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Renton officials appear to be preparing to declare a number of scientific and engineering documents “misinformation.” Among the documents are the EPA’s sole-source aquifer map, the EPA’s Asphalt Plant Emissions Assessment, Renton’s Well Field Protection Study, Water District 90’s Engineering water quality study, and King County’s Surface Water Management Manual. These documents paint a self-evident picture of the health and financial risks Renton will incur if we allow an asphalt plant to be built on our sole-source aquifer.
At Monday’s council meeting, a Council member essentially characterized this data as misinformation, and said that an Administrative press release would be issued by the Mayor’s office with more details about why this scientific data was misinformation.
I’m looking forward to critiquing this issue paper, if it ever comes out. I have doubts about whether it will, because I don’t believe the City of Renton will be able to find an engineer who values their reputation and license and is willing to guarantee that Renton’s water will never incur pollution threats from the asphalt plant. The city may be able to find “story tellers,” willing to say the plant is going to always be safe, but the scientific reports will prevent conscientious engineers from doing it. Partially treated runoff being injected into our aquifer recharge zone is bad enough. But add in the additional risks, from landslide, fire, floods, earthquakes, and coal mining sinkholes, all familiar events in this area, and the asphalt plant is an obvious poor engineering fit on this aquifer recharge zone.
The State law which allows Renton to purchase land to protect its aquifer is an easy read, even for a lay person.
RCW 8.12.030. Every city and town …within the state of Washington, is hereby authorized … to condemn land or property… either within or without the limits of such city …for the purpose of protecting such supply of fresh water from pollution.
No amount of storytelling can explain why it is okay for Seattle to use this law to purchase 91,000 acres, but not okay for Renton to purchase 25 acres.
In some ways I would relish deconstructing such a press release, and showing its folly sentence by sentence (like I did when the Mayor’s “Plane Speak” press release made numerous ridiculous assertions, such as asserting that the airport closed when the tower closed– even though its a 24-hour airport).
But on the other hand, I strongly recommend the City reconsider issuing such a press release. At the end of the day, residents need their Council to step up and purchase this site to protect our water supply. Every day the Mayor’s communication specialists spend writing a fictional story about why the plant is not a bad thing, it costs the city more money that could be spent on purchasing the site. Furthermore, by creating such a document, it will become a lobbying tool for the applicants of the asphalt plant, regardless of how much of a scientific farce it is.
Citizens to Save the Cedar River, an organization that has spent $300,000 opposing this plant, report that the plant would have already been stopped if Renton had provided an amicus brief (a friend-of-the court statement) opposing the plant. They say Renton would not do it, and I don’t know if this was the decision of the Mayor, or someone whispering into his ear. If the Administration now issues a press release which pretends their hands are tied, I hope this press release includes an explanation of why they passed on this very clear opportunity to protect our aquifer for future generations. Such an explanation will take a while as it requires some very creative storytelling.
And this time, please include the author of the press release. Residents and our City Council deserve to know specifically who is misleading them.
Okay when I watch these council meetings and state of Renton videos etc…..it’s a bit of intuition and knowledge that I’m using, but the feeling I get; is the mayor is some person who is/was a restauranteur in Renton and grew up here, then decided to run for mayor, and now he’s in over his head but it’s no big deal, because once you’re in you’re in. But then you have someone who takes anyone at the City, (telling him anything), as gospel. As you know Randy, it’s usually just probably the easiest path and they’re essentially pulling one over on him, because it’s much less work for City staff to just let Lakeside build it. And also because he doesn’t know any better than to agree with….some technical person who works for the City in planning, engineering, etc. Well it’s time to be the mayor and make some decisions of his own. Stop the asphalt plant. Didn’t he grow up here?
The city staff does run the show. Not only the executive but the legislative.
A no-brainer- stop the asphalt plant
Would be a nail in Renton’s coffin
Thanks Randy. I just emailed the Mayor, City Council, and Ms. Van requesting that they buy the land and put this bad asphalt plant risk into our history. I emailed the city about this before, and am sorry to see it still threatening our health.
I would respectfully request that you reconsider your choice of putting an asphalt plant near a river. There are so many other locations that this could be placed that would not jeopardize millions of residents in the Puget Sound region with polluted water! Please reconsider and do the right thing.
Does the state EPA have no authority over the city on decisions like this?
Plain common sense tells you don’t do it. Renton just wants the money that company will pay them. Who cares about fresh water and salmon habitat right?
I think the EPA would be a valuable ally to Renton if our officials merely asked for their help. Otherwise I don’t think they will step in.