EPA910-R-03-002
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle WA 98101
Alaska
Idaho
Oregon
Washington
               Office of Ecosystems and Communities
                              April 2003
               Connecting With Communities
               Place-Based Approach
               Achieves Results
                                               .1111 ttlUtliUt ill

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                                                                                                                                                Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
              Place-Based  Staff
                 Take Action
              In Critical Areas

Pesticide Alternatives	3
Children's Health	4
Surface Water Quality	 5
Watershed Management	 5
Groundwater Protection	7
Improving Local Economies	 8
Superfund Cleanups	9
Agricultural Burning	 10
Direct Seeding	 11
Cross-Border Agreements	 12
Tribal Assistance	 12
Aquatic Resources	 13
Wetlands Enforcement	 13
Indoor Air Quality	 14
Forest Management	 14
Water Quality Standards	 15
Endangered Species Protection	 15
2002 Listening Tour	 16
To learn more about place-based projects, contact the individuals
     listed on page two. To learn more about EPA visit:
             http;//www.epa.gov/rlOearth/
   To reach Region 10 Seattle staff via our toll-free line,
                 call 1-800-424-4372
    Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper
     with a minimum 50% post-consumer fiber
             using vegetable-based ink.

                                                               v

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Connecting With Communities
                                     2002 Listening Tour
                        Place-Based Staff Hear EPA Program
                                                 Needs
                      In 2002, place-based staff conducted a listening tour inside EPA Region 10 to
                      work more effectively with Regional program offices. A week of meetings in
                      Seattle with EPA staff from the offices of air quality, water, regional council,
                      environmental cleanup, and others helped place-based staff pinpoint areas for
                      collaboration and action. As follow-up, place-based staff have:

                      Worked with the Office of Air Quality and the Resource Conservation and
                      Recovery Act (RCRA) "SWAT" team to provide information on children's health,
                      smoke, lead, and indoor air quality to schools, daycare centers, and Master Home
                      Environmentalist volunteers.

                      Assisted the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) team by providing local
                      contacts and information about significant federal projects in their geographic
                      area and providing technical assistance and review on projects in the environmental
                      review process.

                      Collaborated with Region 10's TMDL workgroups to meet the many requirements
                      of TMDLs throughout EPA Region 10.

                      Increased communications with compliance and enforcement programs.

                      Worked with the Regional Endangered Species Act team to streamline consultation
                      on projects that involve EPA and other federal agencies such as the Natural
                      Resources Conservation Service.

                      Worked with the Region's forest team, focusing on implementing the Northwest
                      forest plan, the Blue Mountain demonstration area, and restoring habitat on both
                      federal and non-federal lands.

                      Continued to work closely with the Office of Air Quality on health advisories, air
                      quality monitoring, reliable forecasting, and coordination among multiple smoke
                      sources to reduce impacts on human health.

                      Led extensive post-award monitoring reviews of tribal grants from numerous
                      EPA programs in cooperation with the Grants Administration Unit.
       PAGE 16
Introduction


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region
10 is using a unique approach to achieve environmental results
— we have stationed several EPA staff away from our regional
hub in Seattle to manage projects at the grassroots community
level. These "place-based" staff work in the cities and towns
where critical environmental needs exist. Says Elbert Moore,
former director of EPA's Office of Ecosystems and
Communities, "EPA can only do so much from regional offices
- we must be connected to geographic areas to be truly relevant."
Citizens, tribes, and state and local agencies couldn't agree
more.  They report that place-based staff deliver valuable results
that would not take place without EPA's presence at the local
level.

Because place-based staff live and work in communities, they
gain access  and insight and can more easily:
 "Became place-based staff
     live and work in
     communities, they
understand local concerns,
   and can craft realistic
solutions. Place-based staff
are well-positioned to meet
      critical needs."

      Jared Rubin,
     Willamette Basin
        Coordinator
   Oregon Department of
   Environmental Quality
       Work directly with citizens to achieve specific
       environmental results
       Collaborate with tribes and state governments to develop
       realistic solutions
       Gain an intimate understanding of community needs
       Feed information to EPA program offices so well-
       informed decisions are made
       Develop long-term, trusting relationships
       Visit residents, door-to-door, to talk about issues
A day in the life of a place-based staffer includes involvement
in multiple issues and aligning EPA programs with community
needs. Following is a sampling of projects where place-based
staff are working closely with EPA "base programs" (air, water,
pesticides, and cleanup) to accomplish Region 10 goals and
priorities. These snapshots do not capture all place-based work,
but highlight some recent projects. The sum of Region 10's
place-based projects is  a powerful part of our work to protect
human health and the environment.
"The Place-based Program
 is well worth it — staff in
   communities who are
connected back to the EPA
    Regional Office are
 extremely valuable.  They
 have done an outstanding
  job meeting community
          needs."

  Ronald Kreizenbeck,
      Deputy Regional
       Administrator
      EPA Region 10
                                                                             PAGE!

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Connecting With Communities
                                                                                                                       Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
        Place-Based Staff Are Positioned To  Meet Critical Needs
                                                        Meeting Water Quality Standards

             Sandra Halstead
             509 786-9225
             Prosser, Washington
      Chuck Rice
      509353-2700
Spokane, Washington
                                                                          Dan Robison
                                                                           509353-2707
                                                                    Spokane, Washington
             Phil North
             907 260-4882
             Soldotna, Alaska
             Alan Henning
             541 686-7838 ext. 251
             Eugene, Oregon
             Christine Kelly
             541 962-7218
             LaGrande, Oregon
    Susan Skinner
       208478-1680
     Pocatello, Idaho
   Donald Martin
      208 665-0458
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
                                                                                        From Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Don Martin manages EPA's
                                                                                        team to help Oregon and Idaho develop the Snake River-Hells
                                                                                        Canyon TMDL. A TMDL establishes allowable loadings or
                                                                                        other parameters for a water body. Martin works with local
                                                                                        tribes and state staff to approach the TMDL from an ecosystem
                                                                                        perspective. Planned for completion in Spring 2003, the TMDL
                                                                                        will ensure that more than 200 miles of the Snake River meet
                                                                                        water quality standards and that beneficial uses, such as
                                                                                        swimming, boating, public/private water supply, and salmonid
                                                                                        spawning and rearing are restored. Martin is also assisting
                                                                                        EPA staff in developing a TMDL for temperature for the
                                                                                        Lower Snake River-Columbia River. On this project, he
                                                                                        coordinates with state staff in Oregon and Washington.
                                                                                                                            Protecting Endangered  Species
                                                        Martin also serves as EPA's salmon and trout expert on fisheries
                                                        issues east of the Cascade Mountains. He serves as an
                                                        information bridge between EPA policy makers and federal,
                                                        private, and university research scientists, as well as providing
                                                        technical and policy expertise. His efforts are contributing to
                                                        development and implementation of recovery plans for Snake
                                                        River Chinook Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, and Steelhead and
                                                        Bull Trout. Martin's work will help restore and protect
                                                        threatened or endangered anadromous and resident salmonid
                                                        species in waters of the interior Columbia River basin.
                                                                                                                                                        Don Martin's contributions to
                                                                                                                                                        Snake River TMDLs will ensure
                                                                                                                                                        that more than 200 river miles
                                                                                                                                                        meet water quality and
                                                                                                                                                        temperature standards.
        PAGE 2

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Connecting With Communities
                                                                                                                                                       Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
     "Place-based staff
 understand the mood and
economy of a community. I
 see opportunity for place-
    based staff to help us
 distribute information on
   children's health and
    identify compliance
     assistance needs."

   Montel Livingston,
       Unit Manager
    Office of Waste and
  Chemicals Management
The left side of this photo shows
what a forest looks like after 70
years of fire exclusion; the right
side shows how the forest should
look in order to reduce
catastrophic fires.
Teaching People About Indoor Air
Quality
This past year, in the Yakima Valley and cities across Washington,
Dan Robison taught health districts, childcare providers, rural
nurses, and low-income communities about indoor air quality.
Working with the American Lung Association of Washington
(ALAW), Robison helped people reduce asthma triggers and
protect their children from dust and mold. "Dan Robison is
all about partnership and sharing resources," says Leslie Benoit,
ALAW Regional Director. "He has dramatically improved
our Little Lungs Breathing educational program." The
Association says its workshops lead to fewer emergency room
visits and prevention of severe asthma attacks.
Growing Healthy Forests

In an entirely different area, Robison has worked to improve
forest management. He advocates prescribed burning and
thinning to reduce the risk of catastrophic fires and increase
growth of healthy forests. A few years ago, Robison started a
pilot project on 20,000 acres in the Wenatchee-Okanogan
National Forest. The project took off and is now self-sustaining
with citizens and environmental groups actively participating.
The U.S. Forest Service is excited about this work and hopes
to see similar projects in other areas.

                                                                     "We achieve stronger
                                                                   environmental outcomes
                                                                  when EPAplace-based staff
                                                                        are involved."

                                                                       Leslie Benoit,
                                                                       Regional Director
                                                                  American Lung Association
                                                                        of Washington
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Promoting Pesticide Alternatives


Sandra Halstead manages several projects in Washington's
Yakima Valley and across Oregon and Idaho to promote safe
pesticide alternatives and protect public health. This past year,
as part of EPA's Strategic Agricultural Initiative, Halstead
initiated six agricultural partnerships, which will reduce use of
toxic pesticides from 20 to 60 percent on some farms. This is
part of EPA's work to transition from harmful broad-spectrum
pesticides to safer alternatives.

Says Halstead, "To do my job, I must be trusted by the
community - it would  be hard to do this work from an urban
city." Halstead says her ability to meet with extension agents,
farmers and others helps her get the job done. Art Linton,
Assistant Dean  of the College of Agriculture and Home
Economics at Washington State University, agrees, "Halstead
has made EPA  highly  relevant out here. The perception of
EPA has changed considerably — because people see Halstead
frequently, they feel more comfortable working with her."
                                                                  Interns funded through an EPA
                                                                  grant discuss pesticide safety with
                                                                  Yakima Valley residents.
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Connecting With Communities
"Place-based staff nip simple
mis-communications in the
   bud. They have great
  potential to assist with
  children's health issues,
   Brownfields, and site
     redevelopment."

     Rick Albright,
          Director
    Office of Waste and
  Chemicals Management
         Protecting Children's Health


         Sandra Halstead's presence in the community has also led to
         success on the "For Healthy Kids!" project, which teaches farm
         workers how to keep pesticide residues out of their homes. By
         breaking the "take home" exposure pathway, "For Healthy
         Kids!" prevents both acute symptoms and irreversible
         developmental damage that can result when children are over-
         exposed to pesticides. Halstead's prevention work means that
         children of farm workers will be healthier and mature to their
         full potential.

         This past year, Halstead was active on a community advisory
         board and distributed more than 3,000 Spanish-language
         booklets on worker protection. In addition, due to Halstead's
         efforts, twelve communities in the Yakima Valley benefited
         from radio broadcasts, school programs, health fairs, and
         neighborhood block parties on pesticide safety.
The "For Healthy Kids!" project
teaches fourth-graders how to
protect themselves from
pesticides.

      _
Protect  Tf]t
                                                                                  famieHvel founts
                                                                                Pesticides
                                                                                                                                                                  Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
                                                                                                                                 Protecting Aquatic Resources
On the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, Phil North plays a key role
in protecting aquatic resources. During the past year, he worked
with the University of Alaska and the Kenai Watershed Forum
to begin developing a wetlands geographic information system
(GIS). It enables users to quickly identify how site use and
development influence fish habitat, water quality, groundwater
movement and more. Once completed, tribal, state, and local
governments will use the system to determine impacts of
environmental violations and develop wetland mitigation
measures. Landowners will use the system to find out how
future site use affects aquatic resources. By answering critical
questions, the wetlands GIS will enable people to make the
most of site use while preserving critical habitat.

"The vision provided by Phil North has been the driving force
for the wetlands GIS," says Keith Boggs, Program Manager
for the Alaska National Heritage Program at the University
of Alaska. "North brought in our stakeholders - municipalities,
tribes, the Kenai Wildlife Refuge, and federal agencies, and
asked what was needed in the final product. His rational, down-
to-earth approach was appreciated."
                                                                                                                                 Furthering Wetlands Enforcement
                                                                                                The credibility of the Wetlands Program in Region 10 depends
                                                                                                on an effective enforcement program. Phil North plays an
                                                                                                active role in inspecting wetlands on the Kenai Peninsula. His
                                                                                                field presence and real-time responses to citizen complaints
                                                                                                are critical in assisting EPA and Department of Justice attorneys
                                                                                                and enforcement staff. This past year, he was involved in a
                                                                                                series of cases with repeat and recalcitrant violators. One case
                                                                                                is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice and is likely
                                                                                                to go to court this year, while another will go to hearing with
                                                                                                an administrative law judge. This work will result in penalties
                                                                                                and restoration of sensitive habitats. As the Wetlands Program
                                                                                                moves forward in prosecuting cases, potential violators will be
                                                                                                deterred from violations.
 "EPA staff must be near
    certain projects to
understand cultural issues
 and unique landscapes —
 Seattle is flat-out too far
          away."

      Keith Boggs,
    Program Manager
 Alaska Natural Heritage
  Program, University of
          Alaska
                                                                                                                                                                                                   The Wetlands Geographic
                                                                                                                                                                                                   Information System answers
                                                                                                                                                                                                   critical questions that enable
                                                                                                                                                                                                   citizens and government to
                                                                                                                                                                                                   preserve habitat.


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Connecting With Communities
State staff sign the Montana-Idaho
Border Agreement to control
nutrient loading in Lake Pend
Oreille.
"In Northern Idaho we are
 isolated from government
agencies, and it's hard to get
 people involved. Having
EPA nearby is such a plus."

      Ruth Watkins,
    Executive Director
  Tri-State Water Quality
          Council
       PAGE  12
                                           Reaching Cross-Border Agreements
In Sandpoint, Idaho, Chuck Rice is helping establish an overall
nutrient management plan for Lake Pend Oreille. He provides
technical assistance to the Tri-state Water Quality Council,
which includes representatives from tribal, state and local
governments, environmental groups, and industry. To set the
stage for this plan, the Council facilitated a border agreement
between Idaho and Montana to protect lake water quality, with
help from Rice. The border agreement sets nutrient targets
and apportions responsibility for meeting targets between the
states. "EPA has been critical to the Council's efforts - Chuck
Rice understands the issues and political realities," says  Ruth
Watkins, Executive Director of the Tri-state Water Quality
Council.

An important outcome of the border agreement is that EPA
recently approved a TMDL for Lake Pend Oreille that sets
phosphorous standards. By combining the border agreement
with the lake management plan, the states successfully finished
this portion of the project. Says Rice, "Lake Pend Oreille is
the centerpiece of this region's vitality and keeping it healthy
is important to the economy and quality of life in the adjoining
areas of Idaho, Washington, and Montana."
Assisting Tribes

In Washington, some miles downstream from Lake Pend
Oreille, Rice is EPA's Project Manager for the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing of the Box Canyon
Dam Hydroelectric Project on the Pend Oreille River. A
portion of the Box Canyon Project discharges to the Kalispel
Tribe Reservation. Working with the Kalispel Tribe and the
Washington Department of Ecology, EPA developed a water
quality certification for this project, one of few water quality
certifications for hydropower projects issued by EPA nationally.
The certification requires designing and getting a plan underway
to return Calispell Creek flow to a near-natural state. This will
protect water quality and designated beneficial uses.
                                                                                                                                                             Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
                                                                                          Improving  Surface Water Quality
Last year, Alan Henning began a collaborative, two-year mercury
monitoring project to support the Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality (ODEQ) in developing a Total Maximum
Daily Load (TMDL) for mercury and other pollutants in the
Willamette Basin. A TMDL establishes allowable loadings or
other parameters for a water body. The mercury monitoring
project is critical to the TMDL and will help ensure its completion
in late 2003. The TMDL will set allowable pollutant discharges
for mercury so water quality standards can be met. The TMDL
will also reduce people's exposure to mercury from eating fish.
Henning set up a field workshop, organized a three-day tour of
the Willamette Basin, and discussed sampling with stakeholders.
This effort helped solidify working relationships and kick the
project off to a productive start.

Henning's Eugene location helped him easily build relationships
with local contacts - he  could attend local meetings, assist with
field work, or discuss pressing concerns in person. As a result,
several project and laboratory experts at EPA and ODEQ are
actively moving this project forward. For example, EPA's
Manchester Laboratory (in Kitsap County, Washington, across
Puget Sound from Seattle) and the Office of Environmental
Assessment (in EPA's Regional Office in Seattle) are coordinating
sample reporting with ODEQ's Portland Laboratory. Their
regular interaction has helped foster a positive working relationship.

"Alan Henning was totally engaged in making this project happen,"
says Jared Rubin, Willamette Basin Coordinator, ODEQ. "He
helped find funding, brought in critical staff, and helped with
logistical hurdles."


Strengthening Watershed

Management


Alan Henning has also helped develop the Little Applegate
Watershed Management Plan. This plan will help people in
Oregon's Rogue Basin apply land management practices that meet
TMDL and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) fisheries requirements. Due out this spring, the plan is
aimed at the regulated community. It combines and simplifies
steps for meeting Endangered Species and Clean Water Act
requirements. The work will result in protecting fish species and
meeting water quality standards for temperature.
EPA and State staff visit a
Willamette Basin mercury
monitoring site. Data from this
site will assist in developing
TMDL allocations.

                                                                                                                                                                       PAGE 5

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Connecting With Communities
 "Place-based staff's work
    with our regulatory
   programs such as the
    National Pollutant
  Discharge Elimination
  System (NPDES) and
   Stormwater is hugely
valuable. Place-based staff
     quickly respond to
   complaints in  Indian
 country and gwe a face to
 the Federal bureaucracy."

      Mike Bussell,
     Associate Director
      Office of Water
Helping Ideas Take Root


"Out here in Pocatello, Idaho, I'm able to move ideas into
action," says Sue Skinner. "I help eliminate the mystery on
environmental matters and work with stakeholders to set
priorities from an ecosystem perspective." Skinner's duties
range considerably. She provides guidance on the Eastern
Michaud Flats Superfund cleanup, helps the cities of Pocatello
and Chubbuck with groundwater issues,  and is involved with
a TMDL for the American Falls reservoir and other waters
within the Shoshone-Bannock Indian Reservation.

Says Roger Chase, Pocatello City Mayor, "without a doubt,
it's better to have EPA in town, rather than far away. Our city
benefits from the hands-on knowledge of Sue Skinner." Mayor
Chase says that Skinner has helped Pocatello on storm water
projects, air quality issues, and Brownfields. He says Pocatello
is making better environmental progress due to EPA's presence.
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                                                                                                                                                     Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
                                                                                                                              Increasing Direct Seeding to
                                                                                                                              Improve Air and Water Quality
Christine Kelly has also helped farmers and agriculture agencies
increase direct seeding of fields. This approach reduces or
eliminates fallow fields and the need for plowing, which
considerably reduces both wind and water erosion and thereby
improves air and water quality. Direct seeding can also reduce
or eliminate field burning, which reduces air pollution.
Furthermore, it leads to greater soil moisture, better soil health,
and increased carbon sequestration, all of which help address
air and water problems and lead to overall ecosystem
improvements. During the past five years, Kelly's efforts have
contributed to direct seeding of more than 60,000 acres in
Umatilla County. Umatilla County is particularly important
for these practices  because it is a major agricultural area in
Oregon. With more than 700,000 acres of agricultural land,
Umatilla County is Oregon's largest wheat producing county
and Oregon's second largest agriculture producing county.
Several stream reaches in the Umatilla Basin are listed as "water
quality limited" for sediment, turbidity, and aquatic habitat.
Direct seeding will help  improve water quality.
 "I'm a big fan of the place-
 based approach — place-
 based staff make excellent
   consultants who can
  identify what will and
wont work on the ground.
I hope place-based staff will
 be available in the future
 to work with all media
programs on high-priority
 projects, including air."

   Barbara McAllister,
          Director
        Office of Air
                                                                                                                                                             PAGE  11

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Connecting With Communities
                                          Managing Agricultural  Burning
                                          and Particulates
Farmers and agency personnel
visit a field of canola, an
alternative crop used in direct
seeding.
In Oregon, Christine Kelly is working with agricultural and
rural communities to address a variety of ecosystem and human
health concerns. This year, Kelly helped Union County greatly
improve its agricultural burning program. Addressing smoke
in Union County is important for a number of reasons. First,
because Union County is in a valley in the Blue Mountains,
smoke is often trapped, increasing human exposure to airborne
                         particulates. Second, La Grande,
                         the County's largest community,
                         is a designated non-attainment
                         area for particulates. And, third,
                         the County is upwind of the Eagle
                         Cap Wilderness Area, a Class I
                         airshed that is easily affected by
                         smoke from field burning. To deal
                         with these issues, Kelly provided
                         technical guidance to the County
                         that helped lead to revising the
                         local smoke management
                         ordinance and adopting a direct
                         seed program in Union County.

                         Ordinance improvements
                         included expanding the smoke
                         management program from a
                         three-month to a year-round
                         program, extending burning fees
                         to propane burning,  improving
forecasting methods, and using real-time air quality data to
reduce burning. Kelly also initiated a local health advisory,
helped create a centralized call-in center to coordinate smoke
sources, worked with the National Weather Service to improve
forecast information, and assisted with setting up  real-time air
quality monitoring. Real-time data will be posted on the County's
website to help residents and farmers respond to pollution.
Since this work began, fewer smoke intrusions have occurred
in populated areas and citizen complaints have dramatically
decreased.
       PAGE 10
                                                                  Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
Protecting Groundwater

Skinner has also been instrumental in protecting groundwater
in the City of Chubbuck. With her assistance, the City obtained
funding to develop groundwater protection protocols and study
groundwater vulnerability. This work is important because
both Pocatello and Chubbuck rely on a sole source aquifer for
drinking water.

In addition, Skinner has helped Chubbuck develop best
management practices for storm water. Such practices will
eventually enable the City to protect the aquifer through local
decision-making. Says Steve Smart, City of Chubbuck Public
Works Director, "Sue is an excellent resource - she helps us
contact the right people at EPA."
  "You don't build trust by
visiting a community a few
 times a year — we firmly
 believe in the place-based
        approach."

      Paula Jones,
    Project Coordinator
  Three-Rivers Resource
     Conservation and
   Development Council
      Pocatello, Idaho
                                                                                                                                  Sue Skinner (middle left) describes the advantages of applying
                                                                                                                                  for stormwater permits through intergovernmental partnerships.
                                                                                                                                  Skinner is a valuable link between EPA and newly regulated
                                                                                                                                  communities needing Phase II storm water permits.
                                                                           PAGE  7

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Connecting With Communities
                                          Improving Local Economies,
                                          Cleaning Up Sites

                                          Cami Grandinetti and Dick Martindale (who worked on loan
                                          to EPA from the Panhandle Health District) have been paving
                                          the way for environmental action that will improve local
                                          economies in and around Kellogg and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
                                          This year, they worked with the State of Idaho and the Coeur
                                          d'Alene Tribe to transform a contaminated railway into a 72-
                                          mile trail for hiking and biking. The $40 million project is
                                          funded by Union Pacific Railroad and is scheduled to be done
                                          in summer 2003. In addition to cleaning up contaminated sites
                                          along the railway, the project involves building or repairing 30
                                          bridges and constructing solar-powered bathrooms. A boon to
                                          tourism and local economies, the trail runs through nine
                                          communities in three counties.
                                          The rails-to-trails team celebrates progress on the new trail.
                                                                 Place-Based Approach Achieves Results
Expediting  Superfund Cleanups

Martindale also played a vital role in releasing the final $360
million Record of Decision for the Coeur d'Alene Basin
Superfund site, which enables cleanup to begin this year. The
Record of Decision outlines a 30-year strategy to protect human
health and the environment from historical mine waste. EPA's
work will include removing contaminated soils from 1,000
residential yards, remediating 4,500 acres of wetlands to provide
safe waterfowl habitat, and cleaning up recreational sites along
the Coeur d'Alene River. By doing this work, EPA will
significantly reduce health risks, especially for children under
seven years old.

To achieve results in the Coeur d'Alene Basin, Martindale had
to garner support from states, tribes, and federal agencies. He
participated in more than 200 public meetings, helped respond
to more than 3,000 public comments, visited citizens door-to-
door, and was  in the field twice a week. Says Martindale, "all
environmental work occurs locally."

 "Work on the  Coeur d'Alene Basin has demanded the presence
of place-based staff," says Jack O'Brien, a citizen in Hayden,
Idaho. "There is no way  action would have occurred without
Martindale's ability to attend meetings and  understand the
history behind  the issues." Says O'Brien, "we trust Martindale's
perception of the issues."
                                                                                                                                                                                                     "When on-the-ground
                                                                                                                                                                                                   cleanup is needed, place-
                                                                                                                                                                                                   based staff can move more
                                                                                                                                                                                                   dirt. They can deal with
                                                                                                                                                                                                    scores of local issues and
                                                                                                                                                                                                   concerns, which we could
                                                                                                                                                                                                  never handle from Seattle."

                                                                                                                                                                                                      Mike Gearheard,
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Director
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Environmental Cleanup
                                                                                                                                                                                                             Office
                                                                                                                                                                                     .••;-
                                                                                                                                                                                                           PAGE 9

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