08/01/2007: "CC Holds Off Nominating SJC As “Aquatic Reserve”"

The County Council has decided they need to review what it could mean to designate the entire county as an “Aquatic Reserve”. (previous story) At the Tuesday council meeting Councilman Rich Peterson said he was uncomfortable with the county supporting such an action without first reading the background information necessary to understand what the possible impacts may be.

Peterson said that the document containing the criteria for evaluation was 88 pages long, and there were additional documents that may address what potential impacts could be. Councilman Knapp asked “what is the effect of the Reserve on the average citizen?”. While he did not receive a direct response, the question opened up additional discussion on what had been scheduled to have been approved as a matter of course.

Councilman Alan Lichter joined Peterson when he said “we should move a little more slowly..I see no reason not to table this”. Lichter said they were still waiting for a written outline of what committees were working on shoreline, aquatic, salmon, and other related areas. Peterson said “I agree with Alan that we need to know who is doing what”, and that he would like to see a matrix that visually showed the information, and where the groups may overlap in what they are doing, before we sign onto another program.

Ranker said the action was important because “it gave the County a seat at the table” when DNR makes decisions on state tideland leases”. He also said that he was unclear what additional information was being asked for, and that the amount of information available was overwhelming and would take weeks to review.

Councilman Bob Myhr was supportive of moving forward, and said that anything we can do now -even some restrictions- to keep our waters pristine..”; but in the end it was agreed that additional information on what the possible impacts, both positive and negative, might be, would be presented to the Council for further review and discussion at the August 14th council meeting.