Drafter
Clerk 08/31/2007
Title
A MOTION authorizing the executive to provide technical assistance to the Washington state Department of Ecology, the cruise ship industry and the Port of Seattle as they discuss options for beneficially using solids residuals generated by the marine cruise ships that visit local port facilities.
Body
WHEREAS, the King County council passed Motion 12498 on April 9, 2007, that directed the King County executive, through the wastewater treatment division of the department of natural resources and parks, to work cooperatively with the Port of Seattle and other affected agencies to undertake a study of the potential for processing marine cruise industry-generated wastewater through the county's wastewater treatment system, and
WHEREAS, the wastewater treatment division has completed said study, as attached to this motion, and has concluded that treated wastewater discharged from cruise ships with advanced wastewater systems operating in Washington is at least as clean as treated wastewater discharged from the county's West Point treatment plant, and
WHEREAS, the wastewater treatment division has also concluded that the management of partially-treated solids residuals from the wastewater treatment process aboard cruise ships, also referred to as "biomass" by the cruise ship industry, appears to provide an opportunity for beneficial use rather than discharge beyond twelve nautical miles from shore, and
WHEREAS, the Department of Ecology, the cruise ship industry, and the Port of Seattle conducted their annual Memorandum of Understanding meeting on December 8, 2006, and recommended that a work group be formed to discuss options for managing biomass from cruise ships for beneficial use;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. That the King County executive, through the wastewater treatment division of the department of natural resources and parks, continue to work cooperatively with the state Depa...
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