Taylor Shellfish Mussel Raft Permit Decision: Cumulative Impacts Not Adequately Considered

Thurston County's Hearing Examiner has issued a decision on Taylor Shellfish's proposed 58 raft mussel farm: cumulative impacts were not adequately considered. Taylor Shellfish has been given a choice on how to deal with this deficiency.

"First, it [Taylor Shellfish] may inform the Hearing Examiner that it wishes to challenge the determination that the present analysis of cumulative impacts is deficient and the requirement to perform an additional cumulative analysis. In that case, I will issue a supplemental decision denying the application on that basis, and the Applicant may appeal. Alternatively, the Applicant may inform the Examiner that it wishes to carry out the analysis of cumulative effects required by this decision. In that case, the Examiner and the parties will confer about the timing and nature of that analysis."

(click here for complete decision: http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/devactivity/totten/hearing/961372.decision.taylor.pdf)

As noted in this blog and by others for many years, one shellfish farm may appear to be benign. When considered as a whole, however, Puget Sound's long term health is at risk from the cumulative impacts from the growth of industrial shellfish farming. Cumulative impacts do matter and they are significant. Thanks to APHETI this reality is now being forced to be considered by agencies.
(Note: To be added to APHETI's email list, you may email them at: APHETI@gmail.com.)
Current examples of cumulative effects:

New Geoduck Nursery in Spencer Cove

NE Harstene Island, ~300' in Length

(click to enlarge)

(needed for "increased geoduck seed demand")

Corporate Shellfish Barge

3 ea. 200 hp Outboard Motors

(click to enlarge)

(growing production is resulting in growing demand

for increased transportation)

Area of Low Dissolved Oxygen

In Totten Inlet Near

Taylor Shellfish's Processing Plant

Which Discharges ~150,000 Gallons of

Waste Water Each Day

(increased production at Taylor plant will result

in more waste water being discharged)

Farms Continue to Loose PVC Tubes in 2012

After Email to County in 2010

(click to enlarge)

(The old "Brass Foundry" on Highway 101 near Shelton 

is now being used as a storage area for PVC pipes.)

Cumulative impacts from corporate shellfish farming's developments in Puget Sound's tidelands and waters are real and they are impacting Puget Sound. The Shoreline Management Act was created to prevent the piecemeal development of Puget Sound's shoreline. Its intent is beyond question. This decision will help ensure that intent is met and corporate profits will not become the overarching philosophy.