Duwamish Alive! Earth Day Celebration

‪I work in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle. Driving to work, it’s hard not to notice the abundance of potholes in this part of Seattle. Rainy weather transforms the neighborhood into a landscape of miniature lakes of stormwater. Some of the stormwater flows with its collection of pollution from cars and development into the nearby Duwamish River. And the cycle of using the Duwamish River as sewer system continues…

The Duwamish River has served as wildlife habitat, food source, a means for transportation, and industrial development area throughout its existence. Nearby industry has used the river as a dumping ground for the past 100 years, leading to the declaration of the river as a Superfund site in 2001 by the Environmental Protection Agency. Superfund is the common name given to the most toxic hazardous waste sites in the nation. Contaminants that contribute to the pollution of the river include: sewage overflow, petroleum spillage or runoff from boats, and stormwater runoff carrying toxic chemicals, fertilizers, oil and grease from our city streets.‬

The Duwamish is Seattle's only river that supports many types of wildlife habitats for several species of salmon, shellfish and birds. These habitats are all at risk due to industrial dumping. The Duwamish River also runs through Seattle’s poorest committees. Immigrant and refugee communities, low-income residents and workers, and the largest Hispanic population in the area reside along the Duwamish River area. Fishermen depend on the river for their livelihood and a food source, and a family struggling to put food on their table may be tempted to ignore posted warnings by the Department of Health about eating toxic fish from the Duwamish River.

The Duwamish River is an environmental justice issue for Seattle. The United States Environmental Protection Agency describes environmental justice as:

“the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. EPA has this goal for all communities and persons across this Nation. It will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.”

Anyone who has spent time around the Duwamish River may be familiar with the warnings and stigma regarding this river. I was at a park on the Duwamish and noticed a sign that warned about toxins in the fish. Would you want your child running around shoeless or sitting on the ground in this park, or in your backyard if your property was on the Duwamish River? Toxins can be acquired as easily as a child dropping a toy, picking it up, and putting the toy in its mouth. Residents in the area feel neglected. They are vocal, but feel that the government doesn’t pay attention to them.

The communities in South Seattle are lower on the Seattle neighborhood “totem pole”, and may be dismissed as industrial areas, but people live there. Their children deserve the same quality of life as those in Greenlake in North Seattle. Youth in South Seattle should not have to grow up being taught that it’s ok for companies to use their river as a sewer system.

On Saturday, April 17th, EOS Alliance will celebrate Earth Day 2010 as a part of the Duwamish Alive! initiative. Join us at the Terminal 105 Park, where we will be restoring riverside habitat. Help us make the Duwamish River a healthier ecosystem for all who depend on it. We need your help to restore this habitat, river, and community.

For more info, go to: http://eosalliance.org/DuwamishAlive.html or contact Ben Kantner at bkantner@eosalliance.org

Article by: Ben Kantner and Sarah Choy