Thursday, November 14, 2013

Port Angeles Landfill Stabilization Project SEPA Comments Due November 23, 2013

The latest iteration of the City of Port Angeles' plan for the Port Angeles Landfill is now up for review under State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).  Comments are due November 23, 2013.

To request documents from the City of Port Angeles contact Sue Roberds at 360-417-4750.

The Ecology SEPA file number is 201305252.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Please Attend these presentations regarding Nearshore Salmon Restoration in the Strait of Juan De Fuca-June 13, 3-5 pm. Please RSVP

If you are interested, please RSVP for a presentation Thursday afternoon of three Projects located within the Central Strait which are seeking grant funding from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Funds. Those projects include:


• Ediz Hook Beach Restoration Phase III by Mike McHenry of the Elwha Klallam Tribe

• Elwha Nearshore Protection & Restoration Presented by Anne Shaffer of the Coastal Watershed Institute

• Elwha River Revegetation Phase II presented by Mike McHenry of the Elwha Klallam Tribe and Josh Chenoweth of Olympic National Park

• Avenues for weighing in on project proposals & Technical Team Project Review by Cheryl Baumann of the North Olympic LE for Salmon

If enough people RSVP, the presentation will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, June 13th in the Board of Commissioners Meeting Room of the Clallam County Courthouse.

Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by e-mail to cbaumann@co.clallam.wa.us or by calling 417-2326.

If RSVPS are not received by Thursday morning at 111 a.m., the presentations will be cancelled due to lack of participation, as well as budget & other work constraints.

This presentation is similar to what has been presented to the Elwha-Morse Management Team in years past. That group is not currently operating.

However, we are still offering this presentation to former EMMT members and others who may be interested as long as we have RSVPs to indicate we have people planning to attend.

Cheryl Baumann, Coordinator

North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity for Salmon

360/417-2326

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Important Port Angeles Shoreline Meetings this Week

Hi all, two important opportunities to provide public comment to the City of Port Angeles on Shoreline Management are scheduled for this coming week:



1. City of Port Angeles Shoreline Master Program open house and public hearing, 6 pm Monday, March 18, Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth Street, Port Angeles WA 98362. Public Hearing begins at 7 pm.


2, The City of Port Angeles is considering next steps for managing a closed landfill located on the shoreline west of Port Angels and east of the Elwha River mouth. Erosion is degrading existing efforts to maintain the old dump site which contains decades of historic garbage. The City installed a seawall earlier this decade to try and slow erosion. Not surprisingly, the seawall is already showing signs of failure and accelerating erosion on the neighboring bluff, jeopardizing one of the closed garbage cells.

Please consider signing onto this letter (attached) to the Port Angeles City Council asking them to adopt an alternative approach to additional shoreline armoring.


The City will be hearing Public Comment on Tuesday, March 19, at 6 pm at the City Council Chambers at 321 East Fifth Street, Port Angeles WA 98362.



Please distribute your comments to any and all of the following:

City council: http://www.cityofpa.us/citycouncil.htm.

Email is council@cityofpa.us

citymanager@cityofpa.us


Board of county commissioners:

http://www.clallam.net/bocc/board_contact.html

E-Mail Addresses

commissioners@co.clallam.wa.us

Commissioner Jim McEntire, District 1 jmcentire@co.clallam.wa.us

Commissioner Mike Chapman, District 2 mailto:mchapman@co.clallam.wa.us

Commissioner Mike Doherty, District mailto:mdoherty@co.clallam.wa.us

Administrator Jim Jones, jjones@co.clallam.wa.us

Email sent to Clallam County will not be received if total file attachments exceed 10MB (see more information).



Wa State Legislators:

Senator Hargrove

Representative Van De Wege

Representative Tharinger

https://dlr.leg.wa.gov/MemberEmail/Default.aspx


Additional questions can be directed to:


Jody Kennedy

Washington Policy Manager

Surfrider Foundation

jkennedy@surfrider.org
206.940.6509



Help keep the coastline clean, healthy and accessible >>> join the Surfrider Foundation

beachapedia.org
your coastal knowledge resource



DRAFT LETTER
March 6, 2013




Mayor Cherie Kidd

Deputy Mayor Brad Collins

Councilmember Sissi P. Bruch, PhD

Councilmember Dan Di Guilio

Councilmember Patrick Downie

Councilmember Max Mania

Councilmember Brooke Nelson



RE: Landfill bluff stabilization project



Dear Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councilmembers:



We believe the City of Port Angeles has a unique opportunity with the closed landfill to restore a section of marine shoreline that offers habitat for forage fish and juvenile salmon, rich recreation opportunities, and a chance to enhance productivity and health of the Elwha River nearshore.



We appreciate that the City of Port Angeles is attempting to address the complicated issues presented by the erosion of the historic dumpsite. Please consider these comments as you make a decision about how best to move forward in managing this site.



The closed landfill presents numerous challenges. The site is part of an active drift cell, where wave impacts continually pull at the shoreline, threatening measures to contain decades of garbage, including toxic materials. Since inheriting the landfill, the City has been confronted with challenges in containing the garbage and addressing the leaching of toxins into marine waters. Now, the City must also address new seawall complications including accelerated erosion of the bluff adjacent to the wall.



Historically, the City has prioritized low cost alternatives for managing problems associated with the landfill. The decision to build a temporary seawall has now caused more problems and greater costs to the community. We are asking that the City take a new approach -- rather than adopt the lowest cost alternative for another short-term fix which guarantees future management problems.



The solution to the problem of erosion of the existing closed beach cell at the Port Angeles landfill is not additional shoreline armoring. The preferred long-term solution to the erosion of the closed beach cell is complete removal and appropriate off-site disposal of all of the municipal solid waste on the existing hill-slope and restoration of the marine bluff. This approach would re-establish natural rates of sediment delivery to the nearshore environment, enhancing habitat for forage fish and salmon. In addition, this would allow for public to enjoy the high recreation values of the site, which could lead to new economic opportunities and improve the quality of life in our City.



cc: city manager, county commissioners and state legislators

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Anne Shaffer of Coastal Watershed Institute wins Conservationist of the Year Award

NEWS RELEASE 3/5 /2013


The Society for Ecological Restoration Northwest Chapter has awarded its 2013 Conservationist of the Year Award to Anne Shaffer, Executive Director of the Coastal Watershed Institute (CWI), "in recognition of over 20 years of efforts to preserve, protect, restore or enhance environments necessary
for healthy ecosystems." CWI is a non-profit working since 1997 to promote long term, ecological, and community based stewardship of marine and terrestrial ecosystems through scientific research and local partnerships. Over the last sixteen years CWI has supported applied research of nearshore habitats of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, partnered with the City of Port Angeles and Peninsula College on public education, and partnered with the Olympic national Park and Olympic Peninsula Tribes cataloging historic use
and contemporary priorites for nearshore cultural natural resources. Anne's work in ecological restoration has spanned greater than 20 years, and has shown an unwavering commitment to her field and the Region's restoration efforts, particularly in the field of nearshore restoration. She coordinates large and complex restoration and science initiatives, including the Twins Nearshore Restoration, the Elwha Nearshore Management Plan, and the Elwha Nearshore Consortium.

OPC Surfrider often partners with the Coastal Watershed Institute and wants to wish Anne all the best with her award. Great Job!