Commissioners plan action on biosolids

Following a meeting last week with representatives of Lewis County and the state Department of Ecology, Wahkiakum County commissioners are planning further study of ways to control application of biosolids in the county.

Biosolids are processed human sewage that are applied as fertilizer to forest and agricultural land. Ecology has approved an application of a Long Beach company to spread septage, the least treated form of biosolids, on Phil and Sulema Zerr's Grays River Ranch. The plan has drawn much adverse impact from Grays River Valley residents who have pressured the county to draft an ordinance to control application of biosolids.

Last year, commissioners prepared a draft of that ordinance which Ecology threatened to challenge, saying state law gives it, not counties, authority over the application of biosolids. Commissioners tabled action on the ordinance and said they would discuss the issue further with Ecology and also seek legislation that would give counties more control over biosolids application.

Last Thursday, commissioners from Lewis and Wahkiakum counties met with Ecology officials to discuss biosolids projects in the two counties.

"The Lewis County representatives seemed to get what they wanted and went away happy," commented Wahkiakum commission Chair Lisa Marsyla. "I don't think it (the meeting) accomplished a lot for us."

She said she wanted Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow to give the commission an opinion on what the county could do with a moratorium on biosolids application.

"We need to make sure we understand what we're doing before we move ahead."

Commissioners Blair Brady and Dan Cothren agreed with Marsyla's comments.

Brady said the Ecology officials were "condescending" and hardly addressed concerns based on research by professors at Cornell University. Instead, Brady said, they cited research from other universities which favored their position.

"My problem is that there's conflicting information about the effects," he said. "And, they don't have staff to adequately monitor or run this program."