Biosolids ordinance must be enforced

To The Eagle:

Welcome to the Grays River Valley, where the Washington State Department of Ecology, in their infinite wisdom, has given their blessing for septic sludge to be dumped in fields next to the Grays River where we are trying to protect several listed species from dying. Won’t that be an enticing note to folks who want to visit, hunt or fish in our county? Or how about, come view the last covered bridge still being used in the state of Washington and enjoy the odor. Watch the elk and deer walk across and graze the field that has just been loaded down with crap, untreated, except for some lime to control odor. Check out the coyotes, hunting for the rodents living in the burrows full of sludge. How about the eagles, hawks, and other little birdies feasting on the critters and bugs in the field that has been laden with sludge full of pathogens, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, and who knows what else?

Now think about the people, their health and livelihoods We have an organic vegetable farm right on the river just downstream from the now toxic site, which can be inundated with the local flooding several times a year, an organic dairy and an organic beef cattle farm also downstream that have worked for years to reach its organic status. Just think, now the cows can get all the pharmaceuticals they might need just by drinking the water. And the milk cartons can no longer say it doesn’t contain hormones or antibiotics. And finally, the Western Wahkiakum water wells are located just across the fields from the area where the sludge is being applied. That whole area is underwater several times a year with our frequent flooding. Good luck folks, with your clean and safe water. Looks like maybe we should all start investing in bottled water companies.

About a year ago, the Rosburg Hall was full to capacity (about 140 people) with locals who had done their research on “biosolids” and made their statements to the Department of Ecology for their records. Of the speakers at that meeting the consensus was: NO, don’t permit this to happen. DOE ignored all the arguments and facts and went ahead with the permit. A couple of weeks ago, an article was printed which prohibited school districts from washing their busses because the contaminants might make their way to the river system. So where is the sane thinking? Or the equity? It’s OK to pour “raw crap” on wet lands next to our river, organic farms, scenic sites and our local water system, but you can’t wash the school bus. Is our little economically depressed county a target? We are so small that our voices won’t be heard? We don’t have the money to fight them? We are being discriminated against, and victimized by the state and by some of our greedy residents.

It’s time to fight back, folks! Let our County Commissioners know that we appreciate the ordinance they passed, but now they need to enforce it before any more of the s**t can be spread. Call your legislators, the Governor’s office, the media, write letters, whatever you think necessary to get this attack on our community and its inhabitants stopped. Otherwise the tourist and real estate leaflets will welcome people to our toxic valley instead of our beautiful Grays River Valley. People who think this situation is unfortunate for the people who are being affected here in the Grays River Valley, beware. You will be fighting the same thing much sooner than you expect. Stand with us, and fight for yourselves as well.

Trudy Fredrickson

Grays River