Lummi Indian Business Council - EISs for the Proposed Gateway ...

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6.3 Significant Unavoidable Adverse ImpactsConstruction and operation of the proposed projects will degrade finfish and shellfish habitatwithin a primary harvest area relied on by the Lummi People to exercise their treaty rights tofish throughout their U&A – these impacts will result in significant, unavoidable, andunacceptable interference with our treaty rights and irreversible and irretrievable damage toour spiritual values if the proposed projects are approved.7 Potential Impact: Climate Change7.1 Issue Definition/Rationale:Greenhouse gases like water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone absorbenergy and slow or prevent the loss of heat from the Earth into space. These atmosphericgases increase when the emissions of these gases exceed the rate that they can be absorbed bythe ocean or by terrestrial plants. Because the greenhouse gases slow or prevent heat fromescaping back into space, the Earth becomes warmer, which is known as global warming.Because of the role of temperature and temperature differences over the Earth surface onclimate, global warming causes changes in climate. According to the EPA, carbon dioxide (CO 2 )is the primary greenhouse gas that is contributing to climate changes observed since theIndustrial Revolution began in the mid‐1700s. Atmospheric CO 2 concentrations have increasedby approximately 40 percent since the Industrial Revolution. Although there are naturalsources of CO 2 (e.g., volcanic eruptions), most of the carbon emitted to the atmosphere is dueto the combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation.According to the EPA, coal‐fired power plants emit 1.3 times more carbon dioxide than theaverage petroleum oil‐fired power plant and 2 times more carbon dioxide than an averagenatural gas‐fired power plant. Further increases in CO 2 are expected to lead to higher sealevels, greater coastal flooding, more intense weather patterns/storms, retreat/melting ofglaciers, and ocean acidification. If constructed, the proposed project will substantially increasethe availability of coal on the global market, which can be expected to decrease the cost of coal.As the cost of coal decreases, economic incentives to develop alternative energy sources thathave lower CO 2 emissions also decrease, which will continue the reliance on an energy sourcethat has relatively high levels of CO 2 emissions.Stream flow in the Nooksack River, particularly in the North and Middle Forks of the river, aresupported by glacial melt and runoff during the summer months. As the glaciers continue toretreat, less runoff will be able to support stream flows during the low‐flow summer months.These stream flows are needed to support a sustainable, harvestable surplus of salmon.7.2 Extent/Geographic Scale of EvaluationImmediate AreaLocal AreaRegional AreaLummi Nation Scoping CommentsCorps Project Ref. No. NWS‐2008‐260Corps Project Ref. No. NWS‐2011‐325January 201312
Global AreaThe EIS should evaluate the impacts of the increased availability of coal to global competitors ofthe United States that would occur as a result of this project on the development and relianceon alternative energy sources, climate change, and particularly how climate change will affectsea level rise and coastal flooding on the Lummi Indian Reservation and the sustainability ofglaciers in the Nooksack River watershed.Like all of the potential project impacts, the evaluation of climate change impacts shouldspecifically consider environmental justice and cumulative effects.7.3 Significant Unavoidable Adverse ImpactsThe operation of the proposed projects will increase the export and the availability of coal forcombustion. Existing and further increases in CO 2 are expected to lead to higher sea levels,greater coastal flooding, more intense weather patterns/ storms, ocean acidification, and theretreat and reduction in the size of glaciers. These results from increases in CO 2 emissions willdisproportionately affect the Lummi Nation due to the reliance of the Lummi Nation on aharvestable surplus of seafood and the approximately 38 miles of marine shoreline on theReservation.Climate change due to the burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal, has a direct, serious, andsubstantial effect on the political integrity, economic security, health, and welfare of the LummiNation, its members, and all persons present on the Reservation. In addition to sea level riseand associated coastal flooding along the Reservation shorelines, the decrease in summer timestream flow due to the reduction or elimination of glaciers in the Nooksack River watershed willreduce the extent and availability of salmon habitat and preclude the ability and/or interferewith the ability of the Lummi People to exercise their treaty rights to fish throughout their U&A– these impacts will result in significant, unavoidable, and unacceptable interference with ourtreaty rights and irreversible and irretrievable damage to our spiritual values if the proposedprojects are approved.8 Potential Impact: Carbon Balance/Ocean Acidification8.1 Issue Definition/Rationale:Ocean acidification occurs because CO 2 in the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean. The moreCO 2 levels in the atmosphere increase, the more CO 2 is absorbed by the ocean. The CO 2absorbed by the ocean increases the acidity of ocean water which in turn reduces theavailability of carbonate, which is the mineral used to form the shells and skeletons of manyshellfish and corals and numerous smaller organisms that form the base of the food web reliedon by higher organisms (e.g., forage fish, salmon, humans). In addition to salmon and otherfinfish that will be negatively impacted by ocean acidification and its negative effects on thesmaller organisms that have a key role in their food web, the Lummi Nation members and theLummi Nation Scoping CommentsCorps Project Ref. No. NWS‐2008‐260Corps Project Ref. No. NWS‐2011‐325January 201313
Page 5: GUTACHTEN zur ABE Nr. 47728 nach §
Page 8 and 9: shorelines of Puget Sound that will
Page 10 and 11: In addition to the proposed Gateway
Page 12 and 13: 4.3 Significant Unavoidable Adverse
Page 16 and 17: tribal economy are dependent on the
Page 18 and 19: 10 Potential Impact: Economic Impac
Page 20 and 21: 11.3 Significant Unavoidable Advers
Page 22 and 23: All wetlands on the projects sites
Page 24 and 25: Increased risk of hazardous materia
Page 26: Citations:Philcox, Neil. 2007. Lite

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