Island Guardian

Wednesday, June 29th

Today, 4:30-5:00 pm Whale Museum

ig_Whale_Museum-1 (35k image)
photo by Jack Cory

The community is invited to join the Whale Museum staff today in a celebration of what is being called The New Look for the Museum.

Thanks to a number of donors, including Stegman Painting who spent days scraping, priming and painting the building, and the creative work of Turn Point Design in the production of the new sign (being installed above), The Whale Museum is ready for the season.

The Museum has announced that "refreshments and free admission to our exhibit gallery will be available. They will also extend a special "thank you" to the donors to our Plank by Plank campaign, ncluding Albert Shepard, Exhibits Curator, who designed and helped create the new sign."

The Whale Museum is located next to the American Legion building, at 62 First St. N., in Friday Harbor.

For additional information, call (360) 378-4710, ext. 3

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Eastsound Water Wars To Come To An End

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Eastsound Aquifer Boundary shown as blue line. Dots show existing wells
For years now the Eastsound area of Orcas has been drawing water from wells without out any formal -or informal- plan for the area. The GMA (Growth Management Act) contained a requirement that in an UGA (Interim Urban Growth Area) there must be a potential for a level of service to the area that is necessary for the projected growth.

While the drawing of water from the wells in the Eastsound area may have been unorganized, the Eastsound area is not short on organized groups. The County has been asked by some of those groups to step in and help solve the problem -a problem that involves not only the County, but also the State. The problem stems from the simple fact that unlike many areas on the islands, the Eastsound water source is one single aquifer, so what one person does, can effect all. And according to a hydrogeologic report presented in 2003, there may be more ground water rights (not all of which have been used) in the Eastsound Aquifer then there is water.

According to Mark Tompkins, the Environmental Health Manager for San Juan County, the Eastsound Water Users Association sent a petition to the County, and the East Orcas Water Supply Planning Committee, and the Eastsound Planning Review Committee, all got in the boat on the need for a CWRA (Critical Water Resource Area) designation. This then allows for a master plan for the use of water, called a Abbreviated Coordinated Water System Plan. If that was not enough, the SJC Water Resource Management Committee also supported the action.

On Tuesday, the Board acted. A Resolution was passed declaring the Eastsound Aquifer a critical water resource area and called for the development of an "Abbreviated Coordinated Water System Plan".

After the passage of the Resolution, Mr. Tompkins said a group can now be formed to draft the management plan. The Commissioners thanked Tompkins for including all of the interest groups in the process of bringing the proposal to the Board.

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Sunday, June 26th

DOE Issues Warning & Investigation On Barge landing

Gravel unloaded onto LaFarge Beach for SJC Public Works
The recent barge landing and unloading of gravel at LaFarge Beach for SJC Public Works has resulted in an investigation of the landings by the State Department of Ecology. In a letter sent to LaFarge Canada Inc., with a copy to Matt Zybas, the new Interim Director of CDPD (Community Development and Planning), Robert Fritzen of DOE informed LaFarge that the Department has " reason to believe that you may be responsible for substantial development within Shoreline Management jurisdiction in violation of …RCW…and provisions of the San Juan County Shoreline Master Program".

While the letter states the intent of the investigation is to obtain information to allow the Department to determine if a violation has, or has not, occurred, it also points out the Department has the authority to issue an order and impose a fine of up to $1,000.00 per day.

This may be embarrassing for the County, for the investigation follows closely on the heels of a previous letter STORY from DOE to Randy Gaylord, SJC Prosecutor, informing him it is the obligation of the County to enforce their regulations. It should be particularly embarrassing in this case, since the violation -if there is one- would be directly related to the barging in of material for the County.

In previous findings by the DOE, it has been determined that only three barge landings a year are permitted, and in addition, the ramp that was purportedly used to unload the county gravel may have been the same ramp that was found by DOE to "exceed any established nonconforming right".

LaFarge has thirty days to respond to the letter. The responses will be considered by DOE "as to whether or how to proceed with further enforcement on this matter".

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