Emily F. Keller: Journalist

Business Recycling Event Next Week

    Businesses in Sammamish will have their annual opportunity to recycle everything from cardboard to computers next week. The city will sponsor a business recycling collection event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. August 13 at Eastlake High School, 400 228th Avenue Northeast. Paul Devine, an organizer for the event, said the collection is designed for businesses to get rid of items that accumulate in small quantities, like wood pallets and fluorescent light bulbs.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

Board Approves Sewer Rate Hike

    More than 50,000 people in parts of Sammamish, Issaquah and unincorporated King County will soon pay more for water and sewer service.

    The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District, which is one of two sewer authorities serving the city, has raised its service rates by 9 percent and increased its connection fees for new users. Four percent of the increase is attributed to inflation and 5 percent is for long-term capital reinvestment, according to the district. The rate hike takes effect in the next billing cycle, beginning with Sept. 22 bills. The district bills customers in eight time cycles and each bill covers the two months leading up to the billing date.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

Planners Propose Municipal, Critical Areas Code Changes

    City planners are proposing a series of changes to development and drainage requirements in Sammamish that they say will reduce bureaucracy and protect the environment.

    But some environmentalists say those two goals are inconsistent. At a June 19 meeting, the city’s Planning Commission heard recommendations about some of the less controversial proposals to amend portions of the municipal building code. Proposed changes to the critical areas code that came up at another recent meeting have generated more controversy.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

Everything’s Going Up

    Sammamish residents may have to pay more for water and sewer service by 2009. The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer Authority, which provides sewer and water service to more than 50,000 people in parts of Sammamish, Issaquah and unincorporated King County, is proposing to increase base charges and usage charges by 9 percent. Additionally, the Metropolitan King County Council has voted to increase its portion of the bill.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

New York Under Water

    New York Under Water is a series of self-published videos and audio slideshows about flooding impacts on New York City's transit system, harbor water, low-income residents and low-lying neighborhoods.

    The project includes videos about the August 8, 2007 storm that flooded the subways, sewage treatment in the South Bronx, chronic flooding in Jamaica, Queens, sewer overflow in Newtown Creek and the possibility of storm surge in the city.

    It contains audio slideshows about city government's sustainability efforts and residential water reuse in Battery Park City.

View the interactive series.

On Top of the Recycling Heap

    Community Board 6 diverted more trash from landfills than any other district in Brooklyn in 2005 and received accolades from the New York City Department of Sanitation. Published in Courier-Life Publications. Read the story.

Planning for Trash Equity

    New York City officials are working to change the way residential trash will be removed from the city. The 20-year Solid Waste Management Plan now under scrutiny by the New York City Council would send trash out of the city on barges rather than trucks, reducing air pollution for local residents.

    However, some critics say the plan focuses too much on disposal and not enough on reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

    Published in The Queens Ledger/ Brooklyn Star. Click here to read page one. Click here to read page two.