>>> I GUESS WE ARE ON, I MISSED
THE BEAUTIFUL INTRO. GOOD
AFTERNOON, IT'S MARCH 26th, 23
FIVE MEETING OF PARTS, PUBLIC
UTILITIES, AND TECHNOLOGY
COMMITTEE WILL COME TOGETHER,
I'M JOEY HOLLINGSWORTH, CHAIR
OF THE COMMITTEE, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] CHAIR,
THERE ARE FOUR COUNCILMEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU. ON THE
AGENDA TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO GO
OVER AN ORDINANCE THAT
AUTHORIZES SEATTLEITE AND
UTILITY TO EXPAND FUNDS IN
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP EFFORTS IN
THE LOWER WATERWAY. THE WATERWAY
IS SEATTLE'S ONLY RIVER, IT
HOLDS SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE TO
OUR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES AND OTHER
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LOCATED
ALONG THAT CORRIDOR. LOOKING
FORWARD TO HAVING THE
CONVERSATION AND WE WILL NOW
CONSIDER THE AGENDA. AND IF
THERE IS NO OBJECTIONS, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED BUT
HEARING NONE, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. WE ARE NOW GOING TO
MOVE INTO MY FAVORITE PART OF
OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, WHICH IS
PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO THE ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA AND BE WITHIN
THE PURVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE
HAVE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> WE HAVE ONE IN PERSON AND ONE
REMOTE SPEAKER SIGNED UP.
>> AWESOME, EACH SPEAKER IS
GOING TO HAVE TWO MINUTES
COMMANDLY PLEASE READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD?
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. I WILL CALL ON
THE SPEAKERS BY NAME IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED,
BOTH ON THE COUNCIL WEBSITE OR
FROM THE SIGN-UP SHEET AVAILABLE
HERE IN THE CHAMBERS. WE WILL
START WITH IN PERSON SPEAKERS
FIRST. IF YOU HAVE NOT
REGISTERED TO SPEAK, BUT WOULD
LIKE TO, YOU CAN SIGN UP BY THE
END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
BY GOING TO THE COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE OR STARTING UP ON THE
SIGN-UP SHEET NEAR THE
MICROPHONE. THE ONLINE LINK IS
LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA. WHEN
SPEAKING, PLEASE BEGIN BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
YOU ARE ADDRESSING. SPEAKERS
WILL HEAR A TIME WHEN 10 SECONDS
ARE LEFT OF THE ALLOTTED TIME.
SPEAKERS DO NOT END THE COMMENTS
BY THE ALLOTTED TIME, THERE
MICROPHONE WILL BE NEEDED TO
ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
PERSON.
>> AWESOME. AND FIRST SPEAKER
UP, I'M ASSUMING IS MR.
ZIMMERMAN.
>> [ SPEAKING IN A NON-ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ] MY NAME IS ALEX
ZIMMERMAN, I SUPPORT TRUMP FOR
10 YEARS. MAKE AMERICA GREAT
AGAIN MEMBER. I WANT TO SPEAK
ABOUT AGENDA, AND [ INAUDIBLE ]
INVESTIGATION GOVERNMENT. [
INAUDIBLE ] NUMBER ONE, FOR 30
YEARS, I CANNOT FIND NO HONEST
MAN WHO WORKED FOR GOVERNOR IN
ALL THREE BRANCHES, NEVER
SECOND, ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
GOVERNMENT PEOPLE IN SEATTLE
GIVE ME 6000 DAYS OF TRESPASS. I
REPEAT THIS FOR IDIOTS WHO
DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT DOES THIS
MEAN? 6000 DAYS OF TRESPASS. [
INAUDIBLE ]
TRANSPORTATION BOARD, [
INAUDIBLE ] FOR THREE YEARS,
TRESPASS FOR THREE YEARS.
SEATTLE AND SCHOOLBOARD, THREE
TRESPASSES FOR THREE YEARS. AND
ANOTHER HUNDRED TRESPASSERS. HOW
AN AMERICAN CITIZEN CAN FEEL
GOOD -- THREE TRESPASS FOR
HUMAN? [ INAUDIBLE ] CRUCIFY US.
BUT 6000 TRESPASSES [ INAUDIBLE
] VIVA TRUMP. VIVA AMERICAN
REVOLUTION.
>> NEXT SPEAKER. JUST FOR THE
RECORD, THAT IS AN ANTI-SEMITIC
REMARK THAT WAS REFERRED TO IN
THE NAZI PARTY AND THAT IS WHAT
YOU HEARD TODAY AT THE BEGINNING
OF THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS. I WILL
CONTINUE TO SAY THAT EVERY TIME
MR. ZIMMERMAN DOES THAT SALUTE.
NEXT SPEAKER ONLINE?
>> WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE
PUBLIC COMMENT SPEAKER. ONCE I
CALLED REMOTE SPEAKER'S NAME,
STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE, AND YOU
HAVE BEEN UNMUTED WILL BE HEARD
AS THE SPEAKERS SKU. DAVID
HAYNES, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
ACTUALLY, CHAIR, I SEE THAT OUR
REMOTE SPEAKER IS NOT PRESENT.
>> ONLINE COMMENTOR IS NOT
PRESENT, YOU SAID? NO? OKAY.
WELL, THAT WILL END OUR HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND WE
WILL NOW JUMP INTO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ AGENDA ITEM 1 TO THE
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE,
AUTHORIZING SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
AND SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES TO
CONTINUE EXPANDING FUNDS TO
PARTICIPATE, IN ENVIRONMENTAL
INVESTIGATION AND REMEDIATION OF
THE LOWER DUWAMISH WATERWAY
SUPERFUND SITE, ACCORDING TO THE
TERMS OF A CONSENT DEGREE WITH
THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON AND ACCORDING TO
THE TERMS OF SETTLEMENTS WITH [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE, REALLY APPRECIATE
IT, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
PRESENTATION, PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD AND YOU
CAN JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO THE
PRESENTATION.
>> MY NAME IS [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES.
>> THE LAURA [ INAUDIBLE ] CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
>> BRIAN [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. WE
ARE HERE TO BRIEF YOU ON
LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN MORE
THAN TWO DECADES IN THE MAKING,
WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO
COMMIT TO PAY FOR CLEANUP OF
CONTAMINATED SETTLEMENTS IN THE
LOWER DUWAMISH RIVER BEYOND THE
BUDGET. BEFORE WE DIVE INTO
DETAILS, I WOULD LIKE TO START
WITH A STORY. AS YOU MAY
REMEMBER, THE DUWAMISH RIVER
OVERTOPPED ITS BANKS ON DECEMBER
27th, 2022, SENDING A DELUGE OF
RIVER WATER INTO APPROXIMATELY
50 HOMES AND BUSINESSES. SPU WAS
ONE OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS TO
THE FLOODING AND WE SPENT MOST
OF 2023 HELPING CUSTOMERS AND
BUSINESSES RESTORE THEIR
PROPERTIES FROM ALL THE FLOODING
DAMAGE. IN EARLY JANUARY OF
2023, I WAS WALKING IN THE
COMMUNITY, VISITING THE HOMES
THAT HAD BEEN DAMAGED, AND
TALKING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO
HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. I WAS
STRUCK, THOUGH, BECAUSE ONE OF
THE QUESTIONS THAT I REPEATEDLY
WAS ASKED BY COMMUNITY WAS DO I
NEED TO BE TESTING MY HOME FOR
CONTAMINATED SETTLEMENTS? IS MY
FAMILY NOW AT RISK FOR EXPOSURE
TO PCBs? A KNOWN CARCINOGEN
BECAUSE OF THE FLOODS? THE LOWER
DUWAMISH RIVER IS AN AREA OF THE
CITY THAT HAS LONG SUFFERED FROM
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES.
THE HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THIS
COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN WELL
DOCUMENTED FOR MORE THAN A
DECADE, INCLUDING THE
DISPARITIES IN LIFE IN
EXPECTANCY AND ASTHMA RATES.
THERE ARE ALSO INFRASTRUCTURE
DISPARITIES, AND THE TOPIC WE
ARE HERE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU
TODAY, WHICH IS THE CONTAMINATED
SEDIMENT. THE LOWER DUWAMISH
WATERWAY HAS BEEN SEATTLE'S
MAJOR CORRIDOR SINCE THE EARLY
1900s. THE RESULT OF THAT USE IS
THE WATER WASTE SEDIMENTS ARE
CONTAMINATED WITH MORE THAN
CENTURY'S WORTH OF TOXIC
CHEMICALS, CHEMICALS WHICH COME
FROM MANY SOURCES, INCLUDED
STORMWATER RUNOFF, WASTEWATER,
AND INDUSTRIAL PRACTICES. SINCE
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION [
INAUDIBLE ] THE CITY HAS BEEN
WORKING WITH KING COUNTY, THE
PORT OF SEATTLE, AND THE BOEING
COMPANY TO INVESTIGATE THE
CONTAMINATION, CLEANUP HOTSPOTS,
AND IMPLEMENT EPA'S CLEANUP
PLAN FOR THE CONTAMINATION.
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT AND SEATTLE
PUBLIC UTILITIES EACH HAVE
LIABILITY FOR THE TOXIC
POLLUTION. SPU IS ACTING FOR THE
DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY.
LEGISLATION BEFORE YOU TODAY IS
A COMBINATION OF MORE THAN TWO
DECADES OF WORK TO ADDRESS THIS
HISTORIC ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE
BUT I CAN'T IT PERSONALLY AS
BOTH AN APPLICATION AND A
PRIVILEGE TO BE TAKING PART IN
THIS CLEANUP, WHICH IS MAKING
RIGHT OVER A CENTURY OF
POLLUTION THAT HAS AFFECTED THE
COMMUNITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND
THE TRIBES OF FISH ALONG THE
DUWAMISH BEEN WITH ME TODAY ARE
JASON HAMILTON, COMPLIANCE
MANAGER, LAURA, THE DIRECTOR OF
THE ENVIRONMENT SECTION IN THE
SEATTLE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,
AND ELLEN STEWART, WHO IS THE
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF [ INAUDIBLE ]
. I WILL NOW TURN THE
PRESENTATION OVER TO ELLEN
STEWART, HE WILL PROVIDE YOU ON
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW. IT IS NICE
TO BE WITH YOU HERE TODAY. WE
ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
LEGISLATION SUPPORTING OUR
EFFORTS TO CLEAN UP AND RESTORE
THE LOWER DUWAMISH WATERWAY,
WHICH IS A VITAL ECONOMIC,
CULTURAL, AND ECOLOGICAL
RESOURCE FOR SEATTLE. IT
CONSISTS OF A FIVE MILE STRETCH
BETWEEN HARBOUR ISLAND AND WHAT
IS KNOWN AS THE TURNING BASIN
NEAR SOUTHPARK. AS ANDREW
MENTIONED, THIS RIVER IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITIES OF
SOUTHPARK AND GEORGETOWN, WHO
CALL THIS RIVER HOME. EPA LEAVES
THE CLEANUP WORK UNDER THE
FEDERAL SUPERFUND LAW, AND THE
CITY HAS BEEN WORKING WITH OUR
PARTNERS SINCE THE YEAR 2000 TO
COMPLETE INVESTIGATIONS, CONDUCT
EARLY CLEANUP ACTIONS, FIND AND
REMOVE BOTH HISTORICAL AND
ONGOING SOURCES OF POLLUTION,
AND DO ENGINEERING DESIGN WORK.
LAST NOVEMBER, THE LOWER
DUWAMISH WATERWAY GROUP, WHICH
CONSISTS OF THE CITY, KING
COUNTY, AND POET, A MAJOR
MILESTONE, AND BEGAN THE
FULL-SCALE CLEANUP OF THE RIVER.
BEFORE DISCUSSING THE
LEGISLATION ITSELF, I WOULD LIKE
TO USE A FEW SLIDES TO RECAP WHY
THE CITY IS INVOLVED, AND WHERE
WE STAND NOW ON THIS IMPORTANT
WORK. UNDER SUPERFUND CASE LAW,
BOTH SPU AND SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
HAVE SOME PORTION OF CLEANUP
LIABILITY DUE TO THEIR UTILITY
FUNCTIONS. SPU IS LIABLE DUE TO
CONTAMINANTS AND HISTORIC
COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS THAT
DRAIN INTO THE RIVER, DISCHARGES
FROM AN EARLY SEWAGE TREATMENT
PLANTS, AND CONTAMINANTS AND
STORMWATER THAT PASS THROUGH OUR
SYSTEM AS THEY DRAIN INTO THE
RIVER. SEATTLE CITY LIGHT IS
LIABLE DUE TO OWNERSHIP OF SITES
WHERE CONTAMINANTS MAY HAVE BEEN
RELEASED, AND OWNERSHIP OF
TRANSFORMERS DISTRIBUTED AT
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. BASED ON
INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS THE CITY
HAS DONE, THE UTILITIES WILL
SPLIT ITS SHARE OF THE CITY'S
COST, 85% TO SPU, AND 15% TO
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT. BOTH
DEPARTMENTS USE RATEPAYER FUNDS
TO COVER THE COSTS OF THEIR
LIABILITY. IN OTHER WORDS, NO
GENERAL FUNDS ARE USED AND THESE
COSTS ARE FACTORED INTO OUR RATE
PROJECTIONS FOR BOTH
DEPARTMENTS. THE REASON THAT THE
LOWER DUWAMISH WATERWAY IS A
SUPERFUND SITE IS THAT
INDUSTRIAL CONTAMINANTS HAVE
ACCUMULATED IN MY , OR AS WE
CALL THEM, SEDIMENTS, AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE WATERWAY. THESE
CONTAMINANTS WORK THEIR WAY UP
THE FOOD CHAIN , AND THE MAIN
RISK IS TO PEOPLE WHO MAY EAT
RESIDENT SEAFOOD FROM THE LOWER
DUWAMISH WATERWAY. AND THIS IS
REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE
DESPITE OUR BEST EDUCATION
EFFORTS, WE KNOW THAT FISHING
STILL EXISTS IN THIS RIVER FOR
NEARBY RESIDENTS. THE MAJOR
CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN ARE
INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS,
PARTICULARLY PCBs, ARSENIC, AND
DIOXINS AND FUEL RODS, WHICH ARE
ALL ASSOCIATED WITH INDUSTRIAL
USE. SALMON ARE SAFE TO EAT
WITHIN THEIR SUGGESTED LIMITS,
BECAUSE THEY MIGRATE THROUGH THE
RIVER, AND THERE ARE ACTIVE
RECREATIONAL AND TRIBAL
FISHERIES FOR SALMON IN THE
RIVER. IN 2014 AFTER EXTENSIVE
STUDIES AND PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION, EPA DECIDED ON
THE CLEANUP FOR THE LOWER
DUWAMISH. THE EPA PROCESS AND
OUR OWN OUTREACH EFFORTS HAVE
PROVIDED EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT DURING THIS PROCESS.
MOST AREAS THAT REQUIRE CLEANUP
WILL BE DREDGED TO REMOVE THE
CONTAMINATED MATERIAL FROM THE
RIVER BOTTOM . SOME AREAS WILL
BE CAPPED WITH CLEAN GRAVEL AND
SAND AND ROCK, AND THE ENTIRE
SITE WILL BE MONITORED WELL INTO
THE FUTURE. THE EXACT AREAS THAT
WILL BE CLEANED UP WILL BE
DETERMINED DURING THE
ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS. AND
EPA HAS DIVIDED THIS FIVE-MILE
STRETCH THAT I TALKED ABOUT INTO
THREE REACHES FOR CLEANUP, AND
THE CLEANUP WILL START UPSTREAM,
AND THEN WORK ITS WAY
DOWNSTREAM, AND IT IS PHASED IN
THIS WAY, SO WE AVOID
RE-CONTAMINATION AS WE WORK
DOWNRIVER. THE UPPER REACH
DESIGN PROCESS WAS COMPLETED IN
2023, AND WE BEGAN THE
THREE-YEAR CLEANUP OF THAT
SECTION LAST NOVEMBER. AND IT
TAKES THREE YEARS BECAUSE WE CAN
ONLY OPERATE AND TO CLEANUP
OPERATIONS DURING THE FISH
WINDOW, WHICH IS FROM OCTOBER TO
FEBRUARY OF EACH YEAR. WE NEED
TO BE CAREFUL TO PROTECT
SPAWNING SALMON IN THE RIVER. I
THEN DESIGNED FOR THAT MIDDLE
REACH SHOULD BE COMPLETE IN
2027, AND THEN DESIGNED FOR THE
LOWER REACH STARTS THIS YEAR. WE
ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
MAJOR MILESTONE AND THE
RESTORATION OF THE RIVER. THE
COMMUNITY HAS BORNE THE BRUNT OF
THE IMPACTS OF THIS POLLUTION
FOR DECADES, AND THEY HAVE
PATIENTLY WAITED FOR THIS LONG
PROCESS TO UNFOLD . AND FULL
CLEANUP CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE
ABOUT 10 YEARS. ON THE MAP HERE,
YOU WILL SEE THE ORANGE AREAS IN
THE UPPER REACH OF THE RIVER,
WHICH ARE THE AREAS THAT WE ARE
GOING TO BE DREDGING, AND ON THE
RIGHT THERE, YOU WILL SEE THE
DREDGING OF EQUIPMENT THAT WAS
WORKING IN THAT SECTION OF THE
RIVER LAST NOVEMBER, THAT'S WHAT
THE OPERATION ACTUALLY LOOKS
LIKE. THE CLEANUP PROCESS IS THE
CULMINATION OF A 25 YEAR PROCESS
THAT HAS INVOLVED CLEANING UP
HOTSPOTS, IDENTIFYING SOURCES OF
HISTORICAL AND ONGOING
POLLUTION, AND WORKING ON THE
REMEDIATION DESIGN. PERSONALLY,
I STARTED MY CAREER AT THE CITY
24 YEARS AGO AS AN INSPECTOR,
IDENTIFYING SOME OF THESE
SOURCES OF POLLUTION TO THE
DUWAMISH RIVER, AND IT IS
PERSONALLY FULFILLING TO SEE THE
CLEANUP FINALLY HAPPENING FOR
THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR THE CITY.
TO THIS POINT, THE CITY , KING
COUNTY, AND BOEING HAVE WORKED
UNDER A UNILATERAL ORDER FROM
THE EPA. THIS WILL CHANGE WHEN
WE SIGN THE CONSENT DECREE FOR
THE FULL CLEANUP. WHILE ALL THE
SETTLING PARTIES WILL SIGN THE
CONSENT DECREE, ONLY THREE, THE
CITY, KING COUNTY, AND BOEING
WILL BE THE PERFORMING PARTIES
WHO WILL ACTUALLY DO THE CLEANUP
WORK. THE LEGISLATION THAT YOU
WILL BE ASKED TO APPROVE OFFERS
THE CITY BENEFITS THAT WE DON'T
HAVE UNDER THE UNILATERAL ORDER.
AND THESE BENEFITS INCLUDE
PROTECTION FROM LAWSUITS AND THE
RECEIPT OF SETTLEMENT FUNDS THAT
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO NEGOTIATE
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. THE
CITY WILL RECEIVE $88 MILLION IN
THE SETTLEMENT FUNDS. EPA HAS
AGREED TO WAIVE $10.5 MILLION IN
OVERSIGHT COSTS, AND THEN WE
WILL ALSO RECEIVE $5.5 MILLION
FOR COSTS INCURRED TO DATE. THE
CITY COUNCIL IS NOT BEING ASKED
TO APPROVE THE CONSENT TO CREATE
OR THE SETTLEMENTS, BECAUSE THAT
AUTHORITY, THE CHARTER GIVES
THAT AUTHORITY TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THE COUNCIL
IS BEING ASKED TO AUTHORIZE SPU
AND SEATTLE CITY LIGHT TO SPEND
MONEY IN AMOUNTS AND IN YEARS
THAT GO BEYOND OUR CURRENT
BUDGET CYCLE. AND STATE LAW
PROVIDES THAT THE LEGISLATURE OF
A CITY MAY AUTHORIZE BY ENACTING
AN ORDINANCE, PUBLIC UTILITIES
TO MAKE EXPENDITURES NOT
CONTEMPLATED IN THEIR ANNUAL
BUDGET. AND FOR A MOMENT, LET'S
JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE COSTS
ARE. THE EPA HAS ESTIMATED THAT
OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS, THOSE
COSTS WILL BE $667 MILLION, THAT
IS IN '23 DOLLARS. WE THINK
THOSE COSTS ARE CLOSER TO $750
MILLION, AND THAT IS IN 20 $24,
AND THOSE COSTS ARE DIVIDED BY
THE THREE PERFORMING PARTIES
THAT I TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY.
BOEING AT 53.6%, THE CITY AT
31.5%, AND KING COUNTY AT 14.9%,
AND THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE
DERIVED FROM THE RELATIVE
CONTRIBUTION TO POLLUTION IN THE
RIVER. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS
ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF THE
CONTAMINATION IN THE RIVER AND
THEY WILL PAY $140 MILLION, THAT
WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH SETTLEMENT
NEGOTIATIONS. AND THEN WE HAVE
39 OTHER SMALL PARTIES THAT WILL
COLLECTIVELY PAY $141 MILLION,
THAT WAS ALSO ACHIEVED THROUGH
SETTLEMENT. AND FINALLY, WE HAVE
ONE PARTY LOOMING WILL PAY $1
MILLION ANNUALLY, RATHER THAN A
LUMP SUM. OKAY, SO THE CHART ON
THE LEFT HERE DEPICTS THE
FUNDING SPLITS AMONG THE THREE
PARTIES THAT I JUST SHARED, WITH
THE CITY SHARE, WHICH IS 31.5%,
EQUALING ABOUT $238 MILLION, AND
AGAIN, THAT SPLIT IS 85% SPU AND
15% SEATTLE CITY LIGHT. AND THEN
MOVING ALONG, TO THE CHART ON
THE RIGHT OF THAT, $238 MILLION,
YOU CAN SEE THE $88 MILLION IN
SETTLEMENT FUNDS. OUR PORTION OF
THAT, AND THE $11 MILLION IN
WAIVED EPA COSTS. THE REMAINING
BALANCE IS ELIGIBLE FOR STATE
GRANTS UNDER THE MODEL TOXINS
CONTROL ACT, AT UP TO A 50%
MATCH. AND IF WE GET THE SIX --
50% MATCH, THEN THE CITY'S NET
COST WOULD BE ABOUT $70 MILLION.
NOW, THESE COSTS HAVE BEEN
CALMING, WE KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN
COMING FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, AND
THEY ARE INCLUDED IN BOTH
UTILITIES BUDGETS, AND IN OUR
BREAK REJECTIONS AND BREAK PAST
US. THEY ARE DERIVED FROM
REVENUE FUNDS, ONCE AGAIN, AND
DO NOT COME FROM THE GENERAL
FUND AT ALL. YOU ALSO MAY
REMEMBER THAT LAST YEAR, WE
ACHIEVED A GROUNDBREAKING
SETTLEMENT WITH MONSANTO
CORPORATION, WHO PRODUCED PCBs
IN THE PAST. SOME OF THAT
SETTLEMENT WILL BE USED FOR THE
CLEANUP ITSELF, AND THEN OTHER
PARTS OF THAT SETTLEMENT WILL BE
USED FOR PROJECTS ALONG THE
RIVER, TO DO WATER QUALITY
TREATMENT AND OTHER PROJECTS ,
AND WE ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL
TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN SECURING
THIS SETTLEMENT FOR THE BENEFIT
OF OUR RATEPAYERS. SO, FINALLY,
RIGHT NOW, ALL THE PARTIES HAVE
SIGNED THE CONSENT DECREE AND
THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS. THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GAVE
PRELIMINARY APPROVAL, THAT WAS
UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
ONCE THE LEGISLATION IS PASSED
AT CITY AND KING COUNTY, WE WILL
SIGN THE CONSENT DECREE AND IT
WILL GO BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
IT WILL THEN BE FILED WITH THE
COURT, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND
ULTIMATELY, IT WILL BE LODGED
WITH THE COURT FOR FINAL
APPROVAL, WHICH IS WHEN THOSE
SETTLEMENTS WILL TAKE EFFECT AND
WE WILL RECEIVE THOSE
PROTECTIONS THAT I TALKED ABOUT
EARLIER. AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE
TODAY. LAURA, JASON, AND I ARE
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY WESTERNS THAT
YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
THANK YOU.
>> ALSO, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I ALSO
KNOW THAT COUNCILMEMBERS HAD
BEEN BRIEFED ABOUT SOME OF THIS,
AND WE HAD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION
REGARDING SOME STUFF AS WELL, SO
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
THE PREPARATION AND STUFF. I
DON'T KNOW -- I KNOW A LOT OF
QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED WHEN WE
DID HAVE OUR SESSION, BUT IF
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT HAVE
-- COLLEAGUES THAT MIGHT HAVE
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS -- I SEE
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS WITH HIS
LEFT HAND RAISED. OR RIGHT HAND.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS LEFT OR
RIGHT.
>> IT IS A DIGITAL HAND AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL
FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, I WAS
NOT ALLOWED TO ASK POLICY
QUESTIONS IN THE EXECUTIVE
SESSION, BECAUSE IT WAS RELATED
ONLY TO MATTERS THAT WE WON'T
BE DISCUSSING TODAY. SO, I DID
SAVE SOME OF MY QUESTIONS FOR
YOU TODAY. AND ONE OF THEM --
BEFORE I JUMP IN, DIRECTOR LEE ,
YOU BROUGHT UP THE WORK THAT HAD
BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN SOUTH PARK.
SOME TIME AGO WHEN THE RIVER
OVERFLOWED THE BANKS. AND SO, WE
CAN SAY THOSE WORDS WITHOUT ALSO
THINKING WALTER AND HIS ENTIRE
TEAM. I KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN
FIRST RESPONDERS ALSO IN MY
DISTRICT , DURING THAT SAME TIME
PERIOD. BUT CAN'T LET THE
MOMENT GO WITHOUT SAYING THANK
YOU TO WALTER AND HIS ENTIRE
TEAM. DIVING INTO THIS
PRESENTATION HERE, THE QUESTIONS
THAT I HAVE ABOUT THE SECTIONS
OF MONITORING IN PLACE TREATMENT
OR DREDGING , SOME OF THOSE
COLORED BOXES ARE -- THEY LOOK
TO ME TO BE OVERLAPPING. WE KNOW
THAT LINES IN THE DIRT ARE MADE
BY PEOPLE AND THAT THE WORLD AND
THE EARTH WORKS A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENTLY, MAYBE WITHOUT THOSE
BOUNDARIES. HOW WERE THOSE
DECISIONS MADE? I'M LOOKING
SPECIFICALLY AT -- I'M SORRY, I
JUST LOST THE POWERPOINT ON MY
SIDE, SO I'M GOING TO BRING IT
RIGHT BACK UP. THE SLIDE WITH
KELLOGG ISLAND IN IT. I SEE JUST
NORTH OF KELLOGG ISLAND , IN
PLACE TREATMENT NEXT TO A
MONITORED, WHICH IS DIRECTLY
ADJACENT TO A DREDGE WITH SOME
MONITORING AREAS IN THERE. I'M
SORRY I DIDN'T GIVE YOU THIS
QUESTION AHEAD OF TIME, BUT HOW
DID WE COME TO THOSE DECISIONS?
>> SO, THE QUESTION IS --
>> YOU HAVE GOT TO REALLY PUT
THE MICROPHONE UP CLOSE TO YOU.
>> SO, YEARS. AND YEARS OF STUDY
AND WORK AND -- WHICH INCLUDED
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, AND TO --
WITH MULTIPLE DIFFERENT REMEDIES
, SUGGESTED THE EPA, AND THIS
BEING WHAT WAS LANDED UPON BY
ALL THE EXPERTS.
>> MAY I DID A LITTLE BIT
DEEPER, PUN INTENDED HERE? WHICH
IS TO SAY, WAS THERE A POINT --
POLLUTION THAT WAS COMING FROM A
POINT SOURCE OR WAS DISTRIBUTED
-- BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THIS
-- YOU KNOW, I AM LOOKING
DIRECTLY NORTH OF KELLOGG ISLAND
WHERE WE HAVE LIGHT BLUE,
ORANGE, LIGHT GREEN, DARK GREEN.
ALL IN WHAT LOOKS TO BE -- I'VE
GOT TO ZOOM IN TO SEE THE RATIO
HERE. IT LOOKS LIKE ALL WITHIN
ABOUT 500 FEET. HOW ARE WE
DEFINING THOSE -- I KNOW THAT
THERE IS SCIENCE THAT BACKS ALL
OF THIS UP, I KNOW THE EPA HAS A
PROCESS, I'M JUST TRYING TO
LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HOW DO
WE COME TO THAT DETERMINATION
AND HOW ARE WE -- FROM A
LAYPERSON STANDPOINT, IF AN AREA
NEEDS TO BE DREDGE, HOW IS THERE
A MONITORING AREA DIRECTLY
ADJACENT?
>> SO, THERE HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE
MONITORING THAT HAPPENS TO
DETERMINE WHERE THOSE HOTSPOTS
ARE, THAT IS DONE BY THE EPA.
AND SO, THEY DO THE MONITORING
ALL ALONG THE RIVER TO DETERMINE
WHERE THE HOTSPOTS ARE AND WHAT
REMEDIES WILL BE BEST TO TAKE
CARE OF THEM. THE EXACT BORDERS
AND AREAS OF THE DREDGING AND
CAPPING WILL BE DETERMINED
DURING THE ENGINEERING PROCESS,
AND THEN THE MONITORING, IT IS
SORT OF AN ITERATIVE PROCESS,
WHERE THAT WILL GO ON FOR MANY
YEARS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
GOT ALL OF THE CONTAMINATION,
AND SO, THAT MONITORING WILL BE
WELL INTO THE FUTURE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE
POLLUTION TAKEN CARE OF.
>> THANKS.
>> IF I MAY -- HISTORICALLY
SPEAKING, I THINK DREDGING,
WHICH IS DIGGING UP THE
CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT AND MOVING
IT, TAKING IT OFF TO HAZARDOUS
LANDFILL, WAS OFTENTIMES VIEWED
AS OPTIMAL, YOU KNOW, THE
PRIMARY, KIND OF BEST
REMEDIATION IN A SITUATION LIKE
THIS. OVER TIME, THOUGH, STUDIES
HAVE ACTUALLY SHOWN THAT WHEN
YOU DIG UP ALL OF THAT DEBRIS,
IT ACTUALLY RELEASES A LOT OF
THOSE CHEMICALS INTO THE
WATERWAY, AND FOR EVEN A SHORT
PERIOD, THE LEVELS OF THE
WATERWAY ARE ACTUALLY REALLY
ELEVATED, RIGHT? THAT COULD BE
EVEN MORE HARMFUL TO THE FISH
AND THE ENVIRONMENT. AND SO,
OVER TIME, THEY HAVE LOOKED AT A
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
TECHNOLOGIES TO REMEDIATE THE
SOIL. AND SOMETIMES WHAT ENDS UP
HAPPENING IS, YES, THE OPTIMAL
WAY IS TO DIG IT UP AND REMOVE
IT, HENCE THE DREDGING, BUT
ANOTHER WAY [ INAUDIBLE ]
NATURAL RECOVERY, JUST SIMPLY
LETTING OVER TIME THE NATURAL
SEDIMENT THAT SIMPLY MOVES ALONG
THE RIVER BED WILL ACTUALLY
PROTECT THE SOILS AND WILL
PROTECT THAT LAYER OF
CONTAMINATED SOIL FROM GETTING
TO THE SERVICE. IN OTHER CASES,
CAPPING IT, ADDING A LAYER OF
SOIL ON TOP OF IT IS ACTUALLY
THE OPTIMAL WAY, AND LEAVING THE
CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT BELOW. IN
ALL THESE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS,
WE HAVE STANDARDS THAT EPA HAS
GIVEN US, AND THOSE STANDARDS
ARE WHAT WE ARE ULTIMATELY
TRYING TO COMPLY WITH. IT IS
HIGHLY KIND OF ENGINEERED BASED
ON SPECIFIC SITE CONDITIONS BUT
I WILL SAY, THE OTHER FACTOR
THAT IS IN THIS IS THIS IS A
WATERWAY THAT IS USED FOR SHIPS,
AND SO, WE WILL FIND THAT IN
SOME CASES, BECAUSE WE NEED TO
HAVE CERTAIN DEBTS REMOVED,
SOMETIMES WE DO NEED TO DO
DREDGING, WHETHER OR NOT IT IS
OPTIMAL. THERE ARE SO MANY
DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT GO INTO
IT, BUT THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS
TO HIT OUR LEVELS THAT WE ARE
TRYING TO HIT [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU. SO, WITH THAT
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, AS I AM
LOOKING AT THE LIGHT GREEN AND
BLUE, IT SAYS TO ME THAT IF
THINGS CHANGE IN THE COURSE OF
REMEDIATION , THOSE AREAS WILL
BE REMEDIATED , AND THAT WILL BE
CHANGED TO A DARK GREEN OR AN
ORANGE. AND PART OF THE QUESTION
THAT YOU ANSWERED FOR ME WAS
STARTING UPSTREAM, WORKING
DOWNSTREAM . IT IS LIKE WHEN YOU
SWEEP THE STEPS, YOU START AT
THE TOP AND YOU SWEEP DOWN,
BECAUSE YOU ALREADY ANSWER THE
QUESTION AGAIN, BUT AS YOU ARE
DOING THIS WORK, ARE MORE OF THE
PROBLEMS COMING TO THE SURFACE?
>> WE ALSO HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE,
WE HAVE BRIDGES ON THE DUWAMISH,
AND THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE
WE JUST CANNOT DREDGE BECAUSE
THE BRIDGES ARE INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT IS THERE, SO IN THOSE
CASES, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO
THE REMEDIES AND WE MAY NEED TO
SORT OF WORK WITHIN THAT AS
WELL. SO, THOSE ARE ALSO FACTORS
IN WHAT THE REMEDIES ARE.
>> THANK YOU, AND LAST QUESTION
ON HERE, WHERE DOES THE DREDGED
SOIL GO? DO WE HAVE A LOCATION
OR JUST A TOXIC LANDFILL?
>> JUST TO A LANDFILL.
>> OKAY. HOPEFULLY WE WON'T --
LOOKING AT YOU, CHAIR JOY,
HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE SENDING IT
TO OREGON, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE
MOST OF IT GOES. SORRY, I CAN
WRAP UP IF YOU WANT. HAVE WE --
PUTTING ON MY CHAIR OF THE
NATIVE COMMUNITIES AND TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS HAT, HAVE WE [
INAUDIBLE ] WITH FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES THAT HAVE
TREATY RIGHTS WITH THE CITY? X
YES, WE HAVE, THAT IS DONE
THROUGH THE EPA OFFICIALLY, AND
WE WERE PARTNERS WITH THEM WHERE
THE TRIBES WANTED US TO BE
PARTNERS, AND HAD MEETINGS WITH
THE TRIBES , WHERE THEY WANTED
US TO JOIN THOSE, SO THE TRIBES
ARE PART OF THAT PARTICIPATION
PROCESS.
>> FANTASTIC, THANK YOU. LAST
QUESTION, CHAIR LAURA, DURING
OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU
PROVIDED A DEEP BACKGROUND THAT
WAS ALL REGARDING THE LEGAL
ASPECT, BECAUSE YOU ARE A
LAWYER. I WAS HUMBLED BY THE
AMOUNT OF WORK THAT YOU HAVE
DONE AND THE LONGEVITY AND THE
HISTORY THAT YOU HAVE WITH THIS
PROJECT. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU
COULD SHARE -- THIS IS REAL
SOFTBALL FOR YOU, BUT ANYTHING
YOU THINK WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF
OR IS THERE ANYTHING FROM -- MY
COLLEAGUES ALL JOKE HERE, EVEN
THOUGH I AM ONE OF THE YOUNGER
MEMBERS, THEY CALL ME THE
HISTORIAN, SO FROM ONE HISTORIAN
TO ANOTHER, ANYTHING WE SHOULD
BE THINKING ABOUT OR ANYTHING WE
SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?
>> I GUESS I WOULD EMPHASIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO
CONTROL ONGOING SOURCES OF
CONTAMINANTS. THE SPU HAS BEEN,
YOU KNOW, A LEADER NATIONWIDE IN
ITS SOURCE CONTROL PROGRAM, AND
THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE AND EVEN
EXPAND, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO
THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN TO
PREVENT CONTAMINANTS CONTINUING
TO GOING TO THE WATERWAY.
>> ON THAT, IS IT THAT WE HAVE
CURRENT OINTMENT SOURCES THAT
ARE NOT BEING MITIGATED?
>> IT IS NOT A POINT SOURCE. IF
IT WERE A POINT SOURCE, IT WOULD
BE EASY, WE COULD JUST GO THERE
AND FIX IT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT
SOME OF THESE CONTAMINANTS LIKE
PCBs HAVE BECOME UBIQUITOUS.
THEY FALL FROM THE SKY, THEY ARE
BLOWN AROUND THE WORLD IN WINDS,
AND THEY GET INTO OUR
STORMWATER, AND WE CAN'T GO TO
A PARTICULAR PLACE IN ORDER TO
STOP THAT. IT HAS TO BE DONE
WITH THE STORM WATER ITSELF. SO,
I KNOW ANDREW AND ELLEN ARE ON
TOP OF IT. I JUST WOULD SAY ,
FROM THE COUNCIL'S PERSPECTIVE,
IT IS AN IMPORTANT PROJECT TO
KEEP DOING.
>> THAT IS REALLY HELPFUL,
BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME THAT THESE
WATERS -- WHEN WE LOOK OUT TO
THIS DAY, I USED TO ALL BE
TIDELAND. IT USED TO ALL BE
BRAIDS OF THE RIVER EXTENDING
INTO WHAT IS NOW CALLED ELLIOTT
BAY, AND THROUGH THE COURSE OF
THIS SLIDE, WE CAN SAY WE HAVE
CHANNELED THIS WATER IN SUCH A
WAY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IF WE
THINK OF RIVER DELTAS, THERE
LIKE THE LUNGS OF THE RIVER. AND
WE CONSTRAIN THESE LOANS, AND
THANK YOU FOR THAT. IF IT WAS
POINT SOURCE, IT WOULD BE AN
EASY REMINDER, BECAUSE I THINK
OF PROGRAMS LIKE AT GREEN LAKE
RIGHT NOW, AND I KNOW SPU HAS
DONE SOME OTHER FLOATING
WETLANDS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO
CLEAN THE WATER FROM THESE
NON-POINT SOURCE CONTAMINANTS.
>> CHAIR, I WOULD JUST GIVE YOU
ONE EDITORIAL AND I WILL BE
DONE. IN MY OFFICE THIS MORNING,
I DON'T REMEMBER HOW WE GOT ON
THE CONVERSATION, BUT JUST THE
CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED WITH
THE DUWAMISH RIVER, [ INAUDIBLE
] PROSPEROUS SALMON RUNS, WHEN
WE CLOSED OFF THE BLACK RIVER,
WE CHANNELED THE SALMON THROUGH
THE ROCKS AND THE SHIP CANAL,
WHICH HAS CREATED ITS OWN
ISSUES. AND THEN FURTHERMORE,
THE WHITE RIVER WAS
RE-CHANNELIZED TO TACOMA RATHER
THAN COMING THROUGH THE
DUWAMISH. AND WHILE THAT MIGHT
NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL, WHAT
IT HAS DONE IS IT HAS DECREASED
-- OR IT HAS INCREASED THE WATER
TEMPERATURES, MAKING SALMON
SURVIVAL HARDER. SO, BEYOND ALL
OF THIS POLLUTION THAT IS HERE,
WE HAVE RE-CHANNELIZED THE
SALMON RUN, WE HAVE MADE THE
CURRENT SALMON RUN MORE
DIFFICULT, AND THANKFULLY, WE
ARE WORKING ON THIS POLLUTION
RIGHT NOW. JUST BEYOND ALSO
PAVING OVER THE RIVER DELTA. SO,
ALL OF THESE THINGS COMBINED IS
JUST A REFLECTION ON HOW
DIFFICULT WE HAVE MADE IT FOR
THE SALMON. THERE IS NO QUESTION
THERE, IT WAS JUST A DISCUSSION
WE WERE HAVING AD HOC IN MY
OFFICE THIS MORNING, SO I
THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE AS WELL.
THANK YOU, JERRY, THANK YOU FOR
ALL OF YOUR WORK, YOU ARE MAKING
A GENERATIONAL CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS PAID AND FOR THE RECORD,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA IS HERE AND
PRESENT IN BODY AND SPIRIT
ONLINE AS WELL. ALSO, DID NOT
KNOW THAT LANDFILLS HAVE -- THEY
HAVE A TIME SPAN, LIKE A
LIFESPAN. SO, MAYBE WE WON'T BE
SENDING MOST OF OUR TRASH TO
OREGON AFTER 20 OR 30 YEARS. BUT
WE ARE GOING TO KEEP SENDING IT
THERE, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH, I'M NOT GOING TO
COMMENT ON THAT LAST POINT AT
ALL. I JUST WANTED TO THANK MR.
LEE AND ALSO MS. STEWART FROM
SPU FOR BEING HERE, MR.
HAMILTON. AND [ INAUDIBLE ] FROM
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND
OF COURSE, MR. GOOD NIGHT FROM
OUR OWN CENTRAL STUFF. THANK YOU
BOTH FOR THIS BRIEFING AND THE
BRIEFING THAT WE GOT, AS
MENTIONED EARLIER. MR. LEE, I
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU
SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR COMMENTS
ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS AREA
OF THE CITY. I THINK IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT.
AND TIED TO THAT, SADLY, THE
EPA, UNDER THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION, IS SHUTTING DOWN
ALL THE EPA ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE OFFICES, I BELIEVE 168
PEOPLE ARE BEING FIRED WITHOUT
CAUSE, I SHOULD ADD. AND WITHOUT
ANY LONG-TERM THOUGHT BEHIND IT.
UM, SPEAKING OF LONG-TERM , AND
BY THE WAY, MY NOTES ARE HERE,
ALREADY WRITTEN BEFORE MY
COLLEAGUE WAS MENTIONING
ANYTHING. YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN
TO THE DUWAMISH LONGHOUSE AND
TALKED WITH THEM , TALKING ABOUT
THE DUWAMISH . I HAVE SPOKEN
WITH THE MUCKLESHOOT RELATED TO
THE WHITE RIVER POINT THAT WAS
MADE. AGAIN, I HAD WRITTEN THIS
DOWN BEFORE MY COLLEAGUE STARTED
SPEAKING TO THE SPIT AND THEN
THE GREEN RIVER PIECE, TO BID
ALTHOUGH I DID NOT WRITE DOWN
BLACK RIVER, BUT WE WILL ADD IT
HERE. AND YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES,
WE DO THESE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND
THEY ARE KIND OF WRITTEN TO BE [
INAUDIBLE ] HEY, IT IS KIND OF
EMPTY, BUT THIS IS A TIME, THIS
IS A TOPIC WHERE THE
ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS REALLY THAT
MUCH MORE IMPORTANT, AND BASED
ON THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT I HAVE
HAD WITH THE DUWAMISH AT THE
LONGHOUSE AND THE MUCKLESHOOT,
RELATED TO THE RIVERS, IS REALLY
IMPORTANT AND IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR US TO WORK WITH
THE TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS , WHICH I
UNDERSTAND IS THROUGH THE EPA,
BUT WE HAVE AN INDIGENOUS
ADVISORY COUNCIL, SO THERE IS NO
REASON WHY POTENTIALLY WE COULD
DO SOME WORK IN THAT AREA AS
WELL. AND I THINK THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD
UNDERSTAND. WE ARE GOING BACK ON
HISTORY IN TERMS OF
INDUSTRIALIZATION OF THE
DUWAMISH RIVER, BUT WE REALLY AS
A CITY,, REALLY SHOULD BE GOING
BACK FURTHER AND UNDERSTANDING
HOW DID WE GET HERE? HOW DO WE
GET HERE IS NOT RELATED TO
BOEING OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
AND POLLUTANTS COMING IN, WE
REALLY SHOULD BE THINKING LONGER
TERM THAN THAT. UM, AND I REALLY
WANT TO THANK MISS [ INAUDIBLE ]
FOR SETTING UP MY NEXT QUESTION.
WHICH IS ALREADY HERE, BUT THAT
BRIDGE. SO, I WILL CROSS IT. AND
IT WAS RELATED TO YOUR POINT
ABOUT ONGOING SOURCE OF
CONTAMINANTS. AND YOU KNOW, THIS
IS ONE PIECE , MR. LEE, FROM A
BROADER PERSPECTIVE, CAN YOU
SPEAK TO THE OTHER CHALLENGES,
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
THAT WE ARE FACING IN THIS AREA?
CAN YOU SPEAK TO OUR CSO'S,
COMBINED SEWER, STORMWATER
OUTFLOWS? I KNOW THERE'S ONE
WEST , AND FOUR TO THE EAST,
ALONG THE EAST CHANNEL. CAN YOU
SPEAK TO THAT AND THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE FACE? AND I UNDERSTAND
NOT EVERYTHING IS FINAL, SO YOU
CAN TAILOR YOUR ANSWER IN TERMS
OF SPECIFICITY TO WHAT YOU THINK
IS APPROPRIATE BASED ON YOUR
UNDERSTANDING. BUT CAN YOU SPEAK
TO BASICALLY THE POINT RAISED
REGARDING ONGOING SOURCES OF
CONTAMINANTS?
>> YEAH, AND I'M GOING TO ALSO
LET ELLEN STEWART, WHO IS
ACTUALLY FAR MORE OF AN EXPERT
ON THIS THAN I AM, BUT I WILL
START OFF AT A HIGH LEVEL. YOU
KNOW, WHENEVER IT RAINS, THERE
ARE PCBs OR OTHER CHEMICALS ON
THE LENS OR THE BUILDINGS THAT
CONSIST IN OUR CITY. THOSE
CHEMICALS ARE GOING TO FALL AND
GET INTO OUR WATERWAYS
ULTIMATELY. WE HAVE TWO TYPES OF
SYSTEMS, WE HAVE A SEPARATE
STORMWATER SYSTEM, THAT WE HAVE
A WASTEWATER SYSTEM, AND FOR THE
MOST PART IN THIS AREA, THAT
WASTEWATER SYSTEM IS A COMBINED
SEWER SYSTEM. AND SO, THOSE ARE
GOING TO BE THE TWO SYSTEMS THAT
CONTRIBUTE THE MOST CHEMICALS. A
SEPARATE STORMWATER SYSTEM, AND
THEN OUR COMBINED SYSTEM. WE
HAVE OPTIONS IN TERMS OF HOW WE
ADDRESS THE POLLUTANTS BEFORE
THEY GET INTO THE WATERWAYS. THE
MOST COST-EFFECTIVE, ALWAYS, IS
GOING TO BE WHAT WE CALL SOURCE
CONTROL , WHICH IS GET THE
POLLUTANTS OUT, EVEN BEFORE THEY
GET INTO THE DONE BY THINGS LIK
WHAT YOU MANUFACTURE, RIGHT? YOU
GUYS ARE MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH
THE TIRE COMPOUNDS. THERE HAS
BEEN FOUND IN RUBBER, AND IT
LEADS TO EARLY MORTALITY FOR
CERTAIN SPECIES OF SALMON. AND
SO, THAT IS STILL FOUND IN ALL
OF OUR TIRES RIGHT NOW. THE BEST
WAY TO GET RID OF THAT IS NOT TO
TREAT IT AT THE END, BACKSTAGE
REMOVE IT FROM THE MANUFACTURING
PROCESS, PERIOD. SO, WE HAVE
ACTIVE KIND OF EFFORTS AND WORK
WITH THE STATE TO TRY TO SEE IF
THERE ALL -- THERE ARE
ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET THEM OUT
OF THE OTHER WAY
THHAVE IS IF IT IS STILL
IN THE SYSTEM, SOMETIMES IT HAS
ALREADY BEEN MANUFACTURED,
SOMETIMES IT IS IN THE PAINT OF
WINDOWS, MAYBE THE ROOFTOPS,
THEN WE HAVE WAYS TO WORK WITH
THE BUILDING OWNERS TO ACTUALLY
TRY TO REMOVE IT FROM THE
BUILDING, AND SO, THERE ARE
REMEDIATION PROJECTS THAT ARE
GOING ON. FOR EXAMPLE, I BELIEVE
EPA HAS ONE RIGHT NOW AT THE
RAINIER BUILDING. RAINIER
BREWERY. SO, LITERALLY, THEY
REMEDIATE THE ENTIRE BUILDING.
THEY TAKE OUT AND THEY MIGHT
SANDBLAST THE PAINT TO REMOVE IT
IF IT HAS PCBs, AND WE HAVE
EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE
SOURCE IS. FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IS
HOW THE RAINIER BREWERY WAS
IDENTIFIED. IN OTHER CASES,
THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A
TRANSFORMER THAT WAS SPELLED,
THE FLUID INSIDE THE
TRANSFORMER, THAT LED TO A HIGH
INCIDENT PCBs, SO [ INAUDIBLE ],
WE WORK TO CLEAN THAT UP. IF WE
HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OF THESE
SOURCE CONTROL AND MANUFACTURING
KIND OF WAYS OF REMOVING THE
CHEMICALS, THEN I WOULD SAY OUR
LAST KIND OF LINE OF DEFENSE IS
THE TREATMENT AT THE END. THERE
ARE GENERALLY TWO TYPES OF
TREATMENT THAT WE DO, MAYBE
THREE, ONE IS GREEN STORMWATER
INFRASTRUCTURE, WHERE WE ARE
ROUTING THE STORM WATER, FOR
EXAMPLE, IN TWO BIO RETENTION
FILTERS, AND THAT IS A WONDERFUL
WAY, BECAUSE AS AN ECOLOGICAL
BENEFIT, AND IT PROVIDES THE
GREENING OF OUR CITY. THE OTHER
, WHEN WE HAVE HUGE VOLUMES,
THEN WE NEED TO TREAT IT AT THE
END OF THE PIPE, AND THAT CAN
TAKE MULTIPLE FORMS, BUT
GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TREATMENT
FACILITIES THAT ARE LARGE. WE
ARE PLANNING ON BUILDING ONE,
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE SOUTH PARK
AREA BY 2030. THE GEORGETOWN
FACILITY THAT I THINK YOU
VISITED, THAT IS OWNED BY THE
KING COUNTY WASTEWATER TREATMENT
DIVISION, AND THAT IS ANOTHER
TYPE OF TREATMENT FACILITY. AND
WE MAY BE LOOKING AT PARTNERSHIP
PROJECTS ON KING COUNTY'S
PLANNING, PLANNING ON BUILDING A
VERY LARGE FACILITY. [ INAUDIBLE
] AND THAT MAY BE ONE WHERE WE
LOOK AT A PARTNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITY TO TREAT SOME STORM
WATER IN THAT FACILITY AT THE
SAME TIME AS WE ARE TREATING THE
COMBINED SEWAGE. SO, THAT KIND
OF PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF ALL
THE TYPES OF THINGS WE NEED TO
DO TO ADDRESS RE-CONTAMINATION.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> AND THE LAST ONE RELATES TO
THE EAST CHANNEL AND THE FOUR
CSOS ALONG ESSENTIALLY SOTO.
>> YEAH, THE EAST WATERWAY --
YES, THAT BIG -- AGAIN, [
INAUDIBLE ] , THAT IS GOING TO
BE A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR PROJECT
THAT THE COUNTY WILL BE
IMPLEMENTING. I BELIEVE THEIR
DATE OF COMPLETION IS 2035,
POSSIBLY 2033, I'M JUST NOT
REMEMBERING MY DATES WELL. '35,
OKAY. AND I THINK THE ESTIMATES
ON THAT ARE ABOUT A $3.3 BILLION
FACILITY, SO IT WILL BE
INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE, BUT IT
WILL TREAT OVER 1 BILLION
GALLONS OF COMBINED SEWAGE A
YEAR. AND SO, IT IS A HUGE, HUGE
PROJECT THAT WILL HAVE AN
INCREDIBLE BENEFIT.
>> THANK YOU. THOSE EFFORTS
COMBINED WITH A RECENTLY
COMPLETED SHIP CANAL PROJECT,
WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM THE
GEORGETOWN. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN
THE ACRONYM DOWN TO OUR SOUTH,
BUT YOU KNOW, THE COMBINATION IS
HUGE IN TERMS OF WE AS A CITY ,
AND THE COUNTY, I SHOULD ADD,
VERY MUCH COUNTY, ARE NOT
POLLUTING OUR WATERWAYS TO
PARTICULARLY THE SOUND AND THE
ELLIOTT BAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT,
THANK YOU FOR THE BACKGROUND.
CHAIR?
>> AWESOME. AND BEFORE I
RECOGNIZE YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON, MR. BRIAN GOOD NIGHT,
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? I
AM SORRY THAT I MISSED YOU.
>> NO PROBLEM AT ALL, THANK YOU.
THE ONLY THING I WAS GOING TO
MENTION WAS PURELY A SCHEDULING
ONE, JUST THAT OUR PARTNER, KING
COUNTY, IT HAS BEEN THROUGH
THEIR COMMITTEE PROCESS AND IT
IS SCHEDULED FOR THEIR FULL
COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ON APRIL
1st, SO JUST IN TERMS OF TIMING.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. COUNCIL
PRESIDENT NELSON?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS I
SAID THE OTHER DAY OR YESTERDAY,
I RECOGNIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT
ARE SITTING BEFORE US HERE [
INAUDIBLE ] , SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THIS WORK, VERY
IMPORTANT, AND FOR STICKING WITH
IT. I WANTED TO TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE
WORK OF THE DUWAMISH RIVER
CLEANUP COALITION, NOW CALLED
DUWAMISH RIVER CLEANUP -- NO.
COMMUNITY COALITION. OKAY, LIKE
I SAID, THEY HAD BEEN INVOLVED
FROM -- I GUESS IT WAS 2001, AND
ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF THE
PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN THE RIVER
THEN, AND GENERATIONS BACK. AND
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY
ARE THE ONES THAT -- THEY DID
MANY THINGS, THEY ESTABLISHED A
RIVER, DUWAMISH VALLEY VISIONING
PLAN IN 2009, AND THEY WERE
CONSTANT ADVOCATES. I KNOW THAT
THEY ALWAYS -- WHEN I WAS IN
COUNCILMEMBER RICHARD'S OFFICE,
THEY WERE A PARTNER AND ALSO A
WATCHDOG, SO I JUST HAVE TO SAY
THAT I BELIEVE THEY HAVE THEIR
ROLE IN ENSURING THAT THE
CLEANUP PROCEEDS AS WELL AS IT
CAN, BUT BRINGING IN THE WHOLE
COMMUNITY -- NOT THE WHOLE
COMMUNITY, BUT BRINGING THE
COMMUNITY, [ INAUDIBLE ] HEALTH
IMPACTS ANALYSIS BE DONE, AND I
THINK THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, WHICH
THEN LED TO SOME OF THE PAGES --
THE EARLY PAGES IN YOUR
PRESENTATION, WHICH SHOWS THAT
PEOPLE ARE STILL GETTING HARMED.
AND THEN REQUIRED WARNINGS AND
MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY
IS INFORMED. ANYWAY, I JUST FELT
THAT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO
GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT, BECAUSE
THEY DID SO MUCH GOOD WORK. AND
OF COURSE, TO RECOGNIZE THE
LEADER, JAMES RASMUSSEN, WHO WAS
AT THE HELM FOR SO LONG. THAT'S
IT.
>> THEY HAVE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE
PARTNER WITH US AND FOR US, AND
THEY ALSO HAVE DONE AN AMAZING
JOB KEEPING US ACCOUNTABLE TO
OUR COMMITMENTS. SO, WE CONSIDER
THEM A VERY VALUABLE RESOURCE
FOR THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> AWESOME. I DON'T KNOW IF WE
HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. BUT
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE
PRESENTATION. I KNOW THAT WE
WILL BE DISCUSSING THIS AND IT
WILL COME AGAIN BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE, SO, WE CAN CONTINUE
TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE PROCESS,
BUT JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR HARD WORK, YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON THIS. I KNOW THAT
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
THIS FOR A LONG TIME, ESPECIALLY
YOU, LAURA, YOU SAID 30+ YEARS,
IS THAT CORRECT? I DON'T WANT
TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. SO, YOU
STARTED AT THIS WHEN YOU WERE
FIVE. OKAY.
>> 1990, I STARTED.
>> 1990, YOU STARTED ON THIS.
WOW. AND I AM SURE YOU JUST WANT
TO CONTINUE FOR THIS TO BE OVER,
RIGHT? NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
NO, THAT IS HOW MUCH YOU CARE
ABOUT OUR CITY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT AND YOUR COMMITMENT
TO THIS, SO JUST THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. AND
DIRECTOR LEE, REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND YOUR
CARE AND YOUR PASSION FOR THIS,
AND ELLEN AND JASON, AND THE
PHENOMENAL, THE ILLUSTRIOUS MR.
BRIAN GOOD NIGHT. OKAY. WELL,
THAT IS GOING TO CONCLUDE OUR
MEETING TODAY. ONE COOL,
INTERESTING FACT, SINCE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT,
IF YOU WANT AND YOU ARE WATCHING
THIS CHANNEL, GO LOOK UP THE
HURRICANE HUNTERS, THEY ARE THE
COOLEST PIECE OF THE NATIONAL
OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION. YOU CAN LOOK
EVERY TIME THERE IS A HURRICANE
WITHIN OUR PLANET. THEY FLY
THEIR PLANE AT 10,000 FEET , ALL
THROUGH THE EYE OF THAT
HURRICANE. TO GET THE WIND
SPEED, TO UNDERSTAND WHEN IT IS
GOING TO HIT, TO GET THE TIMING,
THERE REALLY THE TRUE FIRST
RESPONDERS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR
ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
HURRICANE. IT IS SOME OF THE
COOLEST THINGS, THEY'RE FINE AT
LIKE 1:00, 2:00 IN THE MORNING,
AT NIGHT. THERE REALLY
PHENOMENAL. AND YOU CAN GO LOOK
AT THEIR PATTERNS ON A COOL APP
WHEN YOU LOOK AT PLANES. SO, IT
IS KIND OF WHAT I DO WHEN I
DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LEFT TO DO
IN MY LIFE. SO, WITH THAT, THIS
CONCLUDES OUR MEETING OF THE
PARKS, UTILITIES, TECHNOLOGY
COMMITTEE MEETING. IS THERE ANY
OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS TO COME
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE? NO? OKAY,
IT IS -- COUNCIL PRESIDENT? GO
AHEAD, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. OH, NO
WORRIES. YES. OUR NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING IS APRIL 9th AT 2:00
P.M. HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, IT IS 2:52 P.M., THIS
MEETING IS ADJOURNED. ♪