Darrington grant to help rid homes of debris

Published 10:59 pm Thursday, February 7, 2008

DARRINGTON — Grant money is expected to help Darrington residents chip downed trees into mulch instead of burning them in yard fires.

Snohomish County recently received a $115,220 grant from the Washington state Department of Ecology to help Darrington residents find alternatives to burning yard waste.

The grant is among 23 the department issued to help small communities cope with a proposed ban on outdoor burning and to protect people from inhaling toxins in smoke. One of the grants is slated to help develop a pilot yard waste program in Sultan and other communities in east Snohomish County.

The proposed burn ban is controversial in Darrington, where many view the proposal as an affront to their rural lifestyle.

In Darrington, the money is expected to buy wood chippers, establish a yard waste drop-off location and provide residents with compost bins. The county plans to provide pickup or on-site chipping of woody waste at a reasonable price.

The grant is also intended to facilitate the hiring of a consultant to develop relationships between Darrington, Snohomish County, state agencies and compost facilities.

Snohomish County plans to contribute $38,407 to help fund the program.

“This was seen as a helpful measure to see that people have reasonably available ways to get rid of the type of woody debris that builds up on your property,” said Larry Altose, a spokesman for the Department of Ecology.

Reporter Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292 or kmanry@heraldnet.com.