HomeMy WebLinkAboutChamber_LOS Hadlock sewer County
March 25, 2021
The Chamber of Jefferson County is pleased to provide this letter in demonstration of our support for Jefferson County,
Washington’s Port Hadlock Sewer project. This project has been in the planning for over 15 years and is essentially
shovel-ready, with all property acquired, and engineering and design work well underway and scheduled for completion
this year.
Since the adoption of the Growth Management Act (GMA), Port Hadlock is the only designated urban growth area in the
County outside of our one municipality, Port Townsend. Many years of planning, public meetings, and legal challenges
resulted in Port Hadlock being the designated receiving zone for density and economic development for unincorporated
Jefferson County.
The County seeks to build the sewer in order to “turn on” the greater density allowed in an urban growth area, per
GMA. Jefferson, like most rural counties, has struggled to make the project financially feasible given the high startup
costs for a new sewer which must initially be borne by the existing water customers until new development and greater
density occur.
As the Chamber of Jefferson County is in a unique position of hearing the concerns of our county-wide business
community as well as property owners, who petitioned the County in 2018 to assess the costs and benefits of the
project, seek to expand their businesses, build housing and develop their properties without the constraints of septic
systems. Until this sewer project is built, growth and development are stymied.
This is why federal infrastructure funding is so important. It has historically served to bring basic services like safe
drinking water and electrification to marginalized areas that cannot otherwise afford the capital investments
themselves. This project is no different. The Port Hadlock sewer cannot be financed by the rural property owners alone.
We support Jefferson County’s request for capital funding to off-set costs for this project, which will serve many low-
income families and create jobs, housing and much-need opportunity to the region.
De-commissioning of septic systems also has environmental benefits, particularly for a commercial area that drains to
salmon-bearing streams and directly to marine shorelines. A modern facility will treat wastewater to Class-A water
quality standards and infiltrate it back into the groundwater, supplementing a basin that experiences low flows in the
summer when endangered summer chum need it most.
The Chamber the voices of affordable housing providers, existing businesses, and venerable public institutions such as
the local school and library in enthusiastically supporting this #1 priority infrastructure project in Jefferson County.
Jefferson County, the City of Port Townsend, the Port of Port Townsend and Jefferson Public Utility District formed the
Intergovernmental Collaborative Group (ICG) in 2020, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our support of the Port
Hadlock sewer project is a demonstration of the work the ICG is doing to strategically identify and problem-solve the
complex issues facing our communities.
Thank you for your support of rural, maritime communities like ours. We strive to be good partners in carrying out
responsible growth management and creating equitable opportunities for our residents.
Signed,
Arlene Alen
Arlene Alen, CPM, IOM
Executive Director
Chamber of Jefferson County