Newest round of clean-water funding focuses on small communities including Jefferson County

Posted on January 31, 2023 by Al Bergstein

State Ecology is handing out funding to many organizations around the state for clean water initiatives. Here’s the Jefferson County proposals.

Jefferson County Public Health is proposed to receive a $500,000 grant, $7.5 million loan, and $2.5 million in forgivable-principal loans to establish a watershed-conservation fund, providing a scalable loan fund for acquisition of land critical to improving water quality in high-priority watersheds. This innovative program will provide nimble funding, so nonprofit land trusts and other public entities can purchase properties for conservation and sustainable stewardship as land becomes available, rather than being tied to the government funding cycle. This pilot project will complete a feasibility assessment, program design, and purchase of two properties to establish the program

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Port Townsend City Council recognizes rights of whales in WA

Posted on December 6, 2022 by Al Bergstein

On Monday night, the Port Townsend mayor and city council took the step to declare that the Southern Resident Orcas have inherent rights. Port Townsend is the first county in Washington State to take this step, in a growing movement known as the Rights of Nature. The “Rights of Nature” framework is the recognition that Nature is a living being and rights-bearing entity. Rights recognition takes Nature out of the realm of property.

Mayor David Faber, Patrick Johnson of QUUF and members of the North Olympic Orca Pod

Patrick Johnson of the Green Sanctuary Environmental Action Team from Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship read the following:

On behalf of Legal Rights for the Salish Sea, Earth Law Center, and our friends and supporters at the Green Sanctuary Environmental Action Team from Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and the North Olympic Orca Pod, we’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Mayor Faber and the members of the Port Townsend City Council for supporting this proclamation recognizing the inherent rights of the Southern Resident Orcas. We have been asking our decision makers to take BOLD action to save these unique and critically endangered orcas, and tonight YOU have done that! Your leadership and compassion for Nature will be a model for other city/county councils to follow. This is historic! 

Central to a “Rights of Nature” framework is the recognition that Nature is a living being and rights-bearing entity. Rights recognition takes Nature out of the realm of property. It reflects an inseparable human-Nature relationship rooted in mutual enhancement and holism rather than dominion, subjugation, and exploitation. Rights of Nature, therefore, offers a framework in line with natural law and science, allowing us to properly respect and value Nature (intrinsic values) as decision making occurs. Over twenty countries already embrace Rights of Nature concepts at some level of government.

In 2018, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (comprised of American Indians/ Alaska Natives and tribes in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska) passed Resolution #18-32 recognizing a sacred obligation to the Southern Resident Orcas, “our relatives under the waves.” The Resolution explains that the sacred obligation “to ensure all our relations are treated in a dignified manner that reflects tribal cultural values that have been passed down for countless generations” is to be understood in the context of “an inherent right and a treaty right, and in terms of indigenous ways of knowing the natural law” as embodied in their relationship to the Southern Residents. 

At a more fundamental level, recognizing the Southern Residents’ inherent rights shows that we as a society value them as living beings. It shows that when we say we want to prevent their extinction, we mean it. This will undoubtedly require changes in the way we do business; opening space for innovations so that we can have a future with clean rivers, ocean and seas, and healthy habitats for humans, animals and plants alike. 

We would not be here without the pioneering work and commitment to Ocean Rights by Michelle Bender and Elizabeth Dunne at the Earth Law Center. Many thanks to our friends at the Center for Whale Research, especially Ken Balcomb; Dr. Debra Giles at Wild Orca; and Howard Garrett, Susan Berta and Cindy Hansen, and everyone at the Orca Network. 

The following is the proclamation of the city of Port Townsend:

Press Release from the Earth Law Center

Port Townsend, WA (December 6th, 2022)—Yesterday evening, Port Townsend’s Mayor David J. Faber signed a Proclamation describing the City of Port Townsend’s support for action by local, state, federal and tribal governments that secure and effectuate the rights of the Southern Resident Orcas.

The Southern Resident Orcas (“the Orcas) are culturally, spiritually, and economically important to the people of Washington State and the world. However, despite federal legal protections for nearly two decades, the population continues to decline and is critically endangered, with only 73 individuals left in the wild.

The Proclamation states that the Southern Resident Orcas possess the inherent rights to: “life, autonomy, culture, free and safe passage, adequate food supply from naturally occurring sources, and freedom from conditions causing physical, emotional, or mental harm, including a habitat degraded by noise, pollution and contamination.”

Kriss Kevorkian of Legal Rights for the Salish Sea (LRSS), with the help of Patrick Johnson, of the Green Sanctuary Environmental Action Team from Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, introduced the idea of the Proclamation. “We are so grateful to the Mayor and City Council of Port Townsend for taking bold action to save these unique and critically endangered Orcas.” says Kriss Kevorkian, founder of LRSS.

Legal Rights for the Salish Sea partnered with Earth Law Center (ELC) in 2018 and are working to educate local communities on a new legal tool to protect Nature and communities – Rights of Nature. Together, they are leading a campaign to gain support for recognizing the rights of the Orcas at the local and Washington State level, and to take immediate actions to protect and restore the Orcas’ rights by addressing their main threats to survival.  “Recognizing the Southern Residents’ legal rights means that we must consider their wellbeing and needs in addition to human interests in decision making, and that they will have a voice in a variety of forums, including courts. Through their human guardians acting on their behalf and in their best interests, the Orcas will be able to express what they need to exist, thrive, and evolve,” explained Elizabeth Dunne, ELC’s Director of Legal Advocacy. “When structures such as the lower Snake River dams interfere with the Southern Residents’ ability to obtain prey (salmon) crucial for their survival, then to realize their rights we must find solutions to remedy the problem,” said Dunne. 

Legal rights for species and their habitats is not new. Hundreds of Rights of Nature laws exist in approximately 30 countries. Both San Francisco and Malibu passed resolutions protecting the rights of whales and dolphins in their coastal waters in 2014; New Zealand’s Government legally recognizes animals as ‘sentient’ beings; the Uttarakhand High Court of India ruled that the entire animal kingdom are legal entities with rights; and the United Kingdom now recognizes lobsters, crabs, and octopus as sentient beings.

Howard Garrett, co-founder of the Orca Network, supports this effort because he sees recognizing the Southern Residents’ inherent rights as “essential to the orcas’ survival and well-being. Without this recognition, people will continue to put economic and self-interest above the Southern Residents’ very survival.”

“Over the past few years, we have continued to see the population decline, and actions to recover the population have been slow and piecemeal. Business as usual is not working” says Michelle Bender. “We thank the leadership of Port Townsend and hope more local communities support a call for policies that give the Orcas, and all Nature, a voice in decision making and a seat at the table.”

This effort is also supported by an online change.org petition and declaration of understanding, of which over 10 organizations have signed onto.

Earth Law Center created a toolkit to help advocates introduce a resolution to their local communities, share the campaign on social media and other helpful talking points. You can take action and view the toolkit here.

#         #         #

Earth Law Center (www.earthlawcenter.org) works to transform the law to recognize and protect nature’s inherent rights to exist, thrive and evolve. ELC partners with frontline indigenous people, communities and organizations to challenge the overarching legal and economic systems that reward environmental harm, and advance governance systems that maximize social and ecological well-being.

Legal Rights for the Salish Sea (LRSS- http://legalrightsforthesalishsea.org/) is a local community group based in Gig Harbor, WA, founded by Dr. Kriss Kevorkian, educating people to recognize the inherent rights of the Southern Resident Orcas. Under our current legal system humans and corporations have legal standing but animals and ecosystems don’t. We believe that animals and ecosystems should also have legal rights, not just protections that can be changed by different administrations.

Filed under: Endangered Species, Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, Events, Government, Jefferson County, Jefferson County, Olympic Peninsula, Orcas | 1 Comment »

The Jefferson County Noxious Weed Control Board is looking for new Board Members!

Posted on December 5, 2022 by Al Bergstein

As an environmental regulatory board under RCW17.10, the Jefferson County Noxious Weed Board strives to preserve and protect our county’s ecosystem, agriculture, recreational areas, and citizens from the economic losses and adverse effects associated with noxious weeds. We are currently accepting applications for three out of our five districts. 

District 3 (Marrowstone Island / Chimacum /Port Ludlow), 

District 4 (Olympic and West End), and

District 5 (Quilcene and Brinnon) are currently vacant. Priority will go to applicants who are involved in the primary production of agriculture in any way.

If you are interested in serving as a Board member please contact Sophie DeGroot at sdegroot@co.jefferson.wa.us 

Noxious Weed Control Board | Jefferson County, WA

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Open house to spotlight changes at Miller Peninsula State Park -PDN

Posted on October 15, 2022 by Al Bergstein

An important meeting for those living on the Peninsula.


State parks leaders will host an open house this month to give an overview of proposed changes and hear from community members about plans for the Miller Peninsula State Park property. Staff from Washington State Parks will host the event set for 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday at the 7 Cedars Resort, 270756 U.S. Highway 101. This in-person-only open house will begin with a brief introduction and overview of the planning work to date, status of the project and anticipated next steps, parks officials said. by Michael Dashiell reports.

(Peninsula Daily News)

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Port Townsend Paper Mill Acquired by Atlas Holdings

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Al Bergstein

The parent company of Port Townsend Paper Mill, Crown Paper, has been acquired by a holding company out of Greenwich, Connecticut named Atlas Corporation. Atlas is a holding company that owns many natural resource companies, including recent acquisition of Foster Farms chicken processing. They also own and operate a diversified group of manufacturing and distribution businesses around the world. Many of these businesses are paper mills and many more operate in related industries, such as packaging, printing, and receipts and labels.

With Crown, Atlas now owns and operates 26 manufacturing and distribution businesses with approximately 50,000 associates across more than 300 global locations. While Atlas was founded in 2002, many of their companies have been in business for more than 100 years and are pillars of their local communities.

From their press release:

“Atlas has a long and established track record of investing in the pulp, paper and packaging industries, partnering with exceptional leadership teams to revitalize and strengthen companies for the long term. We’ve invested significant resources and partnered with companies at an inflection point in their journey, and we view Crown as another opportunity to put this experience to work. Today, these companies, including Finch Paper, Iconex, Marcal, Millar Western Forest Products and Twin Rivers Paper Company, are leaders in their markets,” added Atlas Partner Sam Astor.

“Atlas has owned and operated businesses that have similar operations and footprints as Crown, including paper mills, packaging manufacturers and wood products leaders with operations in the U.S. and Canada. In each case, these companies have been strong economic engines in their local economies. As such, we bring a unique set of capabilities and relevant experience to our partnership with Randy and the Crown Team,” said Janet O’Neil, Senior Vice President at Atlas Holdings.

Atlas also announced the appointment of paper and packaging industry executive Randy Nebel as Chairman of the Crown Board of Directors. Nebel has extensive experience in the sector, having previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Verso Corporation (NYSE: VRS), a leading North American producer of graphic, specialty and packaging paper and market pulp, and President of Longview Paper & Packaging, a leading manufacturer of high-quality containerboard, corrugated products and other specialty papers.

Port Townsend Paper Corporation is a leading provider of high-quality recycled and virgin kraft containerboard, kraft pulp and specialty products in Port Townsend, Washington. The two converting facilities, known as Crown Packaging and Boxmaster, operate with extensive customer reach and distribution capabilities throughout British Columbia and Alberta. 

Filed under: Jefferson County, Port Townsend | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

NWI: Purchase protects Discovery Creek headwaters – PDN and others

Posted on June 28, 2022 by Al Bergstein

A little behind on this news. Congratulations to Northwest Watershed Institute and everyone else who helped pull this off!

Ninety-one acres of forest and streams at the headwaters of Discovery Creek, a major tributary to Dabob Bay in East Jefferson County, have been acquired by Northwest Watershed Institute from Rayonier. The project completes preservation of nearly the entirety of Discovery Creek, which is the second largest freshwater source to Tarboo-Dabob Bay.

PDN & NWI

Microsoft Word – Discovery Ck acquisition May 27 2022.docx (nwwatershed.org)

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Food Bank Growers Plant Sale

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Al Bergstein

Please help out our local Food Bank Growers.

The Food Bank Growers network, a collection of 14 local garden teams dedicated to funneling fresh organic produce to four Jefferson County food banks, is holding its Second Annual Spring Plant Sale.

Orders will be taken online through Wed, April 27 at FoodBankGrowers.org. Items include vegetables, berries, herbs, and pollinating flowers, and also include Other Fun Items of bee homes, worm bins, bamboo stakes and weeding services! All proceeds will go toward helping feed your Jefferson County neighbors.

This year, all seed sales will be donated to World Central Kitchen, an organization that is feeding the people of Ukraine. The national flower of Ukraine is the sunflower; organizers of the sale are urging residents to show solidarity with Ukraine by planting a patch of sunflowers.

Order pick up will be on April 30th, from 10:00-1:00, at the Quimper Grange, 1219 Corona Ave at the end of Sheridan.

An in-person sale will occur from 1:00-3:00, with a worm bin demo and live music by Au Contraire. Come and tour a Food Bank Garden! For questions contact FoodBankGrowers@gmail.com.

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EVENT: “We Are Puget Sound” Photo Exhibit at PTMSC

Posted on December 21, 2021 by Al Bergstein

Washington Environmental Council is partnering with the Port Townsend Marine Science Center to bring this exhibit to the north Olympic Peninsula community. The We Are Puget Sound traveling photo exhibit will be on display at the Marine Science Center’s Flagship store in downtown Port Townsend from December 18, 2021 through February 2022.

The photo series explores people, places, and wildlife through extraordinary images, describes human connections in the past and present, and showcases community members engaged in remarkable efforts that benefit Puget Sound and all of us.  

The in-person photo exhibit will inspire and engage people on the Olympic Peninsula to join together and preserve this vital ecosystem and the livelihoods they support by focusing on one action each month from the campaign’s 10 Things You Can Do for Puget Sound.

The exhibit highlights 18 striking images from the book We Are Puget Sound: Discovering and Recovering the Salish Sea (Braided River, 2019). It also features work from  13 regional photographers showcasing individuals who are working to find meaningful solutions to protect the Puget Sound’s waters, wildlife, and the human health and economic prosperity this region supports.

Filed under: education, environmental education, Events, Jefferson County, Port Townsend | 2 Comments »

EVENT: Master Gardener Virtual Lecture Series

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Al Bergstein

January 8th through February 12. Six Saturdays. 10AM to 12PM

Press Release
Contact: Suzanne Eggleston
Date: December 7, 2021
Event: Tickets on Sale for 2022 Yard & Garden Virtual Lecture Series
Tickets go on sale on December 7 for the Jefferson County Master Gardener Foundation’s 2022
Yard & Garden Virtual Lecture Series. The series will be conducted in a live webinar format, and
will run on six consecutive Saturdays from January 8–February 12, 2022.


The series will feature:
• Linda Gilkeson, best-selling author of Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to Year-Round
Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest, entomologist, private consultant, and instructor.
Linda’s lecture on January 8 will be “Planning Your 12-Month Garden.”
• Bess Bronstein, educator, ISA-certified arborist, and horticultural consultant with 35 years of
experience in arboriculture, landscape management and garden design. Bess’ lecture on
January 15 will be “How to Successfully Prune Any Shrub.”
• Eric Lee-Mäder, co-director of the Pollinator Program at the Xerces Society for invertebrate
conservation, and author of several books about bees, including Attracting Native Pollinators
and Farming with Beneficial Insects. Eric’s lecture on January 22 will be “Bring Back the
Pollinators: Sowing Biodiversity for Bees and Beneficial Insects.”
• Christina Pfeiffer, author of Pacific Northwest Month-By-Month Gardening: What to Do Each
Month to Have a Beautiful Garden All Year, and horticulturist with an emphasis on sustainable
and efficient techniques. Christina’s lecture on January 29 will be “What on Earth? Taking
Care of Garden Soils.”
• David Seabrook, a Jefferson County fire district commissioner, volunteer for the Department
of Emergency Management and the Food Systems Unit, Master Gardener, and climate
change activist. David’s lecture on February 5 will be “Growing Community Food System
Resilience for Uncertain Times.”
• James Cassidy, Oregon State University Soil Science instructor for more than 15 years, and
faculty advisor for the wildly popular OSU Organic Growers Club. James’ lecture on February
12 will be “Mulches and Crop Rotations.”
Each lecture will run from 10 a.m.– noon. Lectures will last approximately 90 minutes, and each
event will allow time for the audience to ask questions. The price for the entire six-lecture series
is $60. Single-event tickets are available for $12. Tickets may be purchased from
yardandgarden.brownpapertickets.com/
Ticket sales help support Jefferson County Master Gardener Program programs. For more
information, visit jcmgf.org

The event is cosponsored by Washington State University’s Jefferson County Extension
Service.

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Governor Inslee appoints Kate Dean to the Puget Sound Partnership’s Leadership Council

Posted on November 24, 2021 by Al Bergstein
Photo
Good news. Kate is an excellent choice. She has done a great job in her current roles, including chairing the regional ecosystem coordination board. She cares about the environment and the recovery of the Sound, having put in many hundreds of hours in the mandatory dull meetings prioritizing lists of environmental work and debating funding different projects. Having a voice from rural counties is badly needed. As a County Commissioner, she is deeply involved in issues that directly impact the Strait and the Hood Canal.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 24, 2021

MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Hyde, 360.819.3045, kevin.hyde@psp.wa.gov 
OLYMPIA — Governor Jay Inslee has appointed Kate Dean to the Puget Sound Partnership’s Leadership Council, the governing body of the Puget Sound Partnership. Dean is a Jefferson County Commissioner for District 1, Port Townsend, and has served on the Puget Sound Partnership’s Ecosystem Coordination Board, which advises the Puget Sound Partnership’s Leadership Council on carrying out its responsibilities.

“With her knowledge and passion, Kate will make great contributions to the Puget Sound Partnership’s work to achieve a healthy, resilient Puget Sound,” Gov. Jay Inslee said. “Her experience with local economic development issues, her understanding of rural communities, and her leadership as a Jefferson County Commissioner and member of the Partnership’s Ecosystem Coordination Board all make her an outstanding addition to the Leadership Council.”

“I am really excited about Kate Dean joining the Leadership Council,” said Jay Manning, chair of the Puget Sound Partnership’s Leadership Council. “She has already proven herself as an effective and passionate advocate for restoring Puget Sound to good health and she will make the Leadership Council a stronger voice for recovery. We just issued the 2021 State of the Sound report and it is clear that what we as a society are doing now to protect and restore Puget Sound is not enough. Kate, and her experience as a County Commissioner, will help us make the hard decisions we need to make to save Puget Sound.”Dean was elected to the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners in 2017. She moved to Jefferson County in 1999 and spent 10 years farming and working to grow the local food economy through businesses she co-founded, including FinnRiver Farm and Mt. Townsend Creamery. Her experience as an entrepreneur is critical to her understanding of the local economy and community.

Dean left the farm but didn’t go far; she started a consulting business that had her working on natural resource and rural economic development issues locally and regionally. She coordinated the Jefferson Landworks Collaborative (a farmland preservation and enterprise development initiative), managed Washington State University Extension’s Small Farm Program, worked for Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, and was the regional director for the North Olympic Development Council, a council of governments tasked with community and economic development. Dean has served on the Ecosystem Coordination Board as the alternate for Rep. Steve Tharinger, representing the Strait of Juan de Fuca Action Area since 2017, and representing Puget Sound counties since early 2021. In 2019, Dean proposed the board form a land use subcommittee to work on identifying tools, policies, and funding mechanisms to support the participation of counties and cities in the protection and recovery of Puget Sound. Since then, she has co-chaired the land use subcommittee, which includes many of the local elected officials on the board and representatives from tribal, state, and federal governments. She also helped draft a protocol for the board to rotate meetings around the Puget Sound to co-host local forums.

The purpose of the local forums is to expand local decision-maker engagement with the Puget Sound recovery community and discuss local priorities.Dean holds her Master of Public Administration degree from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington. Her publications include USDA Farmland Changing Hands and Preparing for Climate Change on the North Olympic Peninsula. In her spare time, Dean can be found gardening, riding her bike, or in the mountains with her two teenagers.“It’s an honor to be appointed to such a committed group as the Leadership Council,” Dean said. “I’m pleased that the Partnership sees the value of having local government represented in this critical work. A healthy Puget Sound is essential to a rural county like mine and I look forward to working on a regional scale to protect and restore it.””I’m delighted that Kate is joining the Leadership Council,” said Laura Blackmore, executive director of the Puget Sound Partnership. “In her work as a Jefferson County Commissioner, Ecosystem Coordination Board member, and regular attendee at Puget Sound Day on the Hill, she has shown her commitment to Puget Sound recovery and her passion for connecting with partners. I know that she will help us advance our work toward a resilient Puget Sound.”Dean’s term on the Leadership Council runs through June 25, 2025. She fills the vacancy recently left by Stephanie Solien, who served on the council for seven years. Solien recently served as vice chair for the Leadership Council and was co-chair of the Southern Resident Orca Task Force. 

About the Leadership Council
The Leadership Council is the governing body of the Puget Sound Partnership. Its seven members are leading citizens chosen from around the Sound and appointed by the Governor to serve four-year terms. Jay Manning currently chairs the Leadership Council.

About the Puget Sound Partnership

The Puget Sound Partnership is the state agency formed to lead the region’s collective effort to restore and protect Puget Sound. Working with hundreds of government agencies, tribes, scientists, businesses, and nonprofits, the Partnership mobilizes partner action around a common agenda, advances Sound investments, and tracks progress to optimize recovery. For more information, go to www.psp.wa.gov.

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Part 2 – Brinnon Resort’s unpaid bills to Jefferson County

Posted on November 14, 2021 by Al Bergstein

In the first part of our short series, we explored the issue of the Statesman Group, an international developer out of Canada, and it’s unpaid bills to Jefferson County for work the county did for them on behalf of approving the Pleasant Harbor Resort. The resort, a large Master Planned Resort (MPR), has been the issue of contention since it was unveiled back in the early 2000s. The County gave a green light to develop, with numerous requirements to be met. In exchange, the County, because of the lack of employees due to the financial aftermath of the real estate crash of 2008-09 offered to do a great deal of work to expedite the approvals in exchange for being paid agreed upon sums for the work. It was a reasonable thing to do, given the financial situation the County was in at that time. Though the County did do a great deal of work it was paid for between 2008 and 2016, starting in 2016 Statesman started challenging the invoices. For some reason, this dispute has gone on for 6 years, totaling over $190,000, money the County can ill afford and a situation most of us would never be allowed to do as individuals or small time developers.

Since this dispute started, Statesman has received permission by the Department of Natural Resources to log the property, and according to my sources, they have. This logging activity most likely generated revenue for Statesman.

The County has been involved in negotiations with the Statesman group for many months now, records revealed through Public Records Act requests have shown that County attorney Philip Hunsucker and County officials have been going back and forth for years seeking to receive payments from Statesman. Mr. Hunsucker has stated the following in letters to Stateman’s attorney in May of 2021:

  • “Your client previously paid without question invoices with the same sort of detail in the so-called “block bills” he is now complaining about.”
  • “…when the County tried to get your client to pay invoices in January 2017, he refused”
  • “Some of the work the County did with tribes also was necessary to address your client’s missteps with the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe (PGST).”
  • “Significant work was required by the County to ensure that all MOU’s and environmental reports required by Ordinance No. 01-1028-08 were completed, including the Water Quality Management Plan and the Wildlife Management Plan. This issue also coincides with the need to coordinate with tribes. The PGST provided detailed and substantive comments to Water Quality Management Plan and the Wildlife Management Plan that had to be addressed”

Mr. Hunsucker also offered a 5% discount on the bill if they paid immediately.

The question that has been asked by many in the opposition to this MPR, is “What other business in Jefferson County would be allowed to not pay hundreds of thousands of dollars owed to the County for work done over six years and then offered a discount to pay these late bills?”

A logical follow up to this question is, “Why can’t the County issue a stop work order to Statesman until these bills are paid?

This reporter reached out to former County Commissioner John Austin, who was one of the commissioners that approved this MPR in the first place. His comment was, “It’s very distressing to me that they have not followed their agreement with the County.” He went on to state that he would likely have been reluctant to approve this MPR if he knew that this would have been the outcome.

It would be informative to get an official statement from the County as to why they have not issued a stop work order on this development until bills are paid. On Page 62 of the 2017 agreement with Statesman, it states:

(11) Violations and Penalties. The administrator is authorized to enforce the provisions of this article whenever he or she determines that a condition exists in violation of this article or permit issued hereunder. All violations of any provisions of this article, incorporated standard or permit issued. pursuant to this article are made subject to the provisions of Chapter 18.50 JCC, which provides for voluntary correction, notice and orders to correct the violation, stop work and emergency orders, and
assessment of civil penalties (emphasis added).

https://test.co.jefferson.wa.us/weblinkexternal/ElectronicFile.aspx?dbid=0&docid=1899761&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Additional investigations by the Brinnon Group have found the following brochure put out by Statesman. It raises the specter that Statesman does not have the financial resources to complete this project.

A redflag on Statesman finances was raised back in August, 2016, when the company distributed a flyer that proposed public financing of the Pleasant Harbor development…. Statesman proposed a $2,000,000 “Recreational Community Grant” from Jefferson County. A transfer of about 30 acres of the Pleasant Harbor site to the state for another Recreational Community Grant in the amount of $9,250,000 was proposed (a cost of over $308,000/acre of undeveloped, vacant land), as well as a $26,500,000 loan from the state. These requests totaled almost $38,000,000 in corporate welfare to Statesman. During this time in 2016, while Statesman was asking for public money for its project, it was not paying its bills to Jefferson County.

From email provided by The Brinnon Group

Additionally, according to a letter sent earlier this month to the County, raises the issue of whether the County is crossing a legal line by allowing this situation to continue. And at what point is it considered bad debt and written off?

Article 8, Section 7 of the Washington Constitution states: “No county, city, town or other municipal corporation shall hereafter give any money, or property, or loan its money, or credit to or in aid of any individual, association, company or corporation . . .” (emphasis added).

From email provided by The Brinnon Group

The Brinnon group is asking that the County take steps to ensure that Statesman can finance this project. They ask, quite reasonably it would seem to most individuals here, that the County require financial security or a bond for payment to the County, such as an irrevocable line of credit from an established financial institution. The question also might be asked, “Why hasn’t the County already done that?”

How much longer are the taxpayers of this county expected to wait before the bills that are due them are paid? Who else would get this kind of kid glove treatment by county officials?

A great deal more background on this can be found on the website of The Brinnon Group, the citizens who have been opposing this development since the beginning. http://www.brinnongroup.org/

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Anti-Resort Group Requests Jefferson County Collect Fees from Pleasant Harbor Proposal Work

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Al Bergstein

The ongoing saga of the development of Black Point, a beautiful promontory covered in tall firs and having unique geographic elements overlooking the Hood Canal, has taken another turn for the worse. It appears that the Statesman Group, the international developer who claimed to have vast resources available to successfully do this project, has not paid the County for work that the county did on behalf of them for the last six years. The county, operating on good faith back then, along with the County Commissioners that backed it, bought their promises without any financial bonding to ensure the work would be completed on time and budget. Hundreds of people in the County publicly questioned this decision and unfortunately, they appear to have been proven correct in their concerns.

The Brinnon Group, the organization of local people challenging the Pleasant Harbor has requested that Jefferson County  collect the fees due it by for the work done on the proposal.These fees, in the amount of $191,379.25, are for 2133 hours of work the county did for Statesman between 2016 and 2019.  It is unclear if Statesman is in breach of contract with the county, and whether the county could sue for payment and revoke the agreement. It is also unclear of whether the county has been attempting to collect on these fees.The invoice provided to The Brinnon Group attorney, was dated June 6th, 2020.

The letter, sent to Jefferson County Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney  Philip C. Hunsucker called into question the financial ability of the Statesmen group to complete the project. It stated the following (bold face has been done by me to highlight key issues):

Dear Mr. Hunsucker: As you know, this office represents the Brinnon Group, a local community organization concerned with the proposed master planned resort (MPR) at Black Point. This proposal, termed the Pleasant Harbor development, has been under various stages of review since 2007.

Most recently, a development plan was approved that called for phased construction on the site. However, to date there has been little progress toward completion of the development plan, which advertises a variety of amenities for the community, including a large community center.

Over the past several years, Statesman’s development proposal has consumed significant time of county staff in reviewing and processing this complex proposal. Pursuant to adopted codes and ordinances, well known to Statesman, Jefferson County charges staff time spent on land development proposals back to the developer. This process, adopted by the Jefferson County Commissioners, is to assure that county taxpayers do not subsidize land developers. The requirement of reimbursement applies uniformly to all persons using the services of Jefferson County planning employees.

Over the past several months, my client has directed emails to the County regarding the Pleasant Harbor development and the status of billings and payments by Statesman for work performed by county employees. After expressing financial concerns about this project numerous times, my client was shocked to find that Statesman is in arrears to the County for $191,379.25, accumulated from 2016 to 2019, representing more than 2,000 staff hours spent on the Pleasant Harbor application (see Attachment 1, Jefferson County Invoice 20-001 issued June 9, 2020). Based on current information, we cannot find a record of payment for these fees. Our investigation has been hampered by redactions of emails and other information by your office, which seem wholly inappropriate when inquiries into taxpayer-supported county finances are involved.

It certainly appears that special privileges are being extended to Statesman by Jefferson County. County residents or other developers who owe taxes and fees to the County are expected to promptly pay their obligations and cannot just ask the County to “put it on their tab” for several years. Article 8, Section 7 of the Washington Constitution states: “No county, city, town or other municipal corporation shall hereafter give any money, or property, or loan its money, or credit to or in aid of any individual, association, company or corporation . . .” (emphasis added). While Jefferson County appropriately grants leeway to county residents in times of need, such as that caused by Covid-19 impacts, Statesman is a large development company with substantial holdings in the United States and Canada and certainly has, or should have resources to pay its bills.

The Statesman’s arrearage to the County raises another serious issue: does Statesman have the resources to implement the complex venture they are proposing? The Pleasant Harbor plan includes multiple phases, most of which will require substantial financial wherewithal to construct. One of the proposed amenities is the large community center, which will be a multi-million dollar project with unclear and uncertain financial returns. A redflag on Statesman finances was raised back in August, 2016, when the company distributed a flyer that proposed public financing of the Pleasant Harbor development. A copy of that brochure is attached. Statesman proposed a $2,000,000 “Recreational Community Grant” from Jefferson County. A transfer of about 30 acres of the Pleasant Harbor site to the state for another Recreational Community Grant in the amount of $9,250,000 was proposed (a cost of over $308,000/acre of undeveloped, vacant land), as well as a $26,500,000 loan from the state. These requests totaled almost $38,000,000 in corporate welfare to Statesman.

During this time in 2016, while Statesman was asking for public money for its project, it was not paying its bills to Jefferson County. These events raise the real concern that Statesman lacks the financial backing to complete the Pleasant Harbor proposal. The Northwest and other parts of the United States are littered with partially completed resort and recreational proposals that have been abandoned. Regrettably, these failures have created substantial costs for local governments.

Based on the foregoing, Jefferson County should take two actions. First, it should insist that Statesman’s past due bills for county services be paid immediately, and with interest. Jefferson County finances are not such that special privileges and deferral of payment can be allowed to land developers, including Statesman. After Statesman has come current on their account, the County should insist that any additional services provided be paid in a timely fashion. If further deferrals of payment are proposed by Statesman, they should be accompanied by complete financial security or a bond for payment to the County, such as an irrevocable line of credit from an established financial institution.

Second, Jefferson County should insist that Statesman demonstrate that it has the financial backing to complete the entire Pleasant Harbor project. These assurances should take the form of third party assurances of financing for the project, again from established banks or other financial institutions, or private committed financing. Jefferson County is not Statesman’s bank. Moreover, it is time for the County to insist, after 15 years of inaction, that Statesman demonstrate it can complete this project and not leave Jefferson County taxpayers holding the bag for a partially completed project that does not meet master plan resort standards. 

J. Richard Aramburu

The letter from Mr. Aramburu goes on to state that

Moreover, our investigations have disclosed a residential/recreational development in eastern
British Columbia with many similarities to Pleasant Harbor, this one called Pine Ridge. One of those
similarities is a proposed and promised community center which has been advertised as far back as 2008.
Over the years, Statesman has also proposed public financing for this project. However, neither public nor
private financing has been secured for this community center, and, like the one at Pleasant Harbor, it has
not been constructed. A video from Statesman discussing the project, and community center, is here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhE0z31AGLw. Discussion of the proposed Community Center
occurs at approximately 2’35”.

The County has been in discussions with the Statesman Group to get these bills paid, but the Groups’ lawyer is pushing back very hard on the County, refusing to pay based on a variety of details. On May 19th the County sent an email to the lawyer for Statesman, very strongly worded about the County’s billing, and demanding immediate payment.

Is the county finally ready to withdraw this approval and force Statesman to go back to the drawing board for this project? Is anyone at the county paying attention to this project at all?

Proposed Pleasant Harbor Resort

Filed under: Environmental Activism, Jefferson County, Olympic Peninsula, Projects | Tagged: , | 7 Comments »

Biotoxins in shellfish lead to closure at Discovery Bay – Peninsula Daily News

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Al Bergstein

Following on a recent post about the effects of the recent heatwave, here’s more economic and enviromental effects. Yes, global warming is costing all of us. Discovery Bay is home to a number of commercial geoduck operations as well as recreational shellfish harvesting.

Discovery Bay is closed to shellfish harvesting due to high levels of marine biotoxins discovered in the water. Shellfish samples taken from Discovery Bay were found to contain elevated levels of the marine biotoxin that causes diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, resulting in the state Department of Health closing the beaches around the bay for all shellfish harvesting, Jefferson County Environmental Health said in a press release. Zach Jablonski reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Read the whole story here:

Biotoxins in shellfish lead to closure at Discovery Bay

Filed under: Climate Change, Global Warming, Jefferson County | Comments Off on Biotoxins in shellfish lead to closure at Discovery Bay – Peninsula Daily News

Washington State Parks commission approves scaled-back proposal for Navy SEALs training – Seattle Times

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Al Bergstein

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The outcome was never in doubt. It never is. Our state parks are being turned into military training facilities and there is no way to stop it. It doesn’t matter if it’s up to the Democrats or the Republicans. Who thought this was a good idea? It seems to be a show by the military of raw arrogance “we can do it and they won’t stop us.” It is a never ending story of a grab for more of our waters, our beaches and our tax payer monies for protection that becomes less effective by every year. We are unable to effectively protect our assets on our computers from a torrid of hacking. And as we saw at the Capital, the real enemies we have to fear are the people right here among us who have bought, hook line and sinker, that when they lose an election, when they don’t get their way, that it is grounds for revolution, violence and mayhem.

Want to complain to the Governor and your state representatives? Start with our State Parks and Recreation commissioner, Jessica Logan, who’s comment was was worthy of the best of George Orwell’s famous doublespeak. “At no time will the Navy’s use of State parks supplant or displace the public. The public always has a priority.” Right. Sure. Thank you to Ken Bounds, Sophia Danenberg and Diana Perez for at least trying to stop this.

Here’s how they voted, so you can take action to try and get rid of the Commissioners who supported this next time their terms are up:

Motion by Mark O. Brown to approve the staff recommendation as proposed in the Requested
Action above. Second by Michael Latimer. All those in favor: Michael Latimer (term expires in 2024), Steve Milner, Cindy Whaley (term recently expired, up for renewal?), and Mark O. Brown (2022). All those opposed: Ken Bounds, Sophia Danenberg and Diana Perez. Motion passes 4 to 3.

Amendment to the motion by Commissioner Milner: In consideration of how these park supporters feel and their concerns for diminished spiritual, philosophical and emotional attachment to the parks, I move to amend staff’s recommendation to add to the criteria and conditions set forth in Appendix #2 permit issuance is restricted to the time period when daytime visitors would normally not be permitted in the park per WAC 352.32.050. Nine months after the issuance of the first permit the Director will present to the commission a detailed report on permitted naval activity including interactions and issues arising involving park visitors and navy personnel, park visitors and park staff and comments to public information materials posted in
the parks and bring forth any recommendations for policy changes if warranted.

Second by Cindy Whaley. All those in favor: Michael Latimer, Steve Milner, Cindy Whaley, Mark O.
Brown, and Sophia Danenberg. All those opposed: Ken Bounds and Diana Perez. Amendment
passes 5 to 2.


A state commission has approved the Navy’s use of up to 17 Washington state parks for after-dark stealth training of SEAL teams. The 4-3 vote approves the training over the next five years. The Navy had sought to use up to 28 state parks for up to 48 hours at a stretch to enable special operation SEAL teams to make shoreline landings, then conduct surveillance of other military personnel dressed in plain clothes. Hal Bernton reports, (Seattle Times)

Washington state parks commission approves scaled-back proposal for Navy SEALs training 

Filed under: Around the Sound, Environmental Protection, Jefferson County | 5 Comments »

Two forest parcels taken off bidding sheet – PDN

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Al Bergstein

Good news this week from the DNR and the NW Watershed Institute.

Eighty acres of Jefferson County forest land will not be sold to the highest bidder, said Peter Bahls of the Northwest Watershed Institute.

That had been the state Department of Natural Resources plan.

Two forest parcels taken off bidding sheet

Filed under: Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, Jefferson County, Jefferson County | 3 Comments »

Partnership puts pressure on DNR for expansion of Dabob Bay Natural Area – PT Leader

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Al Bergstein

Trying to finalize the protection of the Toandos Peninsula. This is currently the largest conservation project in East Jefferson County.

Conservation groups, Tribes, community members and shellfish farmers are banding together to press the state to expand the Dabob Bay Natural Area.

If approved, the expansion of the protected lands on the Toandos Peninsula would be the preserve’s third since 2009.   

In a letter addressed to Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, the consortium — spearheaded by the Northwest Watershed Institute — called for an expansion of the southern boundary of the Dabob Bay Natural Area to include a series of recently-discovered rare forests. 

Partnership puts pressure on DNR for expansion of Dabob Bay Natural Area | Port Townsend Leader (ptleader.com)

Filed under: Environmental Protection, forestry, Jefferson County, Jefferson County, Olympic Peninsula | Comments Off on Partnership puts pressure on DNR for expansion of Dabob Bay Natural Area – PT Leader

Support Lorna Smith for Jefferson Co District 2 County Commissioner

Posted on October 26, 2020 by Al Bergstein

We are extremely lucky to have two very capable women running for District 2 in the County Commissioner race. While both have extensive background in our community,  I’m supporting Lorna Smith. Here’s why:

In 1979 I met and started working with Lorna, covering her work with Seattle Audubon as liaison to Eleanor Stopps in the fight to protect Protection Island. Over the years, I’ve worked with Lorna on a variety of environmental causes and watched her on the Planning Commission, crafting a Comprehensive Plan.

I have always valued experience as well as good intention over friendship when it comes to people running for governmental positions. While I consider myself a good friend with Lorna and her husband Darrell, I am supporting  her because I believe she brings the best experience and proven results to the position. She will not need on the job training to step into the role and start producing positive outcomes for our county and her district.

She is a three term Jefferson County Planning Commissioner. She spent 8 years on the Jefferson County Conservation Futures Committee and Planning Commission, protecting thousands of acres of farm and forest lands. She took a hard and ultimately correct stand on the controversial shooting range.

She is the only candidate to have worked in management for county government. That experience counts. She had a 25-year career as a Snohomish County lands use manager.  In that role she worked in planning, transportation, public works and budgeting.

She was the governor appointment to the Washington State Economic Development Board.

She has been  on the board of the Olympic Forest Coalition, the Washington Environmental Council, Seattle Audubon and the Snohomish County Wetlands Alliance. She speaks fluent Spanish and has been a volunteer on the Jefferson County Immigrant Rights Advocates.

Lorna worked on conservation issues impacting the Peninsula and the Salish Sea for her entire career. Her family roots here go back generations. Her grandparents were lighthouse keepers on Destruction Island and Dungeness light.

Most recently she was part of the coalition to protect our native salmon from the harmful diseases found in Atlantic salmon raised in pens in our marine waters, protecting the jobs of our local fishers. She co-authored one of the first Habitat Conservation Plans prepared by a local jurisdiction in Washington state and also authored one of the country’s first local ordinances for wetland and stream protection.

Lorna combines a strong administrative and fiscal management background with passion, persistence and a respect for science and nature.

I’m hoping you will support her also. And thank you to all three talented women who decided to put themselves and their families in the harsh spotlight of a campaign race.

VOTE.

Filed under: Environmental Activism, Government, Jefferson County | 1 Comment »

Minor bridge modifications could help young steelhead escape from Hood Canal – PSI

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Al Bergstein

As this blog has reported for many years, the Hood Canal Floating bridge is a barrier likely the primary issue responsible for the massive decline in salmon in the Canal. An unintended consequence of our putting a floating bridge in rather than one that would be a suspension bridge. Chris Dunagan brings us up to speed on the latest work by engineers to address this mistake.


Help could be on the way for migrating steelhead and salmon in Hood Canal, where many young fish are killed each year by seals and other predators that lie in wait at the Hood Canal floating bridge. As many as 50 percent of the steelhead migrants perish as they arrive at the bridge, where predators pick them off one by one. The bridge is supported by floating concrete pontoons, forming a nearly solid barrier across the waterway. Young steelhead generally swim near the surface, making them especially vulnerable to predation, although some fish will dive under the bridge to get to the other side. Engineers are currently designing minor modifications to a few bridge pontoons to help the fish find their way through existing gaps in the structure. Chris Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

Minor bridge modifications could help young steelhead escape from Hood Canal

Filed under: Endangered Species, Environmental Protection, fisheries, Jefferson County, Jefferson County, Salmon | Comments Off on Minor bridge modifications could help young steelhead escape from Hood Canal – PSI

What the pandemic has done to WA’s flagship shellfish industry – Crosscut

Posted on October 9, 2020 by Al Bergstein

A very good article on the state of the shellfish industry in our state. Quotes from people here in the area working in the industry.

The pandemic tanked the shellfish industry, but growers are “tentatively optimistic” that things are looking up.

By Hannah Weinberger
https://crosscut.com/environment/2020/10/what-pandemic-has-done-was-flagship-shellfish-industry?utm_source=Crosscut%20Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Crosscut+Daily+20201009+-+READY+ABT
Crosscut Article

Filed under: Around the Sound, Jefferson County, Jefferson County, Puget Sound, Shellfish | Tagged: , | Comments Off on What the pandemic has done to WA’s flagship shellfish industry – Crosscut

Hood Canal nearing a potential ‘first’ for salmon recovery – KIRO News

Posted on October 9, 2020 by Al Bergstein

Hood Canal nearing a potential ‘first’ for salmon recovery.

In the Hood Canal Region there is an ongoing effort to de-list summer chum, a move that would be a “first” nationwide. A number of people who spoke with KIRO 7 believe that could happen within the next two years.

KIRO News 7

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/hood-canal-nearing-potential-first-salmon-recovery/ZSKKVIDLTNH2LAQTEUTSMKQBUE/

Filed under: Clallam County, Endangered Species, Environmental Protection, Environmental Science, First Nations, fisheries, Jefferson County, Jefferson County, Olympic Peninsula | Tagged: , | Comments Off on Hood Canal nearing a potential ‘first’ for salmon recovery – KIRO News

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