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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAudience Comment - Baker Submitted bole 'i3a c 4(0(2,0 Dear Mayor and Members of the Renton City Council, I am here to express my strong support for the city of Renton to acquire the Lakeside Industries Proposed Asphalt Plant site, located at 18825 Renton-Maple Valley Rd SE AKA Hwy 169. This strategic move would capitalize on a crucial opportunity to safeguard our community's water supply and protect the environmental integrity of our city. The chosen site for the proposed asphalt plant is located on top of the Cedar Valley Aquifer, which provides drinking water for the entire city of Renton. Consultants for Lakeside Industries have stated that they plan to inject their treated industrial runoff straight into the ground. This runoff could contain any number of things, including tar, gas, oil, and other industrial contaminants. As an example, the city of Seattle has purchased 91,000 acres of the Chester Morse Lake watershed to protect their water supply, and the city of Irvine California is set to spend $360 million dollars to close down a single asphalt plant to improve their air quality. By contrast, the Lakeside Industries Asphalt plant site is currently only valued at about $12 million. But unfortunately that price will go up substantially if the plant is constructed and actively polluting our water and air. Acquiring this river-front site would additionally offer an opportunity for the city to explore alternative uses that could benefit the community economically and socially. Whether through green space development, educational opportunities, renewable energy projects, or other environmentally friendly initiatives, the city council has a chance to demonstrate leadership in promoting sustainable development practices. We urge the Renton City Council to move forward with diligence and determination in pursuing the acquisition of the Lakeside Industries Proposed Asphalt Plant site, using eminent domain if necessary. By doing so, you will not only protect our water supply, but to uphold the values of environmental stewardship and community well-being that define our city. Thank you for considering my perspective on this critical matter. We look forward to seeing Renton continue to thrive as a model of responsible urban development KING COUNTY'WATER DISTRICT NO. 90 KING COUNTY,WASHINGTON RESOLUTION NO. 1041 A RESOLUTION of'the Board of Commissioners of King County Water District No. 90, King County, Washington, opposing a proposed Lakeside Industries Asphalt Plant located at 18825 SSE Renton Maple Valley Road,and other industrial activities along the Cedar River. ti WHEREAS, The Board of Commissioners are elected, and given the power pursuant to . 57.08 RCW et.al.to provide an ample supply of water for all uses and purposes public and private for the benefit of the inhabitants of the District and other persons; WHEREAS, the District has constructed facilities, engaged in comprehensive planning, performed studies, performed wellhead `protection planning, coordinated with hydrogeologists, engineers and other experts, and other activities to provide for a clean and ample supply of water; WHEREAS,The Board of Commissioners and District staff monitor developments and other activities that may have an impact on the safety, quality, and security of District infrastructure and resources; WHEREAS,The District has been made aware of a proposed asphalt plant to be located at 18825 SE Renton Maple Valley Rd.,which plant is within the Districts 10-year recharge area of the District's wellfield,which wellfield provides an important and necessary portion of the District's water supply for the benefit of those served by the District; WHEREAS,Any contamination of the recharge area and/or District wellfield will result in a substantial risk to the health and well being of the District's customers, and cause a negative financial impact to the District and its customers if the use of the wellfields are in any way limited or lost; RESOLUTION NO. 1041 SUBJECT: Opposing asphalt plant PAGE - 1 WHEREAS, The District understands that any contamination of its wellfields could cause losses to the District in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of King County Water District No. 90, King County, Washington, as follows: The elected Board of Commissioner hereby object to any industrial activities within any portion of the District's wellfield recharge area. The Board requests that King County,and any other agency with authority to approve or permit an industrial use within the recharge area, deny such request or permit. The Board further requests that the King County Council impose a permanent moratorium or other appropriate limitation on any industrial use along the Cedar River. The King County Council should take such action as is necessary and lawful to protect this vital resource for the benefit of current and future citizens of King County and the customers of King County Water District No. 90. District staff is authorized to provide testimony, correspondence, and other information to support this resolution. • ADOPTED by the Board of Commissioners of King County Water District No. 90, King County, Washington, at a regular open public meeting thereof on the 3rd da April, 2018. la Ce.:121 1540011444''''' 17/`-3 '4 , ' 2 , 0 940 Dick Gidner, President Byron Murgatroyd,Secretary 413/ite Sam Ira,Vice-President RESOLUTION NO. 1041 • SUBJECT: Opposing asphalt plant PAGE -2 4 I. king County King County Water District No.90 15606 SE 1280,Street Renton,WA 98059 425-255-9600 Water:OW*No.no info@kcwd90.com March 14,2018: Metropolitan King County Council King County Courthouse 518 Third Ave, Room 1200 Seattle,WA 98104-3272 RE: King County Ordinance 18611 —Review of Cedar River Sites industrial Moratorium Study • Dear Honorable King County Council Members, In 2014, King County Water District No. 90(KCWD90 or the District) completed a Wellhead Protection Plan Study with our hydrogeologists, Pacific Groundwater Group. A summary map from that study is attached to this letter for your reference. As you will see from the map, the proposed Lakeside Industries Asphalt Plant, located at 18825 SE Renton Maple Valley Rd., is within the 10-year recharge area of the District's welifield. While it may take a full 10 years for a oontaminant to reach our wells,the potential impact of well contamination could beiextremely costly to KCWD90. If we were not able to operate the three existing wells In our welifield,the cost to the District would be upwards of$500,000 annually In additional water purchases from Seattle Public Utilities. The District is strongly opposed to potential industrial activities that could ultimately cause harm to the District's public water supply. We would appreciate the Council to consider a permanent moratorium on this type of industrial use,along the Cedar River. Please call me at 425-255-9600 or email me at par twawAy j so we can further discuss this property in more detail. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, 140A.11 91 ;1...4.11--- 941 - Daroey J.Peterson General Manager King County Water District No. 90 enclosure ii. ,,, ,. A:d. �ndix M Aor �''#"p�, : T1t;:i f� ...Trearrna 2 - f �� s b Jonas , 1441\.,,._'(12:77/1.t..„ , i Wei 1 c Well 2,` � 'ti d. RENTALS �' ad' e@IA0711 Feet . i , , .,— - 2,000 t „� I ✓ /` r a i��.; A: • S KCWD#90 Well Locations 0 Hazardous Sites(Facility/Site Database) W8lihead Protection Capture Zonal Figure 4 King County Wastewater System Service Area(City of Renton) Cs Month vwsPCZ �r ConcernPeroei of Concern Number Tied to Table) Zoning, Parcels of 1 Year WHPCZ 00 Coal Mine Hazard Areas(from King C Concern, 5 Year WHPCZ Hazardous Sites Zoning Categories () 10 Year WHPCZ 11101. Industrial Residential --.__ Renton fire chief expresses safety concerns over proposed asphalt plant I Letters Renton Regional Fire Authority has serious concerns regarding the proposed asphalt plant due to the high hazard risk it presents, fire chief says.By Cameron Sheppard cameron.sheppard@ rentonreportercom•February 15, 2023 7:00 am The Renton Regional Fire Authority (RRFA) is an all-hazards capable fire service agency for the City of Renton,Fire District 25 and Fire District 40. Despite this, the RRFA has serious concerns regarding the proposed asphalt plant, located at 18825 Renton-Maple Valley Road in Renton, due to the high hazard risk it presents. This type of plant has several highly toxic, combustible and flammable chemicals for the manufacture of asphalt that are incompatible with life and the environment. Also, asphalt plants can include emergency incidents that result in explosions from asphalt fumes, fire and toxic exposures. The RRFA also has concerns over the runoff that would occur from either fighting a fire or a chemical spill that may occur, and the close proximity of the Cedar River. A catastrophic failure due to explosion or a seismic event could create the right conditions for entry into the river and grow the hazard area exponentially due to the movement of the water. Despite requiring vigorous safety and fire prevention systems, these plants are vulnerable to catastrophic failures if any part of the system fails. The atmospheric release of toxins from a spill or fire can have long-reaching impacts on the surrounding population, and the crews who respond to mitigate the emergency. Any type of emergency at this facility will involve several resources from multiple agencies,that may have an impact on other jurisdictions and their response capabilities to other emergencies, due to the large number of resources required, and the time needed to effectively handle an emergency of this magnitude. • In addition, in talking with other jurisdictions that have asphalt plants in their area of response, some noted issues with the delivery vehicles and the problem of leaking chemicals as they traversed area roads,and the lack of ability to address these issues. With the Renton-Maple Valley Road consisting of only two lanes, the RRFA is concerned regarding the potential for these chemicals to combust on the roadway. Not only would this close a major thoroughfare, but access to mitigate these emergencies would be hampered at the least by difficult access and slow response times.