HomeMy WebLinkAbout2961-695
C~I~\~
i. tpU'I\j." f'>
,,'1.'.\
I\'<'
.....1.%
,
?c~ p~
4) l~)a7
2C)I./,[
ympic
Forest
Coalition
Protecting and restoring our Olympic forest and aquatic ecosystems
June 15, 2009
DCD-SMP Comments
621 Sheridan Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Dear Planning Commissioners:
The Olympic Forest Coalition has about 700 members and friends in our organization
whose mission is to protect and restore our Olympic forest and aquatic ecosystems. At
least half of these people live in Jefferson County.
Some of our board members also live in Jefferson County and have followed, and
participated in, the update to the Shorelines Master Program (SMP).
We appreciate the work the citizens' policy and technical advisory committees have
done, and also appreciate that the Planning Commission has taken much of their work
to heart. However, we are deeply concerned about the changes made by your
Commission that would eliminate some very important provisions and safeguards
proposed by the citizen committees' draft.
. .~.
PO Box 490 Quilcene WA 98376
www.olympicforest.org . connie@olympicforest.org
r.. #
Our primary concern is that the Commission should mandate science-based buffers
along all of Jefferson County's shorelines that ensure no net loss of shoreline function,
as required in the Shoreline Management Act. Adequate buffers serve multiple
purposes. One main purpose is to protect fish and wildlife by allowing them some
remaining important habitat; buffers also keep bluffs from eroding too quickly, protect
shellfish beds, reduce stormwater inputs, and keep our beaches cleaner for those
people who choose to recreate in these lovely areas. Because it is not possible to
mitigate or restore in other places without significant investment in the future, which is
too uncertain, 150' buffers should be applied NOW as the best investment to achieve
shoreline protection.
Geoduck aquaculture should require a conditional use permit since there are too many
unanswered questions on how this use may harm the environment, and is mostly a
private use of public shorelands. Net pen aquaculture for fin fish has been clearly
shown to cause severe impacts to native fish, producing unhealthy fish for those who
choose to eat farmed salmon, and should be prohibited in the final SMP.
Mining should not be allowed in the Conservancy environment. Mining in general is
very detrimental to the environment and, again, safeguards must be in place to protect
the Sound. The mining of gravel in river shorelines should be prohibited not just in the
active channel and within the ordinary high water mark, but within the entire channel
migration zone.
The Puget Sound is a very fragile ecosystem and each of us must do what we can to
protect and restore water quality and diverse habitats of the Sound. The current
Planning Commission draft simply does not pass muster.
Sincerely,
~'a ~
Connie Gallant
Vice President / Board of Directors
PO Box 490 Quilcene WA 98376
www.olympicforest.org . connie@olympicforest.org