Volume 2, No. 3
Winter 2007 Northwest Connections
Quarterly Newsletter of the
Northwest Association of
Environmental Professionals
President’s Letter
Dear Members: of our day-to-day professional
and personal lives.
Earlier this fall, I was pleased
to attend an NAEP chapter In light of this multi-disciplined
“retreat” in Ontario, “focus,” NWAEP is in the
California, along with Jeff process of revamping its
Norville, NWAEP Vice website. In addition to current
President. The retreat content, such as job postings
provided a great opportunity and meeting events, we are
to meet with members of hoping to offer a discussion
other NAEP affiliates and get board open to NWAEP
an idea of some of their members. The board will
programs and activities. One allow for professional
from Owen and other leaders in
Look What’s Inside: thing that struck me is that, exchanges of ideas, as well as
the environmental profession.
more than many other enable our members to lend
NWAEP Spring Workshop 2 professional organizations in their unique perspectives to Finally, a quick note that
our field, NAEP and its environmental challenges. NWAEP will be holding elections
Welcome, New Members 2 affiliates (including NWAEP) Only through such dialogue for four board members this
caters to the multiple will solutions be found. coming March. We will be
Upcoming Chapter Events 2 disciplines that together sending out an announcement
On another note, many thanks
make up the environmental for nominees in January, but if
Member Spotlight 3 to Owen Schmidt for once
profession. This provides a you are interested in running
more putting together an
tremendous opportunity for and have any questions, please
NAEP News 3 outstanding workshop on
dialogue among our members feel free to contact me or other
behalf of NWAEP — “Writing
as we continue to tackle board members and we will be
the Perfect FONSI.” We look
difficult issues that are part happy to talk with you more.
forward to future workshops
Aron
Chapter News
NWAEP Announces Board of Bellingham to serve on the programs committee in
Directors Change board. Keith, a soil scientist Portland. Keith, welcome to
and geochemist with Stevens the NWAEP
NWAEP is sorry to announce
Water Monitoring Systems, Board!
that Mary Pfauth has stepped
down from the Board of Inc., has been a frequent
Directors. We wish Mary all attendee of NWAEP events
the best. To replace Mary, we over the last few years and
have appointed Keith has been active on the
Page 2 Northwest Connections
NWAEP Spring Workshop Will Focus on Endangered Species Act
“Although these might The NWAEP Spring Workshop We Want Your Ideas! Other Volunteer
will feature speakers from Opportunities
seem like small changes, the National Marine Fisheries We’re looking ahead to 2008
the character of a society Service (NMFS) and will focus with an eye toward bringing Can’t think of any speakers?
on preparing Biological energetic, knowledgeable You can also volunteer to
is the cumulative result Assessments for the Service. speakers to our chapter take photos and create the
of the countless Come and learn how to meetings and workshops. You newsletter. Or really help
submit information through can help by recruiting your shape the organization by
small actions, their new database mentors and colleagues to volunteering to serve on the
day in and day out, management system. present on topics they’re Board.
passionate about. Make
of millions of people.” The workshop will be in NWAEP work best for you by
-Duane Elgin Portland this spring; watch sharing your ideas and
for future announcements, committing just a few hours
with registration information, of your time. We’ve gained
location, date and time. many new members this year,
and we hope to harness your
fresh ideas to make NWAEP
really take wing in 2008.
NWAEP Membership On the Rise
Once more we have a slew of Barry Lawrence New Corporate Members
new members to announce.
Jennifer Lundberg, CEP EcoChem, Inc.
Please welcome:
John Mitchell Jones & Stokes Associates,
General Members C. Blaise Mitsutama Inc.
Anna Bremmer Jan Mulder
Sarah Daniels Kris Nelson
Josh Fitzpatrick Shelly Schmidt
James Gregory Mark Wigg
Cynthia Jones
Chapter Events
Portland what contacts you will make. fellow environmental
Take a break from the At least one person landed a professionals. Bring your
holidays in Portland, Wednesday, December 5 job after attending our last ideas for 2008 and make a
Networking Social, 5:30- social in Portland! Look for new year’s resolution to
or celebrate them 7:00 pm our NWAEP sign in the main make sure they materialize!
in Seattle, Take a break from the seating area. NWAEP will cover the cost of
food and drinks as we plan
at your local holidays, grab a beer, and
Seattle
join us for a no-host and socialize. Join us at Rock
NWAEP event. gathering of environmental Tuesday, December 4 Bottom Brewery in downtown
professionals at the Lucky Holiday Happy Hour, 5-7 pm Bellevue, 550 106th Ave. NE,
Lab, 915 SE Hawthorne. Bring #103. All NWAEP members
Celebrate the holidays while and guests are welcome at
your business cards and
you mix and mingle with your both events.
resumes; you never know
Volume 2, No. 3 Page 3
Member Spotlight: Bill Jordan
Bill Jordan is a former Texan Kirkland Nickel Project, the rides it as much as he can. It seems
who moved to the Northwest South Bellevue Widening he really likes to fix things with
about a year and a half ago. project, and the Renton wheels: he recently bought an old
He works for HNTB on the Nickel Project. CJ-7 and is putting in a new
Washington State Department transmission. Eventually he plans to
Bill lives near Kirkland,
of Transportation GEC Team retrofit it to use an electronic fuel
Washington with his wife,
delivering the I-405 Corridor injection system.
Gina, and their three
Project. As Environmental
children, Gabriella, Isabella, Before joining HNTB, Bill worked
Manager for the project, he is
and Landon. Their favorite with Michael Baker Corporation. He
responsible for four
family activities are riding was the statewide Biological
environmental assessments, Bill Jordan
the ferries, going to the Resources lead for the Texas
their associated ESA
beach, and hiking. Department of Transportation. He
clearance, and permitting. In
also worked with the Texas
addition, Bill is responsible About two years ago, Bill
Commission on Environmental
for the environmental bought a Buell motorcycle on
Quality as the lead for the State
oversight of three current eBay. It had flipped end over
Implementation Plan for air quality
design-build projects: the end, so he rebuilt it. He now
improvement.
2008 NAEP / AEP Conference Taking Shape
By the end of March, most of mental Quality Act (CEQA); showcase projects and issues Plan now to attend
us here is the Northwest are Environmental Restoration specific to San Diego.
really yearning for a change and Mitigation; Land and the 2008
Find more information by
of climate. Fittingly, Watershed Management; NAEP/AEP
visiting the NAEP Conference
Changing Climates is the Transportation, Public
theme of the 2008 NAEP/AEP Participation; and Education,
web page at www.naep.org. Annual Conference,
Annual Conference in balmy Research and Studies. March 25-28, 2008,
San Diego.
In addition to the regular in sunny San Diego.
You can attend presentations sessions, the conference will
on topics such as Sustain- offer two special training
ability and Planning; National courses on climate change
Environmental Policy Act issues and sustainability. Five
(NEPA); California Environ- mobile workshops will
Local Board Members Represent NWAEP at National Strategic Planning Retreat
Aron Borok and Jeff Norville were there to meet, network, functions to join both organizations,
attended the National and get ideas from other as NAEP provides great services,
Association of Environmental chapters. including the journal Environmental
Professionals (NAEP) Practice, and networking at the
Much of the business side of
“Chapters” strategic planning national level.
the retreat focused on the
retreat in Ontario, California
relationship between NAEP Please contact Aron or any NWAEP
in September. Representatives
and the chapters, particularly Board member with your feedback
from NAEP chapters from as
with regard to membership. for other possible services NAEP
far east as Pennsylvania,
NWAEP board members like could provide that would encourage
North Carolina and Georgia,
to encourage people at our you to join NAEP also.
and as far west as Hawaii,
The Northwest Association of Environmental Professionals
(NWAEP) was founded in 1992 and became official affiliate of the
National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) in
2005. We are a nonpolitical interdisciplinary organization made
up of professionals in Washington and Oregon. Our members are
from the full range of environmental professions, including
environmental management, planning, impact assessment,
environmental protection, compliance, research, engineering
and education.
Quarterly Newsletter of the Our goal is to provide opportunities for and to encourage the
Northwest Association of professional development and recognition of members through
Environmental Professionals meetings, conferences and other activities.
Our policy is to promote advancement in scientific
We’re on the Web:
interdisciplinary environmental education, research, planning,
www.nwaep.org
assessment, review and management.
Our objectives are to encourage and facilitate full participation
in NWAEP goals and activities by all persons qualified to be
members of NWAEP, and to encourage diversity among members
of NWAEP in order to assimilate the widest range of views and
concerns of professionals engaged in the environmental field.
Northwest Connections
Editorial Committee: Rona Officers and Board Members:
Spellecacy, Gayle Birrell
President: Aron Borok,
Graphic Design: Gayle Birrell adborok@comcast.net
Contributors: Gayle Birrell, Vice President: Jeff Norville
Aron Borok, Kristin Duin, Bill
Secretary: Kristin Duin
Jordan, Carol Snead, Rona
Spellecacy Treasurer: Carol Snead
If you would like to Chapter Representative:
contribute articles, Rona Spellecacy,
announcements, artwork, ronalee.spellecacy@hdrinc.com
book reviews, or even
Board Members At Large:
cartoons, please contact
Rona Spellecacy. Keith Bellingham
Molly Brown