While not directly about the Olympic Peninsula, it is worth noting that the  Seattle Times, had a story today about how Columbia Coho are returning in record numbers. This is great news and continues to show that with solid funding support, efforts to mitigate dam problems, and some luck with mother nature, restocking the Columbia basin with Coho is becoming successful.  Great news, and let’s keep it moving this direction here on the Peninsula also.

While the rockfish and other bottom fish are being  over-fished to virtual extinction in our area, there seems to be people willing to fish them to extinction before effectively protecting them.  The problem with rockfish and other groundfish is their reproductive cycle is much longer than salmon. While I understand the tribe’s concern of their maintaining their livlihood, is there going to be a livlihood when the fish are gone, as they are elsewhere in the Sound? This seems very familiar. We heard similar arguements just prior to the collapse of the logging industry on the Peninsula in the late 70s. Once the big trees were gone, most of which happened due to the change to the laws to allow unlimited shipments of raw logs to Asia, not the Spotted Owl controversy, we then had jobs totally vanish. We are still recovering from that fiasco. This seems very similar. When the fish are gone, it will be a half century or more of no fishing at all to restore the stocks. Better to cut back now. As to Jennings support of a dive park, heck, we all have our personal goals. I’m sure the other members of the commission have theirs.

12/29 Peninsula Daily News
Controversial plan to keep sport fishers from Cape Flattery area might be put on hold
By Tom Callis
Peninsula Daily News

NEAH BAY — A member of the state Fish and Wildlife Commission behind a controversial proposal to close a six-square-mile area off Cape Flattery to sport fishing to protect groundfish and rockfish now says he expects the issue to be tabled for about a year.

His fellow commissioners need more time to review whether a closure is needed to protect the area’s groundfish population, said David Jennings of Olympia.

Jennings’ proposal remains in the agency’s draft 2010-2012 sport fishing rules document, which will be considered for a vote during the commission’s Feb. 4-6 meetings

More at
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091229/NEWS/312299995

The PDN had a video report on the release of seven fishers, a weasel like animal, back onto the Olympic Peninsula. The fisher, which was hunted into extinction on the Peninsula over a 100 years ago, is being reintroduced. Here’s a quick video overview of the release, though it doesn’t give any real background on the reasons why, other than a very high level overview from the lead scientist on the project.

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/section/videonews?startID=8376102

Both the PDN and the Leader carried stories this week about the deal the Jefferson County Land Trust and the Shorebank Enterprise Cascadia put together. In this deal, Shorebank will pay the Trust to grow trees and not cut them, to put carbon offsets into the air. While I’m not convinced that carbon offsets are going to make a great deal of difference if we don’t change coal and gasoline consumption, i.e. perhaps make electric cars so cheap by government tax breaks that people stop buying gas cars entirely, or additionally make mandatory changes to natural gas for coal fired plants as an interim , rapidly do-able project that could dramatically cut CO2 within 10 years.

But this is a good, local step. Let’s cheer any serious efforts to roll back the dangerous levels of CO2 in our atmosphere.

Article at the PDN

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091223/news/312239992

Unfortunately the Leader did not put it’s article on line. If you need it, pick up a copy of the paper.

Support local journalism, subscribe to one of the above news papers.

Full story from the Land Trust at http://www.saveland.org/.

A drunk driver was able to crash into the sewer plant??????? If it’s the one I’m thinking of, it’s down in the gulley below Hwy 20. It’s not easy to drive down there, and I thought that there was a gate around it…I’ve got to find out more about this story…I wonder whether they will charge the driver with the cleanup costs and put a cost on the destruction to the Straits???

12/20 Peninsula Daily News
Port Angeles beaches closed by temporary sewage spill till at least Monday
By Tom Callis
Peninsula Daily News

PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Health Department won’t know until Monday at the earliest if the water is safe for recreation at Hollywood Beach and Valley Creek Estuary, where about 100,000 gallons of untreated sewage spilled into Port Angeles Harbor early Friday.

Clallam County Environmental Health Services declared the two areas unsafe for swimming, wading, kayaking and other recreation that puts people in contact with the water.

The sewage spilled into the harbor after the city’s largest wastewater pumping station, located near the estuary, was taken offline for about four hours.

The facility at 313 Marine Drive was damaged when a driver, who was allegedly drunk, crashed into with it at about 2:30 a.m.

More at
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091220/news/312209992

A special airing this Sunday, December 20th. at 9PM on KCTS.

A special version of the PBS show “Frontline: Puget Sound’s Poisoned Waters” program will air this Sunday, 12/20, at 6:30 pm on KCTS, channel
9 in Seattle. This re-edited version features new material specific to Puget Sound.

The airing will include a special 15 minute segment on the battle by native American tribes for salmon habitat restoration that was not
included in the national Frontline broadcast as well as a studio dialogue with Bill Ruckelshaus and Hedrick Smith with Enrique Cerna, the KCTS
anchor.

The PDN has the update on which groups in Clallam and Jefferson Counties got grants to help with projects for creek restoration. These projects will all aid in restoring river flows, and generally bringing back habitat that has been destroyed by both manmade and natural events (such as scouring by flooding).

Here’s the link to the long list of worthy groups. Since a lot of the funding locally is from in-kind donations of labor, machinery etc., you might want to consider joining these groups to donate your time, heavy equipment, or money. They all can use it. There’s never enough to do all the work that’s needed!

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091217/NEWS/312179992

support local journalism, subscribe to the PDN or Leader!

DONE!??? – Amazing… after years of effort. Thanks to all who participated, no matter what your point of view on this.  And thanks to the Board of County Commissioners for taking on some very dicey positions, like the change to geoduck aquaculture, and establishing 150′ buffers on all marine shoreline and 100′ on lakes. Allowing home building in Natural designations is something I have an issue with,  however, out of all this a tighter framework for shoreline protection has been crafted, albeit it with numerous loopholes, which is the flexibility that so many people who damned the document as it was crafted, wanted to see.  Congratulations for taking the difficult stand you needed to take. Now to get enforcement to back up these rules.

Port Townsend, WA— After a thorough and detailed review, the Board of County Commissioners reached an important milestone in the effort to update the Shoreline Master Program (SMP).  On Monday, December 7, 2009 the Board took formal action by passing a resolution to approve an updated SMP for submittal to the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) for final review and adoption.  The Commissioners considered over 300 written and verbal comments and spent some 30 hours in deliberations to prepare an SMP that strikes a balance between shoreline use and protection.  Next, the Locally Approved SMP (LA-SMP) must be reviewed and approved by Ecology prior to the new shoreline provisions taking effect, anticipated for no sooner than Spring 2010.
The Locally Approved SMP complies with state mandates to provide environmental protection for our freshwater and marine shoreline resources and allow necessary and appropriate shoreline use and development activities to continue.  The new LA-SMP takes a flexible approach to shoreline buffer widths for new use and development by offering six options to allow site-specific tailoring. Single family homes continue to have special standing with allowances to build along Natural shorelines, to build on small lots, and to expand the existing footprint with minimal impacts to shoreline ecology when specific criteria are met.
The LA-SMP also recognizes the importance of the aquaculture industry for our local economy and water quality along our marine shores.  New permitting requirements will allow ongoing and new aquaculture activities to continue providing jobs and bolstering the region’s reputation for quality seafood products while striving to minimize conflict between adjacent land uses.  New permit requirements for mooring buoys will recognize the potential impact that boats can have on shellfish growing areas and ensure aquaculture operations won’t be damaged by vessel discharge.  New vegetation management provisions will help protect natural shoreline functions and processes while minimizing risks to human health and safety.
“I appreciate all the public input and dedicated work by Michelle McConnell and other Department of Community Development staff to shape the SMP into an excellent balance between protecting the environment and individual property rights” said District 3 Commissioner John Austin.  “The thoroughness and openness of the process to develop this Shoreline Master Program has been exemplary,” added Phil Johnson, Commissioner for District 1.
During the Board’s extensive discussions, they weighed scientific and technical analyses to ensure key shoreline functions and values are adequately protected.  Shorelines play an important role in maintaining water quality, wildlife habitat, potable water supplies, sediment erosion, and more that support the quality of life upon which Jefferson County residents and visitors depend.  The Board has crafted an SMP with many ‘flex points’ that tailor performance standards and permit processes to accommodate site conditions and property rights.
Board Chair, David Sullivan, Commissioner for District 2 noted “A lot of the value of our private shoreline properties is due to the fact that they are located along a healthy shoreline environment.  The immense amount of public participation in this three-year process has resulted in an SMP that improves shoreline protections and protects private property values.”
After conducting their own public hearing, the Board accepted many of the provisions proposed by the Planning Commission Final Draft SMP, released in July, and directed staff to make certain changes.  Many edits were in response to specific suggestions from public comments.  Other changes were minor revisions to correct errors, formatting and make the text more readable.  The Board made substantive changes to some policies and regulations to ensure consistency with state requirements, in consideration of legal and procedural requirements, and to attain document consistency.  Key changes the Board made to the Planning Commission Final Draft SMP include:
Buffers – Avoiding a ‘one size fits all’ approach, the Board accepted the Planning Commission’s six proposed buffer adjustment options including 1) buffer reduction; 2) buffer averaging; 3) Critical Area Stewardship Plan (CASP); 4) Non-conforming Lots Standards; 5) Common Line Buffer; and 6) Shoreline Variance.  The Planning Commission proposal for 150’ standard buffer along all streams/rivers and 100’ standard buffer on all lakes was also accepted by the Board.  However, after difficult deliberations to balance property rights, state mandates for ‘no net loss of ecological functions’ and critical area protections, and scientific guidance, they opted to support a 150’ standard buffer for all marine shores, rather than the Planning Commission proposal for only 50’ along Shoreline Residential and High Intensity designated marine shores.

Non-conformity – The Board added review criteria thresholds in order to differentiate performance standards and permitting processes for situations when a non-conforming single family residential (SFR) structure increases the total footprint.  Under the Board’s proposal, a non-conforming SFR structure will be able to expand/enlarge up to 10% of the footprint without a conditional use permit or shoreline variance as long as prescriptive criteria are met, or up to 25% when the buffer area is enhanced with native vegetation.  The Planning Commission proposal had allowed for such expansion/enlargement without sufficient criteria or standards, making compliance with the state ‘no net loss’ requirement questionable.
Economic Development –
a.      Aquaculture – The Board gave serious consideration before including an outright prohibition on net pens and a qualified prohibition on all finfish aquaculture that uses/releases harmful materials, in contrast to the Planning Commission proposal to allow such operations when they didn’t have negative effects.  The differentiation between ‘Bottom Aquaculture’ and ‘Floating/Hanging Aquaculture was replaced by addressing ‘Aquaculture Activities’ collectively, with an exception for geoduck aquaculture.  The Board changed the Planning Commission proposed permit requirement for geoduck aquaculture from an Administrative Conditional Use Permit (CUP) only when adjacent to Shoreline Residential environment designation to requiring a Discretionary CUP in the Natural, Conservancy, and Shoreline Residential designations, and a Substantial Development Permit in the High Intensity designation.  This allows local review to ensure aquaculture operations and adjacent uses are compatible.
b.     Industrial/Port – The Board’s concern for adjacent use compatibility also led them to include a provision to control noise, vibration, glare, and odor impacts for industrial and port development.
Residential use –
a.      Beach Access Structures and Boating Facilities – The Board included regulatory differentiation between public and private structures to prefer public structures that serve greater numbers of people and minimize the proliferation of individual structures as per state requirements.
b.     Shore Armor – The Board included a provision to allow shore armoring to protect existing public transportation infrastructure and essential public facilities when otherwise prohibited for other use/development.
c.      SFR & ADUs– The Board removed the Planning Commission’s proposed allowance for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) related to single family residential (SFR) use/development in the Natural shoreline designation in order to meet state requirements for density and intensity of development in sensitive areas.
Mooring buoys –
The Board changed the permit requirement from a Substantial Development Permit (SDP) in all environment designations as proposed by the Planning Commission to an Administrative CUP when adjacent to Natural, Conservancy, and Shoreline Residential designation, and SDP when adjacent to High Intensity.  This change was in response to recent concerns about the potential impacts of moored boats on shellfish growing areas, and to streamline the permitting process for the applicant.  While the County recently enacted a moratorium on new buoys in Mystery Bay, final adoption of the new SMP would repeal that ordinance.  The County is currently working with state agencies, stakeholders, and the public to develop a Mystery Bay Management Plan.
The Locally Approved SMP gives special recognition to single family homes with many provisions not afforded to other types of development:  1) single family homes will be allowed along Natural shorelines as a conditional use, where they are currently prohibited; 2) existing single family homes that don’t meet the new buffer requirements will be considered ‘non-conforming’ but will be allowed to rebuild on the same footprint should natural disaster damage the structure; 3) non-conforming homes will be allowed to expand/enlarge up to 25% of their footprint without conditional use or shoreline variance permits; 4) new single family homes can be built on non-conforming lots that are too small for the standard buffer as long as site-specific criteria are met to minimize shoreline impacts; and 5) new single family homes built adjacent to existing homes which could block views, may be located closer than the standard buffer to ensure shoreline views that are comparable to the neighbors.
The Board’s many changes have resulted in an SMP that allows for reasonable development along Jefferson County’s river, lake and saltwater shores while finding a compromise between environmental protection, private property rights and public access.
Once Ecology receives the County’s locally-approved SMP, they will schedule a comment period and public hearing, and then provide the County with feedback on the document as to its compliance with the state’s Shoreline Management Act and the SMP Guidelines.  After both the County and the State agree on a final version of the SMP, both entities will formally adopt the program, and the new SMP will take effect.  Final adoption is currently anticipated to occur no sooner than Spring 2010.
The purpose of the Shoreline Master Program is to maintain existing shoreline resources, foster shoreline recovery over time, and to balance shoreline use and protection.  Jefferson County is required to update its Shoreline Master Program (SMP) in compliance with the State’s 1971 Shoreline Management Act and the 2003 SMP Guidelines.  All 39 counties and over 200 cities in the State must update their SMPs by 2014. Today, Ecology announced adoption of a new SMP for the City of Kennewick in the Tri-Cities area of the state, joining a list of some 8 other municipalities with new SMPs in place, including City of Port Townsend SMP adopted in 2007.  To date, only two counties have successfully completed such an SMP update – Whatcom County and Douglas County.
For more information or to join the SMP e-mail notification list, contact Associate Planner Michelle McConnell at 360.379.4484, via e-mail at mmcconnell@co.jefferson.wa.us or visit the County’s Web site http://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/commdevelopment/ShorelineUpdate_2005-9.htm.

12/7 KPLU-FM–Obama’s Top Environmental Cop: A Conversation with Lisa Jackson  –Liam Moriarty

SEATTLE (KPLU) – President Obama’s choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency has been on the job for less than a year. During that time, Lisa Jackson has had to wrestle with some of the nation’s toughest environmental problems, from climate change to toxic chemicals. Jackson just visited Seattle for the first time, and KPLU environment reporter Liam Moriarty spoke to her about the Puget Sound cleanup and other concerns in the Pacific Northwest.

Listen at
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kplu/news.newsmain/article/0/1/1585457/KPLU.Local.News/Obama%E2%8%99s.Top.Environmental.Cop.A.Conversation.with.Lisa.Jackson

Happily, another non news item, for now! But this does show that our tax dollars are helping fund ships that leave and transit Canadian waters. It would seem that the Canadians ought to be helping pay for this tug, given that the tug did not originate in our waters.

State-funded tug  helped tanker off Washington coast – From D.O.Ecology

OLYMPIA – The state-funded emergency response tug stationed at Neah Bay was ready to respond to the aid of a 500-foot chemical tanker that lost power Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009, off of the Washington coast.

The tug named Hunter was dispatched Wednesday night to assist the Ginga Falcon, a chemical product tanker operating under a Panamanian flag. The tanker was sailing from Vancouver, B.C., to San Francisco.

The Ginga Falcon was carrying paraffin wax, caustic soda (a highly corrosive industrial chemical) and ethylene glycol (a toxic liquid used in antifreeze and deicing solutions). A photograph of the Ginga Falcon can be found here: http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=356463000

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) was notified of the situation yesterday afternoon when the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) requested the Hunter be placed on standby for the incident.

At the time of the Coast Guard request, the response tug had already left its Neah Bay berth as a precautionary measure. Ecology then directed the tug to proceed toward the disabled tanker.

The Ginga Falcon can carry up to 20,000 tons of cargo. However, it was unclear how much cargo and fuel was onboard at the time of the incident.

The tanker was about 45 miles off of Washington’s coast when a pipe ruptured on a boiler that heats the ship’s engine fuel. After several hours without power, the crew was able to repair the pipe and restore the ship’s propulsion. The tanker then resumed its journey to San Francisco at about 8:30 p.m. The response tug proceeded back to Neah Bay.

An emergency response tug is stationed at Neah Bay year-round to respond to shipping incidents that pose a pollution threat to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Washington’s outer coast. Crowley Maritime holds the emergency response tug contract through June 2010.

“This incident involving an outbound tanker from a Canadian port and the Nov 19, 2009, grounding of the 800-foot cargo ship Hebei Lion in Canadian waters less than 10 miles from Washington’s San Juan islands once again demonstrates how connected and potentially vulnerable our shared waters are,” said Ecology Spills Program Manager Dale Jensen. “A major oil or chemical spill has the potential to seriously damage Washington’s economy, environment and quality of life. This is why we maintain a 24/7, 365-day-a-year response capability.”

In March 2009, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a bill passed by the state Legislature requiring Washington’s maritime industry to fund and operate a tug year-round at Neah Bay beginning July 1, 2010. Jensen said the legislation also directs Ecology to encourage Canadian shipping also to help pay for the system.

Since 1999, a state-funded emergency response tug has been called out 43 times to help vessels in distress.