New organization provides public service on protecting our natural and human environment.
PRESS RELEASE
Edmonds Environmental Council
July 9, 2024
New organization provides public service on protecting our natural and human environment.
A new non-profit organization has been formed by Edmonds and Woodway citizens called the “Edmonds Environmental Council” (EEC). The EEC’s mission is to provide public service, education and civic engagement to preserve, protect, restore and enhance the natural and human environment in Edmonds and adjacent cities and unincorporated areas.
This community 501(c)(3) organization was formed in response to the growing need for “informed” voices to help educate residents and City officials on the perils of ignoring the human and natural environment as local governments consider permitting increased housing and development. This is of special concern in waterfront communities like Edmonds and Woodway whose landscape can be permanently damaged by poorly regulated development. We already have serious stormwater damage to salmon habitat from past development in Perrinville and Shell Creek watersheds that has yet to be resolved.
One of the EEC’s priorities is addressing stormwater runoff that comes with new development as well as lingering effects from over-development in the past. Stormwater flows not only damage our landscape and creeks, but they carry pollutants that alter the quality of water in our creeks, natural springs, and aquifers. These stormwater pollutants include carcinogenic petroleum compounds and hazardous ‘forever chemicals’ that don’t breakdown naturally. New scientific information from the federal government indicates that one of these ‘forever chemicals’ (known as PFAS), if found above trace levels in drinking water, can cause severe human health problems.
Because of the risk of contaminated drinking water in Woodway and southern Edmonds, the EEC’s first action is challenging the recent City of Edmonds’ “Critical Aquifer Recharge Area” (CARA) regulation.
Despite months of community comments and concerns to the City about the risks of PFAS getting into the Olympic View Water District’s drinking water aquifer, the City still adopted a regulation that will allow stormwater polluted with PFAS to be infiltrated directly into the Deer Creek drinking water aquifer.
The EEC has obtained legal services and filed an Appeal (called a “Petition for Review”) today – – July 9, 2024 — with the State’s Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB). The GMHB legal process includes initial settlement discussions (i.e., change the regulation to fully protect drinking water aquifer), and the EEC hopes the Mayor will agree to settlement to avoid a drawn-out legal process that will cost the City undetermined attorney fees and staff time, and confound the City’s current budget shortfalls.
Other issues that the EEC will be addressing include 1) the environmental and human impacts of the housing density initiatives and whether the best available science, including local knowledge, is used in updating the City’s Comprehensive Plan; 2) the City’s adherence to the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) on all actions; 3) the cleanup of the old Unocal property to ensure it is indeed for salmon recovery and nearshore restoration; 4) restoration of natural areas such as the Edmonds Marsh; 5) resolving habitat problems in local creeks; and 6) other community issues identified by EEC Members.
People interested in becoming members of the EEC and/or making donations should E-Mail Edmonds.Envir.Council@gmail.com for information and/or a membership application. Membership will include participation in community topic-specific committees.
Edmonds Environmental Council Board of Directors
Joe Scordino
Diane Buckshnis
Theresa Hollis
John Brock
Clinton Wright
Dianna Maish
Ken Reidy