Comments on: Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel faces $12,000 fine

By: crownpill

crownpill — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:18:25 +0000

Yep, heard this one before, Pissed, “These people should just go away.” We hear it from the eastern Washington and Lewis Co. nut jobs that want Seattle to disappear because of our progressivism. Just like the rest of the State shriveling up if Seattle kept to itself, so would local industrial business without these newcomers you deride. Yeah, I moved to the area, bought a house, pay my s$%t-ton of taxes, and have remodeled said house with materials bought at locally owned business. I'm not saying folks like me are the cornerstone of our local economy, but, without us, there'd be many fewer jobs and a much more depressed community.

Keep some perspective, man. Honestly.

By: Pissedoffballardite

Pissedoffballardite — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:29:01 +0000

I loved reading all of your comments, very amusing. those of you who wish for more condos, bike trails and dog parks instead of jobs are idiots. Who are not even really from Ballard you just live here now because that’s what's in. Followers of the sprawl! companies of Shilshole ave are what made this town. you would not have “my Ballard” without them it would just be Seattle. Ballard does not need more condos or trails. you people don't even use the new one on Seaview you just ride in the road that was shrunk down (for your trail) anyways. but you need more. why waste more money on pointless trails? just ride your bike wherever you want like you already do. about the fines have any of you actually read any legal documents on this or is everyone just blabbing on from hear-say or a blog from some idiot? posting Salmon Bay's # on here wont help anything unless the person calling is in need of help with building something.lol. I wish that everyone would just leave Ballard alone I loved this place now it's just turning into people who can't be happy with what they have they always need more. stop thinking for other people just improve yourself and let Ballard thrive not suffocate with your ideas of a better society.

By: Pissedoffballardite

Pissedoffballardite — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:40:35 +0000

you should read your own article…

“This third crummy year in a row is still under analysis by biologists, who likely won't ever be able to finger any one cause. But poor food-production conditions in the ocean are most likely a key factor.”

By: Mondoman

Mondoman — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:29:33 +0000

Gravel and sand aren't silt, and will sink quite quickly to the bottom. No danger of fish suffocating from that.
Not responding to the regulators is certainly bad, but the actual spill seems quite benign.

By: doug11

doug11 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:22:44 +0000

It won't be in front of the hearing examiner.

They already LOST in front of the hearing examiner.

The lawsuit is actually an appeal.

By: SPG

SPG — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:02:54 +0000

we are.

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:55:42 +0000

Me too, Boardbrown. But from what I read it doesn't sound like they have any interest in fixing this.

By: ym

ym — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:46:35 +0000

Soooo. They write up a plan and create records of self inspections. that takes a clerk maybe a hour. They plant a little eel grass to mitigate for the few grains of gravel they lost off barges and all is back to normal. Fine retracted and the only one leaving Ballard is doug with his shorts in a wad.

That's call SOP so all the drama is pointless as well as laughable.

By: HeatherHeather

HeatherHeather — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:13:04 +0000

Yeah, let's not forget we are better humans than they are!

By: aresident

aresident — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:52:39 +0000

If you want some actual facts, here is a link to a July2009 Seattle Times article concerning fish runs in the ship canal;

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews...

Paraphrasing the article…The 2009 run was expected to be the lowest on record at 19,000 sockeye. A run of 350,000 sockeye is needed to support recreational and commercial fisheries. In 2006 the run was 453,000, the last year a recreational fishery for sockeye was held in Lake Washington.

Also note these fish are a major food source for the Orca.

These runs go directly by the Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel property.

You are correct bmvaugn, people do not currently fish directly in Salmon Bay but the limited numbers of fish remaining all pass through there.

By: bmvaughn

bmvaughn — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:05:09 +0000

I didn't know people fished in Salmon Bay.

These guys need to clean up their act, pure and simple. Being a profitable company and being a green company are traits that are not mutually exclusive. I wish them the best in cleaning up and then acting as a member of the community to find a solution for the BGT.

By: aresident

aresident — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:58:32 +0000

A quote from the article…

“State law outlaws the discharge of foreign material to state waters. Other violations cited by the department include lack of a spill-response plan at the facility and not having records of required twice-yearly stormwater inspections.”

Yes, if we do not protect our water quality jobs will leave. The Ballard economy is highly dependent on fishing. The reason these water quality laws are in place is to protect our industry hence local jobs. Illegal dumping in the marine environment harms are economy and eliminates jobs (as well as recreational opportunities). If we want to protect jobs we protect our natural resources.

By: TTTCOTTH

TTTCOTTH — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:49:04 +0000

Ahhhhh yes. Three cheers for all you morons advocating jobs leaving Ballard. Let's all get government jobs and tax ourselves into prosperity.

By: doug11

doug11 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:53:30 +0000

and on appeal. they already lost once.

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK.

By: doug11

doug11 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:49:43 +0000

Yeah, everyone is polluting so why shouldn't we....

Nice attitude. For Texas.

But wrong for Ballard. Very very wrong.

By: doug11

doug11 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:48:25 +0000

Condos, a bike trail, a restaurant for Christy, and maybe a dog park.

Sand buyers buy elsewhere.

Ballard wins.

By: doug11

doug11 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:07:58 +0000

I love incidents like this because they provide crystal clear insight into how much these companies care about the environment and their neighbors.

Everyone should call them and express their disgust.

http://www.myballard.com/forum/topic.php?id=1747

By: doug11

doug11 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:05:19 +0000

Take ACTION over in the forum...

http://www.myballard.com/forum/topic.php?id=1747

We need to let SBS&G we are DISGUSTED by their failure to take State Dept of Ecology violations seriously.

By: msballard30

msballard30 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:03:55 +0000

That's what we need. More condos.

By: Red Baron

Red Baron — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:01:28 +0000

Small change for SBSAG.
Lawyers would have cost more so why bother.
Like it was said by another poster: the cost of doing business.
They'll get it reviewed and overturned.
If not then at least delay payment for sometime
Typical state workers trying to justify their paychecks.
Perhaps some concrete might get spilled accidentally on a few state automobiles.
More likely a contract with the state will net it back and then some.

By: msballard30

msballard30 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:46:24 +0000

Take a look at Ecology's website, which regularly announces the fines and penalties it issues to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars each QUARTER to small and large companies all over the state that run afoul of the state laws/regs. It's not unlike the demerits and fines that restaurants and many other entities get hit with that are subject to enforcement actions. Just for January to March of this year Ecology issued over $600K in fines (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2009news/2009-109.html). Don't get me wrong - repeatedly ignoring a state agency is an incredibly unwise move. No doubt, this is a black eye for SBS&G, but let's not blow this out of proportion.

By: boardbrown

boardbrown — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:13:56 +0000

Cadman Concrete is a good alternative. I've used them before as well. But their trucks dispatch from the Eastside…so there's limitations there as far as timing. Wet concrete sitting in a truck has a shelf life.

By: boardbrown

boardbrown — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:11:16 +0000

I agree. Totally. But I'd rather see them fix their mess and stick around than give up and go away.

By: Chrispy

Chrispy — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:44:01 +0000

Well, I for one have a little project coming up and will specify that SBSG not be used. Not because of this pollution but because of the completely idiotic blockade of the BG trail and their silly train/land grab.

I can't wait until it becomes condos and a restaurant. The land is totally underutilized. I only wish there was some way for this to happen without the undeserving owners raking in the tons of money the property is now worth.

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:39:14 +0000

To heck with the bike trail, Boardbrown. If they can't be the 'environmental stewards' they need to be then they shouldn't be here at all. This is inexcusable. They were warned to clean up their act and ignored it. Not right, and not Ballard.

By: boardbrown

boardbrown — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:28:43 +0000

I've been a long time supporter of SBS&G. I've used them many times over the years, and frankly will continue to do so. Having a reliable concrete dispatch company in the city boundaries is a vital asset to the construction industry. I've never had any bad experiences there, and every single employee I've ever interacted with has been courteous and professional.

I know it's not popular to like these guys...what with the bike trail and all. I get that. I'm saddened to hear about this fiasco. Clearly a few folks over there have f*cked up and need to pony up the fine and fix the problem. But I don't wish death to the business. Nor do I want to see them leave Ballard.

Honestly, I'd like to see them become the environmental stewards they should be, work with the city to safely complete the BG trail, and stick around to keep a proper mix of industry in our fair 'hood.

By: SPG

SPG — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:41:08 +0000

Not that I'm encouraging this mind you, but eventually something else will be there. Just like something else was there before the sand and gravel, and something before that. Demographics change and if the land can be better used in some other way, eventually it will.
I suppose that this is one of the fears of the industrial crowd, that this area will become too nice to keep cheap rents for industries and they'll be forced out by condos, offices, or other more profitable uses of the land.

By: Jesse

Jesse — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:36:38 +0000

why yes. the reason people are upset is because they want a fancy bike park instead of a business that is a good citizen of the planet let alone the city or neighborhood.

can i have some bourbon in my haterade?

By: sdrake1958

sdrake1958 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:19:40 +0000

I hope they close their doors and simply move away from this armpit of a city. Perhaps then everybody would be happy. In fact, that property could be turned into welfare office, or an off leash area, or a fancy bike park. We don't need no stinkin businesses and it's employees. Up to no good and polluters on top of it all. Keep drinkin that Hatorade and Koolaid.

By: boardbrown

boardbrown — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:38:24 +0000

I knew you were gonna say that…