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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 2018)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2018 Government ranks 18 volcanoes as ‘very high threat’ for danger Volcanoes in Washington, Oregon on list By SETH BORENSTEIN Associated Press Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian Contractors with Clean Harbors and consultant Ar- cadis have begun cleaning contaminated soil from a former manufactured gas plant and bulk fuel facility near the Columbia House Condominiums in Astoria. Cleanup begins at old fuel plant on riverfront Project near Columbia House condos By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Cleanup has begun at a former manufactured gas plant and bulk fuel facility across the Astoria Riverwalk from the Columbia House Condominiums. Crews with contractor Clean Harbors and consul- tant Arcadis are excavating and replacing contaminated soil from along the Riv- erwalk with ballast rock, gravel and topsoil. The work is expected to last two weeks. The site was used by Union Oil Co. of California, known as Unocal, and Pacif- iCorp between 1888 and 1977, when Unocal removed the buildings and above- ground fuel tanks. Investigation of the site began in the 1980s. Hydro- carbons and waste products that leaked and spilled during the operations were detected in soil and groundwater, and in sediments along the shoreline. The riverside part of the cleanup, tentatively sched- uled to start near the end of next year during low tides, involves removal of 600 square feet of contaminated sediment along the shore- line and installation of a sand and clay barrier. The site will be monitored for at least five years. The former Unocal plant is one of three cleanups of old industrial sites the state Department of Environmen- tal Quality oversees along the Astoria waterfront. The Port of Astoria is negotiating with former oil companies and insurers on the solution to histori- cal petroleum contamination from a former bulk plant near Pier 2. Soil and vapor testing is being done at the site of a former Chevron bulk petro- leum plant near the Wilcox & Flegel Oil Co. fuel dock. Astoria Marine Construc- tion Co., along the Lewis and Clark River, will likely close next year in advance of a cleanup of contaminants from building wooden mine- layers for the Navy. WASHINGTON — Gov- ernment scientists have clas- sified 18 U.S. volcanoes as “very high threat” because of what’s been happening inside them and how close they are to people. The U.S. Geological Sur- vey has updated its vol- cano threat assessments for the first time since 2005. The danger list is topped by Hawaii’s Kilauea , which has been erupting this year. The others in the top five are Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in Washington state, Alaska’s Redoubt Vol- cano and California’s Mount Shasta . “This report may come as a surprise to many, but not to volcanologists,” said Concord University volcano expert Janine Krippner. “The USA is one of the most active countries in the world when it comes to volcanic activ- ity,” she said, noting there have been 120 eruptions in U.S. volcanoes since 1980. Kilauea is the most active volcano in the United States “and it’s got a lot of develop- ment right on its flanks,” said government volcanologist John Ewert, the report’s chief author. He said Hilo, Hawaii, is probably the biggest city in the United States in a haz- ard area for a very high threat volcano, Mauna Loa. Ewert said the threat rank- ings aren’t about what will blow next, but “the potential severity” of the damage. Eleven of the 18 very high threat volcanoes are in Ore- gon, Washington state and California. Of the highest threat vol- canoes, Washington’s Mount Rainier “has the highest num- ber of people in the down- stream hazard zone,” about 300,000 people, said USGS geologist Angie Diefenbach, a report co-author. Flagstaff, Arizona, is on the border of the large San Francisco Volcanic Field, which is in the moderate threat level, Ewert said. Judge orders release of secret legislative proposals By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau A Marion County judge ordered state officials to dis- close legislative proposals they have been trying to keep secret. The records to be released show law changes that state agencies want drafted ahead of the 2019 Legislature. A Portland business attor- ney has been seeking the doc- uments to alert his clients to changes that could affect them. Marion County Circuit Court Judge Audrey Broyles said after a hearing in Salem Wednesday that releasing the records would be of “signifi- cant public interest.” The records, called legisla- tive concept forms, go to the Legislature’s attorneys to be turned into draft legislation. The drafts then can be filed with the Legislature for consid- eration. Access to the records could give the public insight into what Gov. Kate Brown and her administration plan to do on key issues, such as taxa- tion and education reform. Attorneys seeking disclo- sure suggested Brown’s admin- istration was blocking release to safeguard her in a close elec- tion fight with state Rep. Knute Buehler. State officials have filed an appeal of the judge’s order. In a Thursday court filing, Sarah Weston, attorney for the Department of Adminis- trative Services, argued that Oregon appellate judges are likely to reverse the decision by Broyles. Weston asked the court to temporarily halt the release of the records until the court has time to consider the merit of the appeal. Greg Chaimov, a former legislative lawyer who is now with the Portland law firm Davis Wright Tremaine, habit- ually requests the forms and provides them to business cli- ents. One of his clients is Pri- ority Oregon, a political action committee funding negative ads against Brown, said John DiLorenzo, Chaimov’s attor- ney. Chaimov said he has rou- tinely obtained the forms in past years. Chaimov sought the internal records last July, but the state Department of Administra- tive Services turned him down, saying disclosure would breach attorney-client privilege. Sarah Weston, attorney for the state, argued Wednesday that the agency views attorneys in the legislative counsel’s office as their attorneys when it comes to drafting legislation. That would mean communications sent to those attorneys were protected by client privilege. But DiLorenzo argued that attorneys in the legislative WANTED counsel’s office by law can only provide legal advice to legislators. The judge agreed. “I cannot find that the Department of Administrative Services could have expected to form an attorney-client rela- tionship,” Broyles said. “I find the state has failed to meet its burden to establish either that there is a public records exemption that exists or that there is existence of an attor- ney-client relationship.” The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group, Pamplin Media Group and Salem Reporter. Come Trick-or-Treat at Clatsop Care! The residents of Clatsop Care will be passing out treats from 3-5pm on Halloween Day. Please stop in and see us! 646 16 th Street, Astoria Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Your friends and neighbors are supporting Pam Wev. Join them and move Clatsop County forward. Fall Festival Bethany Free Lutheran Church Sunday oct 28 • 4pm Program of music & sharing, followed by Scandinavian treats & other food. Everyone is welcome! For more info call 503.325.2925 ad provided by: 3 Leg Torso & North Coast Symphonic Band Dances of Enchantment Sunday, October 28 th , 2018 at 2:00 pm Doors open at 1:30 pm Liberty Theater • 1203 Commercial, Astoria $ $ 15 Adults, 7 Students, Children 12 & Under: Free VOTE FOR PAM WEV Listen to your friends and neighbors. They trust Pam Wev to bring a fresh perspective to the Clastop County Board of Commissioners. Join the people below and elect Pam Wev, the right choice to move our county forward. We stand with Pam Sara Meyer Nancy Hakala Kristina Berney Daniel Buckout Jan Faber Bruce Holmes Jan Mitchell Carol Toristoya Janet Miltenberger Daniel Dover Nancy Holmes Hilarie Phelps Steve Bronstein McLaren Innes Corrinne Garrison Joan Herman Sharon Kloepfer Kitty Paino Carolyn Eady Roger Rocka Tom Duncan Cindy Price Mary Ekorn-Jackson Lori Durheim Mary MacDonald Jan Nybakke Juanita Price Linda Oldenkamp Jim Coughlin Jeff McGlinchy Laurie Caplan Pamela M. McDonald Rosalie McCleary Belinda Kruger Willie Toristoya Michael Stevens Bill Van Nostran Tessa Scheller Janet Weidman Sue Skinner Cecilia Kidder John Gaasland John Orr Nancy Cole Janice Horning Jim Alegria Chris Farrar Susan K. Brown Pam Tillson Yvonne Van Nostran Mindy Stokes Bob Dorn Vern McCleary Sue Zerangue Pam Chestnut Cheryl Johnson Michelle Roth Charlotte Bruhn Bryan Kidder Dale Clark Ted Messing John Nybakke Richard Garner Chuck Meyer Leon Jackson Ted Thomas Nancy Hutchins Carol Newman Jan Coughlin Tom Brownson Dave Kruger Dave Pollard Donna Wright Megan Stevens Ane Mcintyre “She offers solid credentials in principled government leadership, proven ability to collaborate … and is beholden to no special interests.” – Mary Ekorn-Jackson “Remember the breadth and depth of deci- sion-making that is expected and necessary in a home rule county. Pamela Wev has the broad experience needed … with an educa- tional background to match.” – Chris Farrar “I’m voting for Pam Wev as a best choice for county commissioner because she has spent a career understanding and helping to imple- ment good planning concepts.” – Sara Meyer “I am impressed that Pam is a good listener, chooses her words wisely, and will be a true team player.” – Bill Van Nostran “She will bring new approaches to working co- operatively with other governments. She cares deeply about this community.” – Jan Mitchell “Pamela Wev qualifies as a public servant and is prepared to function effectively in a home rule county.” – Juanita Price “In the AAUW/The Daily Astorian candidate fo- rum, Pamela demonstrated that she is looking forward, not backward.” – Dave Kruger www.facebook.com/wevforcountycommissioner 971-207-5666 wev.for.clatsop.co@gmail.com Paid for by Wev for County Commissioner
