Environmental-protection devices survive

LOTT and the port make it through Wednesday's quake

JOHN DODGE, THE OLYMPIAN

OLYMPIA -- A huge earthen bathtub on Port of Olympia property, built last fall to contain thousands of gallons of toxic marine sediments, withstood the Ash Wednesday earthquake, according to port officials.

The containment cell on the Cascade Pole hazardous waste site is empty and will remain so until port officials secure the necessary permits to excavate contaminated sediments from Budd Inlet, perhaps as soon as summer.

Critics of the $10 million cleanup had questioned the wisdom of trying to store toxic waste in the earthen cells, fearing it would collapse under the strain of a severe earthquake.

The 4-acre, 13-foot-high clay tub, built at a cost of $1.26 million, passed its first major earthquake test, port Executive Director Nick Handy said.

Also weathering the quake was the sewer system in urban Thurston County, including the sewage treatment plant near Budd Inlet, said Mike Sharar, executive director of the LOTT Wastewater Alliance.

In the wake of the quake, state Department of Ecology officials urged people to look for environmental damage to wastewater treatment plants, underground fuel tanks, toxic waste sites and other pollution sources.

"We know that communication systems have been overloaded during the past 24 hours, but people should keep trying to get through to tell us if there's a situation we need to be responding to for cleanup," said Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons.

City and county officials will meet today to discuss a strategy for disposing of earthquake debris, county Chief Administrative Officer Linda Hoffman said.

John Dodge covers the environment for The Olympian. He can be reached at 754-5444.

At a glance

To request an inspection, assistance or technical advice, or to report a spill, call Ecology at 407-6300.

Information about disposing of quake-related debris or household hazardous waste is available by calling 407-7236.

The Olympian Copyright 2000

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