Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station

King County is planning to site, design, and build a modern transfer station, called the Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station (NERTS), in northeast King County to replace the aging existing Houghton Transfer Station. The new station will be a state-of-the-art modern facility with advanced controls and innovative recycling opportunities. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a planning tool used in the decision-making process to evaluate impacts and mitigation measures. For the NERTS process, the EIS looked at a no action alternative, two alternatives in Kirkland, and one alternative in Woodinville. More information is available at the King County NERTS Website.

King County Solid Waste Division planned to site, design, and build a modern transfer station in northeast King County. King County studied the site options through the Environmental Impact Statement and selected their preferred alternative.

The EIS examined three potential site alternatives for the location of the new transfer station. Alternative 1A (Houghton Transfer Station site in Kirkland), Alternative 1B (Houghton Transfer Station site in Kirkland), and Alternative 2 (Woodinville). Alternative 1A closes the existing Houghton Transfer Station and builds a new station in a similar footprint. Alternative 1B keeps the existing station open during construction and builds a new facility adjacent, expanding further into the closed landfill site. Alternative 2 is a set of six properties in the 15000 block of Woodinville-Redmond Rd. NE in Woodinville.

Completing the appeal process does not mean the project will or will not happen in Kirkland. Instead, this process allows the City to highlight insufficiencies in the Final EIS and request more information from King County on its decision. This process can result in a change in decision, no change, amendments to the FEIS, or full or partial re-evaluation of the project’s environmental impacts.

The appeal process can be lengthy, taking up to 90 days for a decision. In circumstances with complex projects, the timeline may be extended. The appeal process is a multi-step legal process including the initial Notice of Appeal, further details in a Statement of Appeal, a pre-hearing conference to discuss the matter, preparation of witnesses, exhibits, expert testimony and more, and finally an appeal hearing.

The appeal is heard by the King County Hearing Examiner. The Hearing Examiner is an appointed position and professionally trained to conduct objective proceedings across a wide range of issues. After hearing the issue and evaluating submitted documentation, the Hearing Examiner may either uphold the original EIS, make amendments to address concerns raised or, in some cases, require a full or partial re-evaluation of the project's environmental impacts. The Hearing Examiner’s decision will be in writing and will include findings and conclusions on the issues and evidence. The City has the option to appeal the result of the appeal to King County Superior Court.

King County’s website has additional information. Additional detail can be found in King County Public Rule PUT 7-4-1 (PR), King County Code section 20.22.040(Z) and the other applicable provisions of King County Code 20.22. (re-codified from former K.C.C. section 20.24).

The City will maintain our webpage at www.kirklandwa.gov/nerts and will provide updates to the community regularly. King County’s information is at www.kingcounty.gov/northeast.