Put a note on your calendars, the next SMP Public Hearing is likely to be Monday, March 28th
By George Yount for the Olympic Peninsula Environmental News
We are now into Yogi Berra innings with the locally approved Jefferson County Shoreline Master Program. The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners is at bat, but the Department of Ecology has thrown some curve balls. They have sent the county 25 required changes, 14 recommended changes, and 22 optional changes. The Board is advising the DCD staff how to proceed.
Most of the changes are relatively minor and do not change the scope of what the BoCC approved before. However, the Board only needs to respond to the required changes. The key issues revolve around fin fish net pens. DOE says the county cannot do an outright ban because they have not provided the supporting science. It doesn’t mean the science is not there. It is. Whatcom County has banned fin fish net pens. For the record, it must be included in the SMP supporting documents. To do this, the BoCC will be holding another public hearing. on the proposed changes. Set your calendar for Monday, March 28, 2011 in the court room. I am guessing the time will be 6:00p.
For the past two weeks both supporters of net pens and opponents have been speaking at the Commissioners Monday morning comment period. But these comments are not for the SMP record. Follow the articles in the Port Townsend Leader and in the Peninsula Daily News. For talking points, note the changes posted on the County’s DCD website. It should be there starting next Tuesday.
The hearing will be relatively limited to the changes by the Commissioners. For questions regarding written or oral testimony, contact George Yount at 385-0456 or gyount@olypen.com .
Filed under: Events, Jefferson County |
