Thurston commissioners may allow asphalt recycling in Nisqually subarea
Asphalt recycling, a contentious issue in the critical Nisqually subarea for years, may be allowed if the Thurston County board of commissioners votes to amend the policy on Dec. 15.
The board voted 2-1 Dec. 2 to advance a version of the amendment to the final meeting of the year. If it passes, asphalt recycling could be permitted in the critical aquifer recharge area if operators follow best management practices.
The policy change has been a contentious issue for local residents and stakeholders for the past several years. Lakeside Industries, an Issaquah-based asphalt company with a plant on Durgin Road, has petitioned the board to take up the issue five times, finally persuading the board to add it to the official docket in 2017.
The issue before the board on Dec. 15 is only a policy change and would not decidedly permit a company such as Lakeside Industries to commence asphalt recycling, senior planner Maya Teeple said. Following the policy change, Lakeside Industries would have to apply for a permit that will require an official review.
Some of those against the amendment have argued in public comments that asphalt recycling could contaminate ground water and impact fragile ecosystems. Proponents on the other hand have argued that recycling asphalt is more sustainable and would allow the local Lakeside Industries plant to be more competitive in a market that prefers recycled asphalt.
The county received 26 oral comments and 56 written comments prior to the board’s vote on Dec. 2, Teeple said. Of those, 31 supported the amendment and 24 comments opposed it.
Part of a bigger picture?
Some opponents have called for the amendment to be rejected now and instead be combined with a Nisqually Subarea Plan update to allow for a holistic review.
Commissioner Tye Menser offered a similar argument when he voted against advancing the amendment to the Dec. 15 meeting, but added he preliminarily supports the amendment.
“This has been a very difficult issue, frankly, in my opinion, because there’s a lot of history,” Menser said. “It’s not just one issue about water quality, it’s a lot of issues. And the big question is, ‘Can recycled asphalt be done safely with respect to water?’ I think that I’m close to persuaded that it could be.”
Commissioners John Hutchings and Gary Edwards voted to advance one of three options for the amendment that the Planning Commission unanimously recommended Oct. 7.
This option would remove the prohibition on asphalt recycling but require best management practices such as covering reclaimed asphalt pavement to ensure minimal environmental harm and impact due to leachate.
The other options included not changing the policy and simply removing the prohibition without any additional requirements. Commissioner Menser abstained from definitively supporting any options because he did not agree with advancing this decision to the Dec. 15 meeting.
Nisqually tribe supports Lakeside
Hutchings said his conversation with David Troutt, the natural resource director with the Nisqually tribe, solidified his support for the amendment.
“I found our chat on the phone profoundly important and very moving as to where the tribe is with this,” Hutchings said.
Troutt, who is also the chair of the Nisqually River Council, said at the public hearing that Lakeside Industries has earned the trust of the tribe. He said Lakeside has committed to cover the asphalt material, monitor water quality and share data with the community.
“They’ve been in the Nisqually delta for 15 years producing asphalt … and they have shown that over those 15 years they know what they’re doing,” Troutt said. “They’ve done a really good job of producing their materials in a way that is sensitive to the neighborhood, sensitive to the community, and without issue, without complaint, without fault.”
Troutt said the tribe would have preferred to see this amendment in a full subarea plan update where they would have insisted on a prohibition on exposure to groundwater. However, he said they decided to share their opinion now given that the amendment is before the board.
Retired congressman joins discussion
Edwards said he felt ready to move forward on Lakeside Industries’ application, pointing out that an asphalt recycling facility already exists in the subarea. Teeple said Gilliardi Logging and Construction Inc. on Reservation Road is able to operate in the subarea because it predates the creation of the plan.
“I think I’m looking forward to being able to say that I voted with Norm Dicks on this particular issue,” Edwards said. “He’s a legend in politics. He thinks it’s a good idea and so do I.”
Norm Dicks, a former U.S. congressman for Washington’s Sixth District, voiced his support for the amendment during the public hearing. Dicks said recycling asphalt reduces waste at landfills, greenhouse gas emissions and the need for more mining.
He said Lakeside has committed to monitor the runoff and adjust its practices if it finds any pollutants in the water.
“All of these commitments persuade me that Lakeside is committed to following the data and the best available science,” Dicks said. “All of my experience has taught me to follow the data and science. With strong monitoring and adaptive management practices, you will make the best policy choices on behalf of the public.”
Opponents weigh in
Despite Lakeside’s commitments, some still oppose the amendment. Shelly Kneip, a board member with the League of Women Voters in Thurston County, said her organization does not oppose recycling asphalt but members believe this amendment could have larger impact if not carefully considered within a broader plan.
“From a planning perspective, it makes no sense to separate this proposed amendment from the (subarea) update that should be considered together as part of the plan holistically,” Kneip said.
Phyllis Ferrell, representing the Sierra Club South-Sound Group, said recycling asphalt is a prudent activity but too risky in the critical subarea.
“Thurston County has other sites that make safely recycled asphalt,” Ferrell said. “It’s too risky to be storing RAP piles and increasing the amount of manufacturing asphalt in a floodplain close to the river, salmon stocks and local drinking water supplies.”
The board will make a final decision on the amendment during its regular board meeting on Dec. 15. Anyone who wishes to watch or attend the meeting can visit the county board of commissioners website the week of the meeting for details on how to participate.
This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
