Just beat the deadline for responding to Ecology on its draft clean-up plan for the Cornwall Avenue Landfill (soon to be a treeless park). Technical stuff. Here is what I said: As a concerned Bellingham resident, grandfather and candidate for City Council, I have some comments on the draft proposal for the Cornwall Avenue Cleanup Site. While I would prefer Option 4, I agree that it does not pass cost benefit analysis. On the other hand, I do believe that Option 3 provides added protective benefits vs. Option 2 at a cost which is worth it. The 20-mil dura-skrim liner which is part of Option 2 simply is insufficient. It is very difficult to weld and is below the standard used by most landfills, even in less ecologically sensitive areas. At a minimum, the 60 mil liner proposed in Option 3 and which is the accepted industry standard should be used. If I had my druthers, I would prefer you actually go to 80 or 100 mil. Alternative 3 with its additional 12" of sediment material is also better than Alternative 2 for the marine clean-up.. I also believe the groundwater diversion that is in Option 3 but not in Option 2 to be necessary. Whatever course of action is taken, some further study is required IMHO. I have a huge concern over bioaccumulation and you appear to have punted on this issue. I eat fish three times a week and many of my friends in the Lummi Nation feature fish as the staple of their diet. Please provide site specific standards that address the bioaccumulation of chemicals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, dioxins/furans, PAHs and PCBs. You have treated removal and cover up as an either-or. Could you please price out the possibility of a mixture of the two. I am most concerned about the sludge dumped on the site from the Harbor dredging. How much additional cost and improved benefit would result from just its removal.. Similarly. what would be the cost and benefit of removal of the just the marine refuse and wood debris.? The 2004 Waterfront Futures Plan provided for more marine habitat protection than this plan. Why the retreat? The clean-up of this portion of the waterfront cannot be considered in a vacuum. It must be considered in concert with the rest of the Waterfront Development site,, particularly the adjacent RG Haley space. Finally, remember that the Lummi Nation shares stewardship of this land. To avoid one more broken promise, there absolutely needs to me Lummi signoff on the plan. Without wax, Bob Burr
Posted on: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 23:20:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015