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Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com

Port of Everett's 'green marina' recognized

By Mike Benbow
Herald Writer

EVERETT -- The state's top environmental official lauded the Port of Everett on Thursday for a new marina area that he said will help clean up Puget Sound.

"This is a living example of what Gov. Gregoire wants to accomplish with the Puget Sound initiative," Jay Manning, director of the state Department of Ecology, said at a Thursday dedication ceremony on the waterfront.

Manning was talking about the port's new boatyard, which has a storm and wastewater collection system that will capture and treat runoff before sending it to the city's sewer system for more treatment.

It's important, he added, that the improvements were done without sacrificing the economy for the environment. He called the facility a "green marina," telling port officials they should be proud of a facility that replaces one in which most boatyard fluids were just dumped into the Sound.

"In the past we found most ports to be a major pain in the ass," he said. "That has changed."

He added that the port of Everett is now a partner in environmental cleanup.

Port director John Mohr acknowledged that ports and environmental officials used to be at odds, but said those days are over.

"The progress we've enjoyed to date is a change in both of our attitudes," he said.

Port commissioner Connie Niva noted the agency has spent $7 million to date removing 85,000 tons of contaminated soil from the city's waterfront.

Manning said the port's new boatyard should prevent the waterfront from being contaminated again.

The new boatyard is the beginning of a $400 million redevelopment project that will include condominiums, office space, restaurants and retail businesses. That part of the project is on hold for now as the port's partner, Maritime Trust of Chicago, waits for bank financing.

Mohr said he talked to Maritime officials last week and was confident the project would proceed. But he said banks aren't financing such projects now because of the national mortgage meltdown.

He said the project remains "very attractive" and he expects financing "to come through shortly."