stormwater permit. Runoff from the site discharges to Flett Creek, a salmon-bearing stream.

=> Read more!

Gov. Chris Gregoire wasn't too happy with her Democratic colleagues at the end of the session in April when they failed to pass the climate change bill, Senate Bill 5735. So she issued an executive order last week.

This memo from a House Democratic staffer to House members and staff explains what the governor is doing. Not sure how the governor can rewrite a legislative budget without using her veto. She's "reprioritizing" what spending is there, or so she says.

Also, the business about TransAlta agreeing with the state Department of Ecology to burn less coal and more biomass might be wishful thinking.

From: Fleckenstein, Mary
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 1:02 PM
To: @HDC Members
Cc: @HDC Caucus Staff; @HDC LA's
Subject: Climate change executive order


Yesterday the Governor signed an executive order (E. O) relating to climate change. The EO is attached. It addresses many of the provisions in the proposed final striking amendment to SB 5735 and goes a bit further. As you may recall, SB 5735 was not adopted by the legislature. The E.O. does not specifically call out legislative participation, but the Governor has said she welcomes legislative involvement.

=> Read more!

I've blogged quite a bit in the last couple weeks about the Portlandification of Tacoma, to coin a phrase. That is, things the city is doing to be more green, more hip, more modern. I'm talking about things like bike commuting, Complete Streets and mixed-use design.

I sat in on a presentation by City Councilwoman Connie Ladenburg on Tuesday about her recent trip to Portland, where she and other city leaders got to look at some of the progressive ideas that might be incorporated into the City of Destiny (a.k.a Grit City). They include green roofing, rain gardens, stormwater recycling, zero-impact zones.

But after the jump you can see how the really hardcore folks are already taking "green" to the next level.

=> Read more!

Somehow this one slipped through the cracks. It's been noted other places, but just in case some people hadn't seen it:

City Manager Eric Anderson announced today that Kristin Lynett will become the City’s new Office of Sustainability Manager on June 1, 2009. Lynett was selected from a group of candidates from across the nation.

Lynett currently works for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife where she serves as Resource Conservation Manager/Sustainability Coordinator. She has a Masters Degree in Environmental Studies, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science as well as a Sustainable Building Advisor Program national certification.

“Kristin has a wealth of experience and a solid educational background that we believe will be a great foundation for building this new office,” said City Manager Eric Anderson. “She will help us become a more sustainable and environmentally aware City.”

As the Sustainable Development Manager, Lynett will be responsible for working to balance the City’s commitment to manage environmental impacts; planning and implementation of the five-and 10-year sustainability goals for City government and the community; as well as the refinement and implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan. She will also be charged with integrating sustainability and environmental values into City plans, programs and policies.

I guess that sends a message, doesn't it?

"The best protection against oil spills is solid prevention," said Dale Jensen, who manages Ecology's spill prevention, preparedness and response program. "Our concern extends far beyond the two gallons spilled. Washington state requires exacting care before and during marine fuel transfers. It's every vessel owner's business to know the plumbing on board, what to check, and the settings required for a tight, closed system."

Barge owner fined $16,500 over Duwamish spill

BELLEVUE – The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has fined Olympic Tug & Barge Co. (Olympic) $16,500 for failing to take measures to prevent an oil spill from a fuel barge in October, 2007 in Seattle.

A valve left open – with no procedures in place to check it – caused approximately two gallons of diesel fuel from the barge Bernie 112 to enter the East Waterway on Oct. 23, 2007. The barge was pumping fuel onto a cargo vessel at Terminal 18 on Harbor Island.

=> Read more!

Just in time for Bike to Work week next week, the City of Tacoma is rolling out a map of bike friendly streets.

“We’re encouraging people to bike to work that week,” said Diane Wiatr, city mobility coordinator and urban planner. “And certainly after that, too.”

About 42,000 employees work in the downtown area, she said, and the map is intended to help people find routes that aren’t too steep.

“Coming in it’s downhill, but getting out of town can be difficult,” she said. The map has chevrons indicating grade.

It was put together with the help of the Tacoma Wheelmen’s Bicycle Club, which has been promoting biking in Tacoma since 1888.

“They used to ride from here to Mt. Rainier,” Wiatr said. “It’s amazing because they were on these big clunkers. They didn’t even have a water bottle.”

Tacoma is also starting to design a “mobility master plan,” which means taking lofting urban planning concepts and asking, “What should we do on this particular street?”

The commuting map can be downloaded at PierceTrips.com or here on the News Tribune’s Political Buzz Blog.

On Saturday, a bike swap will be held on the University of Puget Sound’s campus from noon to 5 p.m. Vendors will have vintage bikes for sale and there will be opportunities to buy, sell and swap equipment.

“My daughters bike is too small,” Wiatr said. “Someone is going to be really happy to have it at a cheap price and I’m going to be really happy to have it out of my garage.”