Kitsap Sun writes on Detienne Denial; Proposals Continue; Tideland Taxes are Nothing; Taylor Shelfish Discovers Lobbying

Things to Consider Over the Weekend 

The Kitsap Sun has published an article penned by Tristan Baurick on the recent Court of Appeals decision which affirmed the Shorelines Hearings Board denial of a permit for a geoduck operation adjacent to Burley Lagoon (circled in red below).

Not here.  At least not now anyway.

One loss won't stop the machine.
While the Court of Appeals brought pause to one operation, the industry continues to press forward, flush with cash from its current operations, prepared to spend what it takes to expand. Another permit application for a 25 acre geoduck operation in Burley Lagoon (body of water in the upper right of the picture above) was submitted by Taylor shellfish to Pierce County who issued a "determination of significance", triggering a required Environmental Impact Statement. Taylor chose to go ahead and create an EIS, initially suggesting 3 alternatives: the 25 acre operation; a 17 acre operation; or continuation of what some contend is an unpermitted expansion of aquaculture operations within Burley Lagoon. The cessation of the current operations and restoration of the area was not an alternative Taylor Shellfish offered.

An intensification doesn't mean

you have to pay more in property taxes.

Nor that you need a permit.

Taxes are up: to $257 (+$12) for the parcels above.

It's only an "intensification" so it's okay - no permit required and your taxes won't go up.
Comments on the EIS scoping noted complaints to Pierce County about noise, beaches being cleared of native habitat and structure, and navigational hazards which Pierce County simply said were an "intensification" of operations, and as such, required no permits. Nor an increase in assessed value. Taylor, only leasing, need not worry about any increase in value as they don't pay the property tax. The owners who reside in Kirkland apparently need not worry much either; the 177 acres above are required to pay $257, $12 more than when Taylor's "intensification" began. Some refer to the agency responses (or lack of them) as "representation without taxation."

Is $230,000 a lot of money?

Glover Park Group ("Own the Conversation") 

is more than happy to take it.

Meanwhile, in Washington DC, lobbyists have discovered Taylor Shellfish has money.
Recent reports have revealed there is more to do with profits from geoduck operations than hire contract scientists and attorneys, who are currently on full display in Thurston County where a hearing is being held November 28 [click here for agenda] on another operation being proposed by Taylor Shellfish, in Zangle Cove. The lobbying firm Glover Park Group has received $230,000 from the shellfish industry in order to help "Own the Conversation" as the press regulators to lessen oversight of their operations.

It's supposed to look that way.

Who did you buy those glasses from and who was whispering in your ear?

Perhaps taking a lesson from Glover Park Group, when a shoreline owner complained to the Department of Ecology about the ongoing mess a geoduck operation was creating, DOE replied, in essence, that it's supposed to look that way. Presumably they asked the industry about it and were told these tubes had been pulled as part of an ongoing operation and were retrieved quickly. Apparently lost on the recipient was the fact that these tubes are buried in sediment (i.e., they were not retrieved quickly) and have little to no marine growth on them, indicating they more likely were recently inserted tubes dislodged after a storm event. It appears paying $230,000 to learn how to "control the conversation" has its returns.

Get involved.

You can control the conversation. Tell Governor Inlsee it is he should step up and stop this invasive activity taking over Puget Sound's intertidal area which is not for the benefit of the state, but for a few corporations and the Chinese.

Governor Inslee: https://fortress.wa.gov/es/governor/
Legislative and Congressional contacts:
http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/

Taylor Shellfish Has a New Friend: Lobbying Firm Glover Park Group

[Update 3/19: Taylor's "new friend", Glover Park Group, is mentioned in a 3/17 Equal Times article entitled "Pr firms at the service of human rights abusers." It will be fascinating to see what sort of "conversation" GPG develops for Taylor Shellfish and the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association.]

 

The best politics money can buy.

Control the process, you get what you want.

Sometimes. Sometimes not.



The little fish in the big pond needs a big fish for a friend
Taylor Shellfish and the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association, through their law firm Plauche and Carr, have hired WPP's Glover Park Group to address federal permitting issues in Washington DC. WPP bills itself as "the world's largest communications services group, employing 179,000 people working in 3,000 offices in 111 countries." As one of WPP's >450 separate companies listed, GPG is noted as being "...a nationally-recognized strategic communications and government relations firm."

Still a little fish of the  new big friend
To put in perspective where Taylor Shellfish falls in GPG's client list, Foreign Influence Explorer reports on foreign funding sources and expenditures of lobbying groups. It notes GPG's client list includes Abu Dhabi Investment Authority ($342,000 in 2013), Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt ($750,000 in 2014), Taipei Economic And Cultural Representative Office in the United States ($1.6 million received in 2013, $353,000 in 2014).  Open Secrets reports that domestically, Berkshire Hathaway ($180,000), the American Bankers Association ($280,000), United Health Group ($240,000) and Fuels America ($620,000) are a few of their clients. In the past, Taylor Shellfish has been reported to have spent $20,000 with Vitello Consulting, in 2006. The Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association is reported to have spent $50,000 with lobbyist David Weiman, in 2008. In short, while past experience is no indication of future performance, in Washington DC they are still a small fish, but to their credit, they are focused.

Taylor Shellfish/PCSGA: We need to "control the conversation" on Federal permitting
The Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group reports the purpose GPG has been enlisted by Plauche and Carr, fronting for Taylor Shellfish and the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association, is to deal with "Federal permitting related to shellfish operations." Whether this is to address current issues Taylor Shellfish is not pleased with or to begin lobbying for changes in the upcoming Nationwide permits for 2017 which the Corps of Engineers uses in its oversight of the shellfish industry is unknown. Maybe they just need help communicating. What is known is "controlling the conversation" and "leading the action" with "rock stars" is one way to get what you want. Sometimes. Sometimes not.

Get involved. The shellfish industry is and they don't like regulatory oversight.