five questions for tuesday

Stories on my beat

Bull Trout story - Tri City Herald

Some farms still making big bucks - Walla Walla Union Bulletin

Two Stories on my beat that used public records

The Safe Baby Bottle Act

OLYMPIA—Seattle resident Katalin Marky stood before the House committee and explained she had unknowingly exposed her unborn child to Bisphenol-A -- a result she said came from drinking from her polycarbonate water bottle containing the chemical during her pregnancy.

Marky gave her testimony Wednesday afternoon in a hearing conducted by the House Environmental Health Committee for Substitute Senate Bill 6248, a bill banning the production of BPA in bottles, cups and bowls meant for child use under the age of three.

Bisphenol-A, or BPA, is a type of material used to harden plastic used since the 1930s. While the issue of whether BPA is safe or not continues to be researched, legislators are currently seeking its regulation. What is garnering the interest of politicians in this chemical is its usage.

In a telephone interview, bill sponsor Senator Keiser, D-Kent, said BPA is still used in baby bottles, sippy cups and cereal bowls – items linked directly to use by young children. Researchers remain concerned that BPA leaks into food and beverage when heated or used repeatedly.

Under the guidelines of SSB 6248, manufacturers of products using BPA will be required to notify retailers, recall their products, reimburse retailers and discontinue production of products containing BPA.

According to the bill, failure to meet those criteria will result in a $5,000 civil penalty for a first offense and $10,000 for repeat offenses. If the bill is passed, the bill will take effect July 1, 2011.

The public hearing began with opening remarks by Sen. Keiser.

“This is an incredibly important issue – it’s a developing issue,” she said.

Sen. Keiser said the bill is brought up as “a cautionary principle,” especially in regard to the safety of young children and infants.

Dr. Jim White, a toxicologist at the Washington State Department of Health, spoke in favor of the substitute bill.

White said current research shows an uncertainty to the safety of BPA, and that in research done on current, typical exposure to BPA, there is some concern for the health of infants and fetuses.

“One of the main principles of public health is that it’s best to prevent health problems before they occur,” White said.

According to White, Connecticut and Minnesota have also created initiatives banning or placing restrictions on BPA use, especially in baby bottles and sippy cups.

Carol Kraege, Toxics Policy Coordinator for Washington, also discussed the bill as a preemptive safety measure toward the BPA issue. “It’s prudent and appropriate to move away from it [BPA],” she said.

Jim Connelly of the Lodi Water Company, and representing the Northwest Bottled Water Association in Spokane, expressed several concerns to the substitute bill and an amendment proposed by Representative Matt Shea that adds “sports water bottles” to the list of banned products carrying BPA.

Connelly said he is concerned that consumers will no longer purchase large water containers, containers that are not being reheated or evenunder the same scrutiny as sports bottles, because of the use of “water” in the term “sports water bottles.”

Consumers are not going to believe that BPA issues are just based on the small water bottles and sales would ultimately decrease, Connelly said.

“It would ruin my business and I would close my doors,” Connelly added.

Whereas sports bottle companies are already making the switch to BPA-free products, Connelly said the three- and five-gallon water containers that are integral to his company are products water industry experts are yet unable to find viable container alternatives for.

Grant Nelson, Government Affairs Director for the Association of Washington Business, also disagreed with the water bottle terminology prescribed by the amendment.

Nelson said alternatives to using the terminology should be sought.

Representative Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, posed a question to Nelson before he finished testifying: “Those thermoses that we pack our kids hot lunches in -- do they have BPA in them?”

“I have no idea,” Nelson replied. “I hope not.”

Story Outline

Narrative Lede: What’s happening?

Nutgraf: What is the bill doing?

What is BPA?

Favor:
Who?
Why?

Against:
Who?
Why not?

Ending quote

Sources for legislative story

Interviewed
Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent
(360) 786-7664

Statements made by:
Katalin Marky
Seattle resident/mother

Rep. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island
(360) 786-7842

Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent
(360) 786-7664

Dr. Jim White
Toxicologist at the Washington State Department of Health
(360) 236-3192

Jim Connelly
Lodi Water Company, Northwest Bottled Water Association (Spokane)
jconnelly@lodispring.com

Carol Kraege
Toxics Policy Coordinator for Washington
(360) 407-6906

Things to learn from Mike Wallace

Wallace eases people into the interview

Wallace 'uneases' people in the interview

Wallace gets the emotion out: How did you feel?  What was going through your mind?

Wallace points his finger with authority - he's in control of the interview

Wallace asks open-ended questions - also uses statements to get responses

Wallace does his homework

Wallace gets away from his desk and does the interview face-to-face

Wallace annunciates claims against his interviewee

Wallace gets squinty when he brings up face-threatening words (i.e. steroids, claims, strength, how, why, etc.)

Wallace lowers his tone when he asks 'why didn't you'- and 'what'- type questions

Wallace uses all the questions to surround "did you take steroids?" as the main question

An idea

A totally BPA-free Washington in the near future?

SB6248-S: This bill would require manufacturers of products including BPA (Bisphenol A) to notify retailers of the provisions of the bill no more than 90 days before the restrictions(?), recall their products, and/or face penalties (?) under the Bill's provision if not adhered to. My thoughts: which companies are still manufacturing BPA products in Washington State that would cause the need for this bill, or is this a preventative action on the part of Olympia? If there are companies still producing water bottles, plastics, etc. with BPA in-state, what will this mean for retailers who carry their products? What about students on campus, also? Are some of their favorite, sentimental water bottles from the early throwback 2000s BPA-free?...

Hosting Senators: Keiser, Fairley, Rockefeller, Kohl-Welles, Kline, Ranker
The Bill will be under public hearing on Monday, Feb. 15 at 8:30 a.m. in the House Committee on Environmental Health.

Things to consider brought up in class: Look for how pervasive BPA is...How harmful is it?...What will this cost retailers/manufacturers?...What does BPA do to the environment/people/animals?

Jess Walter lecture

Lede: In the current economy, fine arts graduate degrees need to become more versatile to accommodate film and screen writing, author Jess Walter said Thursday evening during his lecture in the Communication Addition.

Quote 1: “In my mind, that [screen writing] should be taught right alongside how to write poetry or short stories,” Walter said.

Nut Graf: Walter, a former journalist and National Book Award author, spoke to an auditorium of students and faculty about his experiences in the creative writing and journalism fields.

Quote 2: “It’s never been a good industry. I guess that was the most important thing I got from it.” –Senior English major Evan Reyes commenting on Jess Walter’s lecture.

Public works looking into waste disposal issues

The solid waste management plan needs revamping due to an impending increase in waste-dumping costs, fuel prices, and the possible need for transfer-station improvements, said Mark Storey, director of Whitman County public works, in a Pullman City Council meeting Tuesday evening at City Hall.

Storey briefed the council on the current waste management situation and listed options under consideration for working to lower the estimated future tipping costs, or the cost per ton of waste that is disposed of.

In 1993, the initial tipping fee was $69 per ton, which remained unchanged until 2007 when the cost increased to $95 per ton, according to Storey’s presentation. The current price of waste-dumping is $99 per ton.

The needs for improvements or alterations in the solid waste disposal operation also pertain to the need for transfer-station improvements and transportation costs, Storey said. “Future increase in fuel prices are a concern,” he said.

Storey noted that much of Pullman’s waste is driven directly to Arlington or Portland, Oregon.

“Are we paying the right price?” Storey answered his own question: “Yes.”

Though driving containers to river ports for barge transportation would replace the long-haul, eight hour drive to Arlington, Storey said the fuel costs of truck transportation of waste would still remain cheaper than those alternatives.

In a list of items prioritized by importance, Storey presented options for meeting this issue head-on.

Public works is also considering the option of constructing two new cells at an existing landfill for dumping as the best alternative. Storey said further consideration of location is a must.

Storey said public works projects filling in these prospective cells would begin in 2013, after a period in 2012 when the county can back out of the current waste disposal contract that otherwise expires in 2017. The opening of new cells would remain open until 2046.

The location in consideration would conflict with the existing police firing range, Storey said.

Mayor Glenn Johnson commented on the importance of the range to police officers and sought clarification of the location issue.

Storey said the issue was one requiring a “separate discussion,” among the other options that are being considered.

The transfer station operations will continue to be feasible, Storey said, but will need major improvements by 2013 – improvements costing anywhere from $1 million to $2 million. Storey said this would need to be considered if other alternatives are not utilized.

To give a measure of how much waste Pullman produces, Storey gave a break-down of the situation. According to Storey’s presentation, approximately 25,000 to 27,000 tons are disposed of each year. He noted that around 2,700 tons of lumber mill and wood waste, or “hog fuel,” as it is called, was delivered to Potlatch last year.

In addition to using local landfills, Storey said Pullman also utilizes a limited purpose landfill which is filled with wastes like asbestos. Moderate-risk waste collection goes to Spokane, including paint and various chemicals.

Councilmember Francis Benjamin asked Storey about long-term liability with solid waste disposal.

Storey said whoever generates the waste maintains liability for it indefinitely. In the case of dumping at Arlington, Storey assured the council that Pullman’s waste is minimal compared to larger cities like Seattle and Portland.

# # #

Outline

1. Solid waste management the issue in lede

2. What happened in the meeting: presentation by dir. of Whitman co. public works

3. Presentation: What is the problem? Future increases in tipping rates

4. What are the options?

5. Questions/comment from Mayor Johnson

6. Presentation: What the city is doing right now:

7. Questions from Councilmember Benjamin

8. Answer by Storey

Mayor Glenn Johnson

(Link to email)

Mark Storey

(Link to email)

Councilmember Francis Benjamin

(Link to email)

Meeting practice

a. How many confirmed cases in Whitman County?

Doctors confirmed four cases of swine flu.

b. How many doses of vaccine will be available in Washington state?

Washington State is to receive 600,000 doses of the vaccine.

c. How many in Whitman County?

Whitman County is to receive 360 doses.

d. What is Dr. Moody’s suggestion on how to distribute?

Dr. Moody suggests waiting until enough cases are confirmed.

e. Write a lede based on this information.

Whitman County should halt vaccine delivery until enough cases of H1N1 are confirmed and drug doses available, Public Health Officer Dr. Timothy Moody said Monday.