HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources June 17 20081 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
2 Natural Resources Committee
3
4 June 17, 2008
5
6 Committee Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 9:35 a.m. in the Council
7 Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
8
9 Present: Absent:
10 Seth Fleetwood None
11 Bob Kelly
12
13 Also Present:
14 None
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16
17 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
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19 1. OVERVIEW BY THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY
20 REGARDING THE JULY 1, 2008, BAN ON DISHWASHING DETERGENTS THAT
21 CONTAIN 0.5% OR MORE PHOSPHORUS (AB2008 -241)
22
23 (Clerk's Note: Due to low recording levels, portions of the presentation were not
24 recorded.)
25
26 Christina Maginnis, Washington State Department of Ecology, submitted and read
27 from a presentation (on file).
28
29 Weimer asked if this law was the legislature's idea or the idea from the State
30 Department of Ecology. Maginnis stated it is the legislature's idea.
31
32 Weimer asked why it's okay for single -use detergent packets to be exempt.
33 Maginnis stated they aren't widely sold. Fewer people use those.
34
35 Kelly asked the target of the treatment. Maginnis stated it treats the raw water.
36 The treatment isn't geared toward getting rid of the phosphorus.
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38 Kelly asked if they can compare the amount of commercial use to the amount of
39 residential use. Maginnis replied (inaudible).
40
41 Fleetwood stated this seems to apply countywide. He asked the benefit if there is
42 not a concern for saltwater. Maginnis replied (inaudible).
43
44 Weimer asked if Ferndale, which draws its water from below Everson and Nooksack,
45 have any treatment problems due to incoming water. Maginnis replied (inaudible).
46
47
48 OTHER BUSINESS
49
50 Janie Urling, Mosquito Lake Road, stated she is campaigning to save the Cascade
51 Toad, which leaves Mosquito Lake and other nearby wetland areas and migrate across the
52 road. Many get run over on the road. She would like the Council to temporarily close the
53 road to through traffic, with the exception of garbage collection and emergency services,
Natural Resources Committee, 6/17/2008, Page 1
1 during the height of the migration period. Eventually expand to an educational component
2 to educate biker clubs. The Cascade Toad is a candidate as a listed species.
3
4 Weimer asked how much of the road would be closed. Urling stated one half to
5 three - quarters of a mile would be closed. The road is used as a short cut from Acme to
6 Paradise Valley or Glacier, and won't hinder the flow of traffic. The closure won't hinder
7 travel. All full -time residents in the direct area support this campaign. One other exception
8 may have to be for gravel trucks getting gravel from a nearby stockpile. The location is
9 about two miles south of the bridge.
10
11 Kelly asked if she's spoken to the timber companies. Urling stated the location is
12 north of where the timber companies have been logging this season. She would like to
13 contact them. The migration would last 10 to 14 days.
14
15 Fleetwood stated he is willing to look into the issue further.
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17 Urling stated she's talked to staff at the Public Works Department who are supportive
18 so far. They've told her that the Council needs to adopt an ordinance.
19
20 Weimer stated they would need to introduce an ordinance tonight, which would be
21 hard to do. He asked if an educational campaign would work for this year. Urling stated
22 they can do public education. There is a lot more traffic in the summer due to people who
23 use the road for recreation.
24
25 Fleetwood stated he likes the idea of an educational campaign in lieu of an ordinance
26 this year. She should talk to the Land Trust. Urling stated she has talked to the Land Trust
27 already.
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29 Weimer asked if the County could time its bridge maintenance, during which the
30 County closes the road, during the migration period. Urling stated that would help.
31
32 Weimer stated the County may help generate mailing lists to help the effort.
33
34
35 ADJOURN
36
37 a meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
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39
40
41 Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Carl Weimer, Committee Chair
Natural Resources Committee, 6/17/2008, Page 2