Stimson Marina receives King County EnviroStars Award

A joint press release from King County and the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.

June 8, 2005

Stimson Marina receives King County EnviroStars Award

King County Executive Ron Sims, Mayor Nickels present award

This week Seattle's Stimson Marina received a 5-Star rating under the EnviroStars Clean Marina Program. The award signifies that the long-standing Ballard neighborhood facility is exemplary in their commitment to preventing water pollution.

A celebration and award presentation was held dockside at the marina in Ballard's industrial area. King County Executive Ron Sims presented the EnviroStars award to Stimson Marina and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels addressed the attendees with a clean water message.

Seattle-based Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, working with the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County and Northwest Marine Trade Association, assisted Stimson with the certification process. The EnviroStars program, an incentive-based business certification program administered by the County, rewards businesses that take voluntary steps to reduce pollution, with particular focus on hazardous materials and wastes. The certification process requires a facility inspection and analysis of waste prevention practices and policies. On a 2- to 5-star scale, a 5-star rating denotes that the facility provides leadership in the industry and the greater community. Puget Soundkeeper Alliance is currently pursuing a campaign to develop the Clean Marina program statewide and to increase membership in the program.

More than 100 attendees, representing the marine industry, local business, government as well as the environmental community participated in the reception, which also recognized the Alliance's other work in areas of clean water and environmental protection.

Despite its industrial character, the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which links Lake Sammamish, Lake Washington and Lake Union with Puget Sound, provides important habitat for salmon, herons, eagles, muskrat, beaver and turtles. The marina is located on the Canal's north shore, near the east entrance to the Ballard Locks. The marina is the first freshwater marina and the first covered marina to enter the program. Two other Seattle-area marinas also have this award: Shilshole Bay Marina and Elliott Bay Marina.

"This is a great way to demonstrate our commitment to keeping Puget Sound and the surrounding waterways as clean as possible. I'm looking forward to seeing more marinas join the program." Says Tom Bayley, CEO of CD Stimson Co. The company owns the facility and surrounding real estate.

The EnviroStars Cooperative, now operating in five Western Washington counties, boasts over 600 member businesses. The EnviroStars Clean Marina project is made possible, in part, by a $15,000 grant from King County SPLASH, the Water Quality Education Fund.

For more information about the EnviroStars program Contact Laurel Tomchick at King County 206-263-3063, or Chris Wilke of Puget Soundkeeper Alliance at 206-297-7002. Additional information can be found at www.envirostars.org or at www.pugetsoundkeeper.org.