The Cedar River Canyon needs protection!
Cedar River Canyon is King County’s dumping grounds.
For over 50 years, the Cedar River Canyon area has been the dumping grounds for waste, toxins, and who knows what else. This area has become the “sacrifice” land for all of King County. Over 1,415 acres are being used for the Cedar Hills Landfill (920 acres), Queen City Farms, including Cedar Grove Compost on the property (341 acres) and a construction debris/reclamation site (154 acres).
The odors, toxic air pollutants, & effluents into the Cedar River, streams and beyond, and destruction of our environment from these industries is what has led us to form our organization…….to fight for our rights to a clean & healthy environment.
Who we are…
We are a 501c3 organization with a vision for a “A safe, healthy and toxic free Cedar River Canyon for all to enjoy now and into the future.”
PRCRCP’s purpose is to provide research and communication concerning risk, threat, or harm to human, animal, fish, wildlife or environmental health in the Cedar River Canyon and surrounding environs, from Cedar River origin to Puget Sound, resulting from known and potential toxic contamination of air, ground or water.
Protect Cedar River Canyon through responsible disposal of public waste and relocation of industrial operations to geographies that equitably minimize human health and environmental impacts.
See our "Human and Environmental Health Consequences of Exposure to Toxic* Waste” presentation.
Our Goals.
Spearhead remediation of existing environmental impacts and contamination
A call for action to the immediate and ongoing restoration to the Cedar River Canyon.
Provide social and environmental equity and justice for communities infringed upon by harmful waste disposal and industrial operations conducted and proposed in the Cedar River Canyon.
Provide research and communication
Receive the appropriate due process from King County in the evaluation of viable alternative solutions for disposal of county-wide generated waste and infrastructure operations in lieu of spending.
Closure of Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, as well as near term solutions to significantly reduce operation impacts and implement EPA best practices.
Remediate Queen City Farm superfund site.
Rezone of industrial properties along the Cedar River Canyon.
The Research Plan
Research is the key to achieving our goals. Testing is necessary to expose the toxic nature of the waste industries in this area. Plans include:
Testing water at various locations that have been identified as “hot spots”
Testing the air in surrounding neighborhoods
Soil testing
Extensive Toxicology reports on all samples
A more detailed research plan can be seen on our webpage “Research Plan”.
Our Education Plan.
Education is a key component of our mission. We will accomplish this by:
Pamphlets identifying the issues
Presentations to community groups
Notifications of actions being taken/proposed by King County and State agencies
List agencies that can help
Letting the public know about any legislation action they can get involved with to assist.
Why is action needed?
The assault on the residents and environment by these industries needs to stop. Regulations are continually violated with little to no mitigation. Scientists are finding more and more evidence on the harmful effects of chemicals from these industries on health and environment. These industries say they are “safe” - we aim to prove they are not safe and have and will continue to harm citizens and the environment.
The pollution is not just present in the Canyon. Because highly toxic leachate from CHRLF is piped to the South Wastewater Treatment plant in Renton, the contamination is spread all across the Cascades and Eastern Washington farmlands in the form of sewage sludge (biosolids - LOOP). In addition the “treated, clean” water is then release into the Duwamish River and on to the Puget Sound, full of chemicals that cannot be removed.
King County has only provided 3 alternatives to our waste disposal - expansion, WTE, and Export. Both expansion and export just continue the toxic cycle of burying our waste. The only technological solution to our waste that has been put forth has been WTE. While WTE has been embraced by Europe, there may be other, more advanced technologies to handle our waste with no adverse affects.
Where is Cedar River Canyon located?
The CR Canyon is located just west of Renton, Washington in Western Washington along the Maple Valley, with the Cedar River flowing through it. The industries that impact the Canyon the most is located about 7 miles east of Renton.
CHRLF, CGC, Queen City Farms and land reclamation within the red circle. - all about 7 miles from Renton, WA. These industries encompass 1,415+ acres.
Click on image to enlarge
Is there a solution?
Our Wish list of solutions!
Close Cedar Hills Regional Landfill
o Begin emergency response to export incoming waste as an interim solution for King County’s waste.
o Close/secure landfill:
(1) Capping, covering, and sealing the various areas and
(2) Requiring all gasses, aerosols, and volatiles be captured, processed, and precluded from local release.
Cedar River Canyon and the waste sacrifice area are to be restored and protected including tributaries. No waste related or industrial operations.
Using our research plan we can determine the safest technological alternative, at a safe location, for King County to proceed with their waste planning.
Eliminate the underlying historical philosophy that the Cedar Valley Region is KC's designated:
Garbage Dump
Land reclamation/Toxic Soil Dump
Compost Heat
Legacy Unremediated CERCLA Site
Thermal decomposition of LOOP and all biosolids in the state - Stop the Spread!
Better Recycling to reduce the amount of waste