Yearly Archives: 2015
Council Dedicates Property Sale Proceeds Toward Affordable Rental Housing
Council unanimously adopted legislation today which dedicates the proceeds of a surplus City property sale toward developing low-income rental housing. Councilmember Nick Licata revised the bill to specify that half of the proceeds must serve households with incomes under 30% of Area Median Income (AMI), and the other half must serve households with incomes under 60% AMI
Irrigation district near Walla Walla fined for illegal water use in 2014
During the 2014 irrigation season, the Touchet Eastside Westside Irrigation District illegally diverted water that was placed into trust to protect critical stream flows for threatened steelhead in the Touchet River.
City collects $3.48 million on Sisley properties
The City of Seattle received payment of the judgments, interest and penalties in excess of $3.48 million related to code violations on rental properties owned by Hugh and Martha Sisley in the Roosevelt neighborhood
Teck agrees to clean up 15 lead-contaminated properties in Northport, Washington
Teck Metals Limited and Teck American Incorporated have reached a legally binding cleanup agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to begin removing lead and other contaminants from 15 properties in northeast Washington state
City to sell parcel to affordable housing developer
This week the Seattle City Council approved Mayor Ed Murray’s legislation to sell a smaller City-owned parcel to allow the construction of affordable housing by a private developer. The proceeds of the sale will be used to build even more affordable housing elsewhere in Seattle.
Everett, Seattle, Tacoma move to “Voluntary Stage” of water shortage plans
After unusually hot weather, the region’s all-time driest May-July and in preparation of a potentially drier-than-normal fall, Everett, Seattle and Tacoma have moved to the second stage of their water shortage response plans – voluntary reduction.
BNSF fined $86,000 for water quality violations in Whatcom and Skagit counties
The Department of Ecology has fined BNSF Railway $86,000 for placing creosote-treated railroad ties and other materials from maintenance projects in Whatcom and Skagit county water bodies.
Duwamish River Opportunity Fund awards $250,000 to 13 neighborhood projects
Mayor Murray announced $250,000 from the Duwamish River Opportunity Fundwill be awarded to 13 community projects supporting neighborhoods along the Duwamish River. This program provides funds for new and existing small-scale programs focused on challenges faced by Duwamish River neighborhoods during the Superfund clean-up.
Experience the Cedar River Watershed
Have you ever wondered where your mountain fresh drinking water comes from? Find out this summer by joining Seattle Public Utilities for a tour of the protected Cedar River Municipal Watershed. These Saturday and Sunday, Naturalist-led tours, by bus and by foot, are a great opportunity to learn about and see your drinking water in this unparalleled protected Cascade Mountain water supply. Space is limited so sign up online now.
Seattle uses data to adjust parking rates
This week the Seattle Department of Transportation will begin revising on-street parking rates and hours of operation in various parts of Seattle. Crews will reprogram parking pay stations starting on First Hill with the goal of completing the work city-wide by the end of the year
Emergency funds support three drought-relief projects
Emergency funding is going to support three drought-relief projects in Eastern, Central and Western Washington. The money will help pay for a new well in Stevens County, water conservation in Benton County, and protect spawning salmon in the Dungeness River on the Olympic Peninsula.
Mayor announces new actions to expand enrollment in Utility Discount Program
Utility bills will be cut in half for thousands more low-income Seattle families under a new plan to simplify enrollment in the City’s Utility Discount Program (UDP) for those who live in affordable housing or receive nutrition assistance. The average discount for UDP-enrolled customers is more than $800 a year
Affordable apartments, homebuyer help, new partnerships financed throughout state
Developers and nonprofit organizations will create or renovate 546 affordable homes across the state, thanks to roughly $188 million in financing approved this summer by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission.
127 wastewater treatment plants recognized for perfect performance
More than one-third of Washington’s wastewater treatment plants – 127 – have received an Outstanding Performance Award from the state Department of Ecology for perfect performance in 2014.
Sen. Murray Statement on the President’s Clean Power Plan
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after President Obama and EPA Administrator McCarthy released the final Clean Power Plan, which establishes the first-ever national standards to limit carbon pollution from power plants.
Mayor Murray’s statement on President Obama’s Clean Power Plan
Today Mayor Murray issued the following statement following President Obama's announcement of his new Clean Power Plan "I applaud the President's bold leadership in releasing the Clean Power Plan limiting pollution from power plants."
Soil, groundwater cleanup proposed for Edmonds site
The owner of a former fuel terminal near the Edmonds waterfront would clean up the site’s last two contaminated areas next year, under a work plan proposed by the Washington Department of Ecology.
Seattle to enhance Traffic Incident Management
The City of Seattle announced it is implementing a series of recommendations for enhancing traffic incident management practices. The changes are based on nationwide best practices for incident response and will enable City departments to better manage on-street collision scenes and help improve traffic flow around these scenes
Councilmember Sawant Calls for Accurate Accounting of Net Affordable Housing Units Resulting from HALA...
Councilmember Kshama Sawant has requested that the Department of Planning and Development and the Office of Housing provide the City Council with an accurate accounting of the number of affordable housing units expected to result from the HALA committee's recommendations.
Alcoa Wenatchee fined for water quality violations
Pollution levels in wastewater discharged to Columbia River above limits The smelter operates under a Clean Water Act permit that regulates the treatment and discharge of wastewater. The water quality permit sets limits on the amount of aluminum, fluoride and suspended solids that may be discharged from the plant.
