The State of Washington Department of Ecology, as pointed out by my local Seattle bloggers at Sound Politics is in deep doo-doo. This department is charged with environmental enforcement in the Evergreen State. Their job is to track down those nasty corporate polluters, carbon spewers, and other nefarious exploiters of the environment and bring them to justice. It appears they have been hot on the trail of someone who was dumping something into a pristine creek in southern Washington. After aggressive pursuit for 13 years they finally met the enemy: their local Department of Ecology field office in Vancouver, WA. From the Seattle Times we read:
Thirteen years after Washington state's environmental agency found a creek severely polluted, the contamination has been traced back to the agency's regional office.City workers discovered this week that a sewer line from the building housing the regional offices of the state Department of Ecology ... was mistakenly connected to a storm water runoff system, rather than a municipal sewer main.
As a result, sewage from the building has been entering Burnt Bridge Creek and eventually Vancouver Lake for an unknown number of years.
Workers in the leased offices were stunned when they got the word Wednesday, The Columbian newspaper reported.
"As a person who loves her area and the environment, it was like, 'Holy crap, let's get this taken care of,'" said Laura Sauermilch, a spill response specialist.
Holy Crap indeed.
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Filed under:
Environment, Knucklehead of the Day
Comments (9)
What a Fine Day it will be ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by epador | April 15, 2009 2:58 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
What a Fine Day it will be when they penalize themselves!
1. Posted by epador | April 15, 2009 2:58 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on April 15, 2009 14:58
2. Posted by JC Hammer | April 15, 2009 3:34 PM | Score: -1 (5 votes cast)
According to the local papers, the property was developed about 30 yrs ago. Some of the local idiots want to punish someone, but they don't know who to pick out. It is in a way, a big joke.
2. Posted by JC Hammer | April 15, 2009 3:34 PM |
Score: -1 (5 votes cast)
Posted on April 15, 2009 15:34
3. Posted by JLawson | April 15, 2009 3:55 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Aggressive Pursuit for 13 years, eh?
Good thing they didn't go over the speed limit, then... or send someone who'd think about following the storm drain up until they found the source!
3. Posted by JLawson | April 15, 2009 3:55 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 15, 2009 15:55
4. Posted by Tim | April 15, 2009 4:05 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Sour milk, indeed.
4. Posted by Tim | April 15, 2009 4:05 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 15, 2009 16:05
5. Posted by GarandFan | April 15, 2009 6:22 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Given their demonstrated speed, should take another 10 years before the line is fixed.
5. Posted by GarandFan | April 15, 2009 6:22 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 15, 2009 18:22
6. Posted by glenn | April 15, 2009 7:03 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Ahh, one pipe, another pipe, right pipe, wrong pipe, close enough for government work.
6. Posted by glenn | April 15, 2009 7:03 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 15, 2009 19:03
7. Posted by Berzerk | April 15, 2009 10:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Would a "holy crap" suffice for me as a penalty if I were caught in such an act?????
7. Posted by Berzerk | April 15, 2009 10:13 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 15, 2009 22:13
8. Posted by Daniel | April 15, 2009 10:30 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Yeah... they've been coming after my town with a heavy fist, so I enjoy them getting their comeuppance with this.
8. Posted by Daniel | April 15, 2009 10:30 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 15, 2009 22:30
9. Posted by JC Hammer | April 15, 2009 11:05 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Send in Joe the Plumber, he can fix it.
9. Posted by JC Hammer | April 15, 2009 11:05 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 15, 2009 23:05