While this was covered elsewhere, perhaps you, like me, missed it. The good news here is that the Governor has come out of Olympia to see the results of the investments that the State and Federal Government has made, and it’s good for the environment, local jobs, and also to help average folks understand that there are real problems under this beautiful body of water that we need to keep working to solve. While I know that some of our readers do support shellfish farmers, it’s worth noting in this story that the Governor visited Taylor Shellfish as part of the trip, and was told of efforts in the surrounding community to clean up the water. While there are members of the environmental community that oppose Taylor and others, I find that they are much more allies than ‘enemies’. They, like us, our interested first and foremost in clean water. Without it, they go out of business and we lose our shellfish industry.
BELFAIR, Wash. —
Gov. Chris Gregoire visited a $40 million wastewater treatment plant in Belfair Friday to kick off a daylong tour of projects helping to clean up Puget Sound.
It was the first destination in a five-stop tour covering Mason, Thurston and Pierce counties.
Walking the construction site with congressman Norm Dicks and other state and local officials, the governor said the amount of money spent to improve the ailing estuary has been unprecedented. About $460 million in federal, state and local funds has been spent since 2008, creating more than 15,000 jobs, she said.
Despite those efforts, Gregoire said, problems continue to plague Puget Sound. Stormwater runoff, development and toxic pollutants threaten the sound’s ecosystem and its orcas, salmon and other marine life, along with the quality of life for the region.
Read the whole story at:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013174949_apwapugetsoundgregoire3rdldwritethru.html
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Filed under: Around the Sound, Government, Jobs, Puget Sound | Tagged: Hood Canal, Puget Sound |
