OLYMPIA – Tomorrow, Saturday September 26,  marks the 16th annual celebration of National Public Lands Day, the largest annual coast-to-coast, single-day volunteer effort to improve America’s public lands. Nationwide, organizers expect nearly 130,000 volunteers to participate.

In Western Washington, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and partners are expecting hundreds of volunteers to spend the day clearing invasive plants, repairing trails, and picking up litter at three areas managed by DNR. Volunteers will even be removing abandoned vehicles from a state forest.

Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark will participate with volunteers at two of  DNR’s events: Tiger Mountain near Issaquah and then at Mima Mounds south of Olympia. The third event is at Yacolt Burn State Forest, north of Washougal.

Hoquiam, WA - (BUSINESS WIRE)--Imperium Renewables participated in the public comment process on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rulemaking on the Renewable Fuels Standard-2 (RFS-2). Imperium submitted a 10-page document detailing its concerns, hopes and requests for the EPA as it evaluates changes to the RFS-2. Among the key requests were for existing biodiesel facilities to be grandfathered in the Advanced Biofuels Program, and for the EPA to revise its methodology for calculating greenhouse gas lifecycle analysis of biodiesel.

Imperium stated its concerns that the EPA has not yet implemented the biomass-based diesel requirements under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and that the lifecycle analysis in the proposed rule has essentially eliminated U.S. biodiesel from being able to meet the biomass-based diesel requirement.

Aberdeen, WA - A Concerned skater; Jeremy Stutesman stood before the Aberdeen council Wednesday to address concerns over the skate park "The Aberdeen skate park has turned into a Zoo" Stutesman pointed out some of the issues surrounding the park, "We got graffiti, we got broken glass, human feces, ya know, people miss using the park, constant disrespect. As a whole, from the skate board community, we don't want the park shutdown because of what people do at night, because of a few bad people that got there."

Stutesman urged the council to do something to help improve the park, with suggestions like a fence that would limit access to walking traffic only - limiting bike access, Police patrols in the area, and a sign clearly listing the rules of the park.

He also discussed graffiti at the park, which now includes racial slurs, anti-obama statements, and vandalism to the park sign.

Aberdeen, WA - The city of Aberdeen selected a bidder on the Duffy Street Storm Water Basin Project, Councilwoman Kathy Hoder told the council yesterday "We had seven people bid, and the lowest bidder was went to Bagnel Trucking Inc. and the bid was for thirty one thousand, eighty two dollars."

Bids ranged from 31 to 90 thousand dollars, the storm water detention and  pumping system at the end of Duffy street will help relieve west end flooding. The project will be funded by a combination of funds from the current stormwater budget, and operating reserves, as well as the current waste water construction fund budget.

State health officials are taking steps to ensure Washington residents at highest risk for H1N1 (swine flu) infection have broad access to the new vaccine when it’s available. Secretary of Health Mary Selecky is temporarily suspending Washington’s limit on the amount of mercury (thimerosal) allowed in H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine given to pregnant women and children under three.

“It’s vital to be sure everyone in a high risk group has the choice to be vaccinated when swine flu vaccine becomes available,” said Secretary Selecky. “Mercury-free H1N1 vaccine may not always be in stock, and we want to be sure there are no barriers to protecting people.”