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Stacie Hoskins
From: AI Scalf
Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 8:57 AM
To: Stacie Hoskins
Subject: FW: Marrowstone Water System
FYI
AI
-----Original Message-----
From: Leslie Locke
Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 8:23 AM
To: AI Scalf; Mike McNickle; John Fischbach
Subject: FW: Marrowstone Water System
From: Bill Bahlburg[SMTP:WC.BAHLBURG@VERIZON.NET]
Sent: Monday, July 04, 2005 9:47:29 AM
To: Phil Johnson
Subject: Marrowstone Water System
Auto forwarded by a Rule
July 4, 2005
RE: Marrowstone Island Public Water System
Jefferson County, WA
Dear Commissioner Johnson:
My wife and I are residents of Marrowstone Island in Jefferson County. While we currently
have adequate water supply from our well, many other residents on the Island do not. A
great number of wells on the island are contaminated with saltwater and are unsafe. Many
other wells have gone dry. A large number families on this island are in desperate need of a
safe, healthy water supply. These families must truck or haul water to their homes just to
provide basic needs such as showering, laundry, using their toilets and to provide a safe
supply of drinking water.
The Marrowstone Island community approved the construction of a public water system
which is scheduled to be installed sometime later this year. The approval of this system was
not an easy road. A minority of islanders opposed the system, formed an organization
called Conserve Water First (CWF), and filed a lawsuit to stop it. While the lawsuit was
dismissed, the cost.<(f)rn;~~to the local PUD exceeded $100,000.00. This unnecessary
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expense will be added to the ~ter system and borne by the iAd residents or picked-up
by the taxpayers of Jefferson County if the water system is not constructed. Unable to stop
the water system on Marrowstone using a legal challenge, CWF has now joined forces with
anti-growth activists in nearby Port Townsend in a new effort to stop the water project on the
basis of convoluted claims of environmental impact. This new "anti-water alliance" is now
demanding unnecessary environmental reviews, making unfounded claims of environmental
impact and exerting undue pressure and influence on the DOE and County agencies while
using threats of continued legal action. The local PUD is being assailed by their vehement
rhetoric and ill-mannered behavior at public meetings. Laying an 8-inch plastic water line
in a right-of-way ditch along side of existing major roads on Marrowtone Island is not
an environmental hazard. Bringing safe, reliable, potable water to families who need
it does not create negative environmental impact. Many of the people protesting the
Marrowstone community water system are also objecting to other community water system
installations as well as UGA improvements etc. They have hired lawyers and attack virtually
every proposal that would provide necessary utility services for the growing community in
our area.
Is it fair and just that the State Government facilities at Ft. Flagler on the northern end of
Marrowstone Island have public water service, but the private citizens living on the island do
not?
Public safety and fire protection is also a very important issue that can be mitigated by a
public water system on the island. The lack of adequate water supply could result in a major
disaster which could threaten the lives and property of all islanders.
We are appalled at the influence extremist "anti-everything" obstructionists can exert on
local and State governmental agencies. What happened to majority rule and fairness in our
governmental system? Why do the residents of our island need to fight so hard to receive a
basic and necessary service such as water? Has our system of government become so
misaligned and misdirected that its agencies no longer provide for the basic welfare of the
citizenry?
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO STOP THIS NONSENSE SO THIS BADLY NEEDED AND
APPROVED WATER SYSTEM CAN BE INSTALLED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
Please help our island get the safe and dependable water supply it needs.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bill & Kelly Bahlburg
1420 Schwartz Road
Nordland, WA 98358
7/5/2005
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