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Local View: Don't Raid Critical Toxic-cleanup Fund

In 1988, the people of this state voted to set aside money in a special fund to pay for tough toxic clean-ups. Since then, hundreds of contaminated sites around the state have been cleaned. Is that work finished? No. But now the governor wants to transfer $24 million of that money and use it for other programs.

We believe that would be damaging for our environment, bad for our economy, and a clear disregard of the will of the people.

Fifteen years ago, voters passed I-97 which created a dedicated fund called the Model Toxic Control Account to help local governments pay for expensive clean-up efforts of contaminated sites around the state.

The program has been extraordinarily successful in cleaning up toxic sites. But now the program is in jeopardy. Governor Gregoire has proposed shifting 40% of that clean-up money to other government programs and the State's General Fund. It is an ill-conceived proposal that threatens thousands of projects, including two important sites in Clark County.

In Vancouver, the Port has been working diligently to clean up the former Swan Manufacturing site (which was purchased in 1982, where the previous Ragg's Tavern operated for over 20 years). It was later discovered during the Mill Plain Extension project in 1997 that the property was polluted with trichloroethylene (TCE), a suspected cancer-causing agent commonly used as an industrial solvent. Since inheriting this clean-up project, the Port has spent almost $10 million. MTCA funds covered 40% of that cost and were essential to moving ahead aggressively on the clean-up effort.

Governor Gregoire's diversion of funds could also result in a significant delay of the extensive clean-up project at the Pacific Wood Treating site in Ridgefield. This is one of the most contaminated and expensive clean-up sites in the state and has been declared in need of "emergency action" by the Department of Ecology. The Port received $8 million of MTCA funding for its clean-up in the last budget, but more money is needed to complete the work. The Port of Ridgefield cannot afford to continue this massive clean-up without the continued funding support from MTCA. Delaying clean-up of this site would threaten Lake River, the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, protected salmon habitat and an important underground aquifer.

Most clean-ups occur in under utilized or abandoned industrial areas that, once cleaned, allow ports and local governments to return these areas to local economic development and job creation opportunities. In the last decade, the Port of Vancouver has been able to put 55 brownfield acres back into productive use for terminal and industrial activities, providing new jobs for our community.

Many cash-strapped communities rely on MTCA funding to help pay for these expensive clean-ups. Diverting this money would mean delaying much needed economic and job growth projects in depressed areas around our state.

Transfer of this money is not likely to be a "one-time only" action. Even the Governor admits that her budget does not make the long-term structural changes needed to fix the state's financial situation. By setting this dangerous precedent of redirecting voter-approved funds, future raids of this money are likely.

To take this money away not only ignores the will of the voters, but also means that hundreds of projects in the pipeline, including clean-ups of the former Swan Manufacturing site and the Pacific Wood Treating site, could be delayed.

Delays will only further threaten our environment, and cost taxpayers even more money to complete in the long term. The raid on this environmental clean-up account is ill-chosen and should be reconsidered by the Legislature.