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Sumner awarded $195,000 to continue pollution-prevention program; city aims for 130 business visits
Summary
Sumner’s Pollution Prevention Assistance program, led by environmental technician Joey Urkarsk, will continue in the 2025–27 biennium with a $195,000 Department of Ecology award to fund on-site business outreach, free technical assistance and small retrofit reimbursements.
Sumner received $195,000 from the Washington State Department of Ecology to continue the city’s Pollution Prevention Assistance (PPA) program for the 2025–27 biennium, Environmental Technician Joey Urkarsk told the City Council on June 9.
The program offers free, voluntary on-site technical assistance to small businesses to reduce stormwater pollution and help them comply with dangerous-waste rules. “It’s a voluntary compliance program that helps small businesses understand stormwater and dangerous waste regulations,” Joey Urkarsk said during the study session.
The funding will pay for the PPA specialist position, outreach and equipment distribution, and a small-change voucher program that reimburses businesses up to $500 for simple retrofit measures, Urkarsk said. Since Sumner joined the program in 2013, staff have conducted more than 600 voluntary visits. For 2025–27, Urkarsk said he aims to complete about 130 visits and increase outreach to the transportation and warehousing sector and to multifamily property managers.
Urkarsk described typical assistance: a 20-minute checklist visit or longer consultations, free spill kits, locking funnel lids for 55-gallon oil drums that meet Washington Administrative Code container requirements, and guidance on proper storage and disposal. He also offered spill plans and audiovisual resources produced by regional partners. “I’m never there to find or get people in trouble or make them feel guilty about their current business practices. I just want to make them aware and provide them with those educational tools to prevent the pollution from occurring at its source,” Urkarsk said.
Council members asked about program workload and passive outreach. Urkarsk said the city maintains a website and that he increasingly schedules visits rather than cold-calling. He also said he refers complex industrial issues to Ecology when specialist expertise is needed and that he has working relationships with Ecology staff to escalate cases when necessary.
Planning and stormwater staff noted the PPA program complements the city’s sewer pretreatment and MS4 stormwater permit activities; the PPA focuses on preventing pollutants from entering storm drains while pretreatment protects the wastewater plant. City staff said written grant and agreement documents will appear on the council agenda for formal approval in the coming weeks.
How it affects residents and businesses: the program targets auto-repair shops, body shops, nail salons, veterinary clinics, multifamily property managers, and other businesses whose runoff or improper disposal can reach local creeks and rivers. Participating businesses may receive free prevention materials or up to $500 for small retrofits.
A council agenda bill to accept the Department of Ecology grant and continue the program will be prepared for a future council meeting.
