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Final EIS released for Algona Transfer Station replacement project

Published 12:48 pm Friday, September 23, 2016

Opened in the mid-1960s

Opened in the mid-1960s

King County on Friday issued the final environmental impact statement for a new South King County recycling and transfer station to replace the 51-year-old Algona Transfer Station.

The purpose of the EIS is to evaluate potential affects that siting, building and operating a new recycling and transfer station would have on the built and natural environment, among them, earth, air, and water quality, land use, transportation, public services and utilities.

King County expects to select from among three alternatives by the end of 2016, so the EIS evaluates how each of the following options would impact the natural and built environments:

• The preferred alternative, a recycling and transfer station at 35101 W. Valley Highway S. in Algona, near the existing transfer station;

• A recycling and transfer station at 901 C St. SW in Auburn east of The Outlet Collection Mall;

• Or the no action alternative, which keeps the existing Algona station.

In the EIS are all comments King County received after it issued the draft EIS earlier this year, and responses to those comments.

While the final EIS identifies a preferred alternative, the decision on which of the three the county selects is based on a number of considerations, including: analysis in the final EIS; comments from the public and elected officials and local, state, federal and tribal governments; and factors such as cost and regional policies.

Opened in the mid-1960s, the Algona Transfer Station is at the end of its engineered lifespan. Outdated and undersized, according to King County, the station lacks many features that newer facilities have, including:

• Adequate room for recycling services;

• An enclosed building to control odor, noise and dust;

• Adequate on-site space for vehicles to line up;

• Trash compactors to accurately and efficiently load collected garbage; and

• Landscaping and design features to make the station compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.

Anyone who wants to appeal the adequacy of the final EIS must file a Notice of Appeal by Oct. 7. For more information about the appeal process see: kingcounty.gov.

For more information about the project, contact Doug Williams at (206) 477-4543, or check out the division’s webite, your.kingcounty.gov.

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