The Shoreline Management Act
is supposed to protect
Puget Sound's marine habitat,
not just "the water."
Good for Puget Sound's intertidal habitat?
Diane Cooper with Taylor Shellfish believes so.
"It's structure." Until it's ripped out or
destroyed by a waterlogged log.
Post hearing brief filed with Pierce County Hearing Examiner on Haley Geoduck farm
In clear unambiguous language the Coalition to Protect Puget Sound Habitat and neighbors to the proposed "Haley" geoduck farm have explained in a post hearing brief why Pierce County erred in issuing a Mitigated Determination of Non-significance (MDNS) SEPA decision and they explain why the proposed geoduck farm should not be issued a Shoreline Substantial Development permit (SSDP). The SEPA decision was being appealed at the hearing. The permit decision will be made based on information presented at the hearing and on whether the county's SEPA decision was incorrect.
In clear unambiguous language the Coalition to Protect Puget Sound Habitat and neighbors to the proposed "Haley" geoduck farm have explained in a post hearing brief why Pierce County erred in issuing a Mitigated Determination of Non-significance (MDNS) SEPA decision and they explain why the proposed geoduck farm should not be issued a Shoreline Substantial Development permit (SSDP). The SEPA decision was being appealed at the hearing. The permit decision will be made based on information presented at the hearing and on whether the county's SEPA decision was incorrect.
It's not just about "the water."
Tideland habitat transformed.
It's not the water, it's the habitat, and it should not be made up of plastic.
For decades the shellfish industry has believed they play an important part in improving the waters of Puget Sound. They have played a role in making people aware of the importance of clean water, and have benefited economically from it, but they have played a far greater role in transforming the intertidal habitat. It has been transformed into something made up of artificial structures including PVC pipes, oyster grow out bags, and where dredging loosens sediments 3 feet deep to remove geoduck. None of it is permanent. In fact, aquaculture creates a constant cycle of habitat modification and destruction. It is exactly what the Shoreline Management Act is supposed to protect Puget Sound's marine habitat from.
What good is a beach cleanup which only takes place
when geoduck farms are underwater?
Lowest tide was +2.8.
Mitigation is ineffective and not feasible
One of the arguments put forth in the brief on why the SEPA decision was incorrect involves a mitigation proposal to "patrol" the beaches for loose tubes. The brief points out that the shellfish operator and employees would not only be trespassing on private tidelands but the very fact that PVC pipes do get loose, and end up on others private property, is in itself trespass and pollution.
Waterlogged log has ripped up netting and dislodged tubes.
Loose tubes were found over 2,000 feet away.
Puget Sound is a dynamic body of water
To present an example of what happens (not what "may" happen), the last daylight minus tide of the year (-.9) revealed that a waterlogged log had destroyed a portion of a south Puget Sound geoduck farm. Netting was ripped up and hundreds of tubes were dislodged. Tubes were carried by the current over 2,000 feet to the mouth of Hammersley Inlet where an unknown number were carried by Hammersley Inlet's >3 knot current into Hammersley Inlet or out into Pickering Passage. "Patrolling" did not discover this.
Governor Inslee and Bill Dewey with
Taylor Shellfish. It's not just about "the water."
Governor, you're standing on what's important.
Get involved - the shellfish industry is. Far more than you know.
Get involved in protecting Puget Sound's intertidal habitat area. The shellfish industry's focus on "clean water" deflects where the focus should be: the intertidal habitat which is being transformed by their plastic structures, an artificial "habitat" which is destroyed multiple times. Call/write Governor Inslee and tell him Puget Sound's habitat not the shellfish industry's to do with as they please. He may be contacted at 360-902-4111 or by mail at PO Box 40002, Olympia, WA 98504-0002. His shellfish coordinator is Julie Horowitz whose email address is Julie.horowitz@gov.wa.gov
Tell Pierce County they are responsible to all citizens, not just shellfish companies. Ty Booth in planning may be contacted here: tbooth@co.pierce.wa.us
Council members here: http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/index.aspx?nid=99
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