Citizens groups are very important in pushing government agencies to do more. Sometimes because of many different barriers and funding, people get disillusioned to some extent, and. . . sometimes with the citizens' help the top managers have to do something and that's where it gets the energized people back, and I think it gives the employees their energy and the interest to really move on projects. So I think that the role of citizen watchdog groups is really important. There has to be a balance between what's reasonable and what's not reasonable, but I think that they have a right to function in getting government to do more. . . and also just to look out -- government has to be accountable to tax payers and rate payers. So basically it is a citizen's group that pushes the city to taking more assertive action, to doing more work on the Columbia Slough in terms of contaminated sediments. Chee Choy, Bureau of Environmental Services

The grant money allowed us to fund the [Buffalo Slough] sediment project, develop scientific models for pollutant movement, remediation and removal. It lead to the development of the risk assessment for both humans and wildlife in the slough. The EPA grant funded angler outreach and my work.

With grant funds we hired an environmental educator for the 50 schools in the watershed. The grant also funded the activities of the Columbia Slough Watershed Council for 2.5 years. Activities ranged from storm drain stenciling, to tours, classes, a school based learning program, field trips for kids and adults and even computer kiosks that were located at Fred Meyer and OMSI, libraries and the Lloyd Center.

The money also helped us purchase the Whitaker Ponds Environmental Learning Center. The EPA grant funded the first few years of the slough tree planting program that has resulted in more than a 500,000 trees and shrubs being planted on 12 miles of the slough bank. Tree planting around the St. John's Landfill is controlling leachate from the landfill. We have implemented a BES Industrial Source Control program with these funds. This targets industries that handle certain materials or have practices with a higher degree of pollutant control potential.

One of the most well known efforts in the Downspout Disconnect Program. The EPA funds helped us expand this program to 6,470 homes. This eliminates runoff that would require bigger storm sewer pipes and costly treatment of rainwater.

Some lesser known but important projects also include automated trash racks the Drainage District purchased with the money. (MCDD staff had been hauling tons of trash and weeds out of their racks by hand previously). We've built 3 regional stormwater treatment facilities with the grant. These facilities filter pollutants out of road and roof runoff. We also are funding a groundwater well monitoring network in the City's drinking water wells -- which are located in the slough watershed. Susan Barthel, Outreach Coordinator, Bureau of Environmental Services