King County Executive Ron Sims announced July 9 that the city of Shoreline will be receiving environmental funding to mitigate the short and long term impacts of the construction and operation of the Brightwater wastewater treatment facility.
According to King County Wastewater Treatment Division staff, the funding estimate is between $3.4 million and $4.4 million. The reason for the monetary range, they say, is due to either a barge or rail option for transportation that is yet to be determined.
Sims said the county’s goal in building Brightwater is to construct a facility that enhances the quality of life in the region and in the local community. The mitigation funds are to ensure there are no detrimental impacts to the quality of life in the Shoreline community.
The agreement with Shoreline addresses mitigation for a portal near the intersection of Lake Ballinger Way and Interstate 5, and a portal at Point Wells. Although the city of Shoreline is not the permitting agency for the portal at Point Wells, it is in the immediate vicinity. The only transportation route to and from that portal is through the community of Richmond Beach and the city of Shoreline.
This agreement includes a commitment to use a barge or rail transportation alternative if feasible, or make traffic improvements along the transportation route from that portal.
Sims said this agreement also addresses concerns regarding traffic, noise and lighting; includes a commitment to involve the city of Shoreline during permitting; a release of county property interest in the portal near Lake Ballinger Way once construction is completed; a surface use easement of the county’s Richmond Beach pump station property, and funds to enhance public use of the shoreline in this area.
“There remains much work still to be done to complete the entire mitigation plan for the Brightwater project,” said Sims. “I anticipate there will be more mitigation agreements in the near future as we all work together to make this facility a state of the art wastewater treatment facility.”
Sims said the county is supporting the communities that will feel an impact from the wastewater conveyance and treatment facilities. The Brightwater site was selected in December 2003, and the permitting process is underway.
Provisions for the mitigation funds are consistent with the final environmental impact statement (FEIS), the project design and cost estimates. In exchange, Sims said, Shoreline withdrew its appeal of the FEIS.
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