Public Hearing - EISs for the Proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal ...

11/3/2012
1 provided a letter in which they've detailed their
2 strong concerns for the -- especially regarding the
3 increased vessel traffic that this proposed facility
4 will bring and the risk that that has to the
5 threatened orca populations, Chinook salmon and their
6 forage fish prey, as well as habitats around Cherry
7 Point and other areas that would be in danger as well.
8 I would like to note that this region, San
9 Juan County, including Cypress Island in addition, is
10 part of the marine biological preserve that was set up
11 in 1923, one of the earliest and largest in the
12 country.
13 The county also is a marine stewardship area
14 since 2004, includes marine protected areas that the
15 Department of Fish and Wildlife and the University of
16 Washington run, as well as federal wildlife refuge
17 sites. So there is a lot of important protected biota
18 within this region.
19 The University of Washington Friday Harbor
20 Laboratories brings in over 500 individuals per year
21 doing research and taking courses there, and they come
22 because of that high biodiversity and because of the
23 excellent conditions of the habitats in the San Juan
24 Islands now. Thank you.
25 o-O-o
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