Category: Ecology

DOH, Ecology, PFAS

Ecology releases four-year statewide funding strategy for PFAS

John Lovie

PFAS Statewide Funding Strategy: Four-Year Plan for Prevention, Reduction, and Mitigation in Washington State The legislature asked Dept of Ecology, in consultation with Dept of Health, to develop a funding strategy. The current state budget forecast shows a shortfall, so this big budget need arrives in a belt-tightening moment. It doesn’t mean it won’t get funded. The legislature will need to hear from impacted communities about whether they support these strategies, what is most important to do first, and if you think they should do something else instead. Continue reading Ecology releases four-year statewide funding strategy for PFAS

DOH, Ecology, EPA, PFAS

A PFAS Sandwich

John Lovie

At the end of the last update, we were left with three open issues: the Military’s response to the EPA’s new National Drinking Water Standard for PFAS; lawsuits challenging that standard; and testing of private wells with non-military sources of PFAS contamination. The last few months have brought us positive developments on two of these, and negative on the other. I’ll slide the bad news in between two slices of good. Continue reading A PFAS Sandwich

Ecology, EPA, PFAS

Spokane airport (finally) hands its shoes to state regulators

John Lovie

https://tconnor.substack.com/p/fridays-postcard-and-the-spokane Finally…Eighty-three months have passed since PFAS “forever chemicals” were detected in groundwater at Spokane International Airport (SIA). On this timeline—against the backdrop of a years-long cover-up and the airport’s ‘get-off-my-lawn’ blame-shifting —today is significant. For the first time, SIA representatives are meeting with state Department of Ecology officials to begin implementing a cleanup plan for the notorious PFAS water pollution, a task that will likely extend well beyond the nine square miles encompassed by the airport’s boundaries. Continue reading Spokane airport (finally) hands its shoes to state regulators

DOH, Ecology, Meetings, PFAS

‘Forever chemicals’ in drinking water found at Whidbey ‘slice of heaven’ | South Whidbey Record

John Lovie

‘Forever chemicals’ in drinking water found at Whidbey ‘slice of heaven’ | South Whidbey Record For as long as she can remember, Tamara Ross’ family hasn’t liked the taste of drinking water at Harrington Lagoon. So they’ve always brought bottled water to their vacation homes in the idyllic community east of Coupeville on Whidbey Island. The family has owned property there since 1955. They now have three homes right next to each other. “I love it,” said Ross, who goes there about once a month. “It’s our slice of heaven.” Continue reading ‘Forever chemicals’ in drinking water found at Whidbey ‘slice of heaven’ | South Whidbey Record