March/April 1984 RAIN Page 33 expect to endure with one-way disposal systems. In Portland, sewage reuse is imminent. Through the efforts of City Commissioner Mike Lindberg, Portland will soon be selling surplus methane produced at its sewage treatment plant. The buyer is Malarkey Roofing Company, located one mile from the plant. In the past, Malarkey has relied on costly natural gas to heat tar and other substances applied to roofing materials. The company's peak summer demand matches the treatment plant's peak production of methane. "This project is distinctive in the country because of its direct and simple distribution and usage, and because the characteristics of the gas and its production fit so well with the needs and interests of a nearby business," Lindberg explained. "Tlie surplus methane has not previously been marketable because of its low quality and corrosive nature, and because the supply fluctuates and is interruptible." With the construction of a gas line to Malarkey Roofing, all the treatment plant's methane will be utilized, earning the city $130,000 a year. Previously, only a portion of the gas was used to heat the methane-producing digesters, sludge composters, and the treatment plant itself. (See also Future Water, page 7.) Model Bike Map Salem, Oregon, doesn't sparkle with bike lanes alongside traffic lanes, so area cyclists often rely on lesser- used streets. With this in mind, the city's Bike Committee has produced a map that designates desirable routes for bicyclists, identifies hills and bike repair shops, estimates travel time by 10-minute intervals (using concentric lines), shows how to ride safely in traffic, lists local organizations of interest to cyclists, and can be cleaned with a damp cloth and ironed (Texo- print by trade name—it's pretty rainy here). The map shows all bike paths, and you can fold the street index to use while perusing the front. A Traffic Safety Commission grant funded the map. Get details from City Traffic Engineer, Public Works Department, 555 Liberty Street, SE, Salem, OR 97301. Salem: Oregon's Solar Capital According to Spectrum, the newsletter of the Willamette Valley Solar Energy Association, the Willamette Valley has more solar-installation activity than the sunnier central and eastern sections of the state. The hot spot in the Willamette Valley, with more solar installations than any other community, is the state's capital, Salem. Natural History Database Rain Community Resource Center (RCRC), with the assistance of the local Audubon Society's Urban Naturalist Program, is developing a database of significant natural and historic sites. The initiative for the project came from Bob Benson, a local historian, cartographer, and natural-history buff (see "Patron of our Place," Knowing Home, RAIN VIII:3). For years Bob has collected information about significant places. He has more than 3000 items on index cards for one of the three counties in the Portland area. The keyword thesaurus of terms, which ranges from Indian holy places to unique fungi, is presently being refined. For information, contact National and Social History: A Biore- gional Database, c/o Rain Community Resource Center, 2270 NW Irving, Portland, OR 97210. Neighborhood Survey The Goose Hollow Foothills League, a neighborhood association in Portland, has contracted with RCRC to computerize an extensive survey done of Goose Hollow's neighborhood residents, including individuals' skills and interests and issues considered important. Goose Hollow Foothills League, Northwest Service Center, 1819 NW Everett, Portland, OR 97209; 503/223-3331. Do Something Wild! Oregon’s Watchable Wildlife: A Viewer's Guide describes 90 sites, species, and best viewing times for Oregon's fish and wildlife. The guide is available from Watchable Wildlife, Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department, 506 SW Mill Street, PO Box 3503, Portland, OR 97208. Donations go directly to Oregon's Watchable Wildlife Program. DO SOME THI NG WILD Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Nongame Wildlife Fund "To preserve and protect nongame wildlife and their habitat." Funded with dollars donated through the checkoff boxes on the Oregon state income-tax form by nongame enthusiasts, the program believes that "all species are part of this web of life and are valuable indicators of overall environmental conditions," and "to dismiss some species and habitats as unimportant is short-sighted." You can obtain further information from Nongame Wildlife Program, Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department (see address above).
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