November 2008 Meeting Highlights

Landsburg Mine; Shoreline Program

by Peter Rimbos, Corresponding Secretary

The Greater Maple Valley Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally elected advisory body to the King County Council. It represents all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District. On Monday, November 3, the Area Council held its regular monthly meeting with 10 members present, 3 members absent (2 with proxies), and 3 positions open. The following major items were addressed: 1) Landsburg Mine Cleanup, and 2) Shoreline Master Program.

Landsburg Mine Cleanup

Jerome Cruz, Landsburg Mine Site Manager with the WA Dept. of Ecology (Ecology), and Doug Morell, Technical Consultant with the Potentially Liable Parties (PLPs), provided an update on the cleanup activities at the Landsburg Mine site.

The Landsburg Mine is a former underground coal mine located just northwest of Ravensdale roughly bordered by Summit-Landsburg Rd, Kent-Kangley Rd, the Cedar River, and Rock Creek. Ecology is supervising a cleanup process for the site which consists of: Initial Investigation (1989), Site Hazard Assessment (1991), Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (1994-96), Preliminary Cleanup Action Plans (1999, 2002), and Site Cleanup (TBD). Currently, Ecology is drafting a Final Cleanup Action Plan, which Mr. Cruz said should be available for Public Comment sometime next summer.

Mr. Cruz and Morell detailed several investigations that have been conducted to ascertain leakage of toxic wastes (these include: chromium, lead, PCBs, Phthalates, TCEs, and TPHs) into the water table underlying the mine site. These included surface water sampling, private well sampling, hazardous waste drum removal, groundwater monitoring (ongoing), hydrogeological studies, and deep well evaluations. Mr. Cruz stated that to date no leakage has been detected.

The cleanup approach contemplated on site includes: installation of a low-permeability soil cap, diversion of surface water, controls on land and groundwater use, monitoring of groundwater in perpetuity, and contingent groundwater treatment should contamination be detected in test wells on site. Ecology believes that this approach should isolate wastes, reduce the amount of water entering and leaving the mine site, and reduce any contaminant migration.

Mr. Cruz stated that once a Cleanup Action Plan is finalized and approved, remedial action should take ~2 years to complete with compliance monitoring continuing in perpetuity. For more detailed information visit please the WA Dept. of Ecology for the Landsburg Mine.

Shoreline Master Program

Harry Reinert of King County DDES discussed the Shoreline Master Program Update (Update)--the third draft of which was released for Public Comment last month. In July 2005, King County received a grant from the WA Department of Ecology to update it’s 30-yr old Shoreline Master Program.

Mr. Reinert stated that under the state’s 1971 Shoreline Management Act each city and county adopts a shoreline master program. Though based on state guidelines, each is tailored to specific community needs. All counties and over 200 cities have shoreline master programs which consist of both plans and regulations. The plans provide a vision of shoreline use and development, while the regulations provide standards that shoreline projects and uses must meet.

The Update includes marine shorelines, rivers (flow >20 cps), lakes (>20 ac), and upland areas within 200 ft of these water bodies, as well as floodplains and wetlands associated with these shorelines. The first draft was released in May 2007, followed by the second draft released in September 2007. The County hopes to complete the update by December 2009.

Major changes proposed in the Update include: coverage for more shorelines along lakes and rivers (but no additional setbacks), more detailed shoreline designation categories, some relaxation of forest practice requirements, and clarifications for docks/piers/floats.

The Update’s third draft for Public Comment can be found on King County’s Shoreline Management web page. Go down the left side of the page and click “Third Draft Shoreline Master Plan.”

Submit Public Comments

1) Online

2) By Mail: Attn: Shorelines Team, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, 201 S. Jackson St., Ste., 600, Seattle, WA  98104; or

3) By email

Comments are due November 14. Mr. Reinert can be reached by email or at (206) 296-7132.

Eleventh Annual Maple Valley Operating Model Train Show

The Annual Maple Valley Operating Model Train Show sponsored by the Area Council was held on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 19,at the Gracie Hansen Community Center in Ravensdale. This year’s Train Show was a success with many families and individuals viewing all the major train displays on hand. People of all ages enjoyed the show with several winning a variety of door prizes. The Area Council wishes to thank all those who participated--both the displayers and the attendees--for a wonderful show enjoyed by all.