South Maury Island environmental issues
Encyclopedia
South Maury Island environmental issues are linked to broader Puget Sound environmental issues
, which include concerns regarding declining salmon
and forage fish
populations, degrading critical marine and shoreline habitats
, and threatened species
such as the Orca
.
Many of these concerns are centered around the proposed expansion of the South Maury Island
gravel site owned by Glacier Northwest
.
on Maury Island is Glacier Northwest's proposal to expand its gravel mine, located in the southern part of the island. Glacier Northwest has operated the mine on the island since the 1940s, but in 1998 it announced its proposal to expand the operation to approximately 7.5 million tons of gravel a year. According to Glacier Northwest senior executives in a presentation at the University of Washington
in April 2005, the expansion of its South Maury Island mine is in the interest of the Pacific Northwest as a whole. They claim Washington uses approximately 75 million tons of gravel and sand per year; seven tons per person, per year. The Seattle/Tacoma area uses 48% of all sand and gravel, making the South Maury Island site centrally located for supplying this demand. They estimate economic growth in the Puget Sound region
between 2000-2020 will require an additional 22 million tons of gravel per year. They claim that Washington, and particularly the Seattle/Tacoma area, may benefit from an expansion of local sand and gravel mines. There is also potential for the construction of a third runway at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
that would require large quantities of sand and gravel. Many people believe that South Maury Island is one of the most sensitive places to mine due to the amount of wildlife
the area supports; however, Glacier Northwest claims that mining on the island and barging the gravel off the site will have fewer environmental impacts than would mining somewhere else and transporting the gravel by truck. Grassroots
efforts and litigation have managed to postpone the proposed expansion as of yet.
Preserve Our Islands (POI) is a volunteer, non-profit organization committed to preserving all aspects of life and the environment on Vashon Island
and Maury Island, and is opposed to Glacier Northwest's proposal to expand its gravel mine. According to Glacier Northwest's website, it is the largest supplier of aggregate
in the Pacific Northwest
, creating a need for it to continuously extract aggregate so that it can remain the largest supplier. POI claims that if Glacier Northwest continues to expand, nearly ten percent of Maury Island will be affected. They also argue that the near shore location of the gravel pit will endanger the eelgrass
habitat, which is vital for salmon to spawn
. POI also argues that toxins will contaminate the island's only source of drinking water and will affect the residents as well. It hopes that its grassroots efforts will stop Glacier Northwest's expansion.
Glacier Northwest's proposed mining expansion has stirred response in the government. U.S. Senator Patty Murray
, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee
, has pushed measures for economic development and environmental and public safety initiatives throughout Washington, one of which concerns the conservation of Maury Island. Providing approximately $2 million, this bill would contribute to the goal of local organizations, such as POI, of preserving the threatened 250 acres (1 km²) that are home to the state’s largest Madrona
forests, as well as its shoreline habitats. By incorporating funds from local, state, and private sources, this bill would promote responsible, cost efficient local stewardship.
Among the key figures in the conflict is former Washington Governor Booth Gardner
, also a member of Preserve Our Islands. In a presentation given at the University of Washington for the Society and Oceans course 103 on April 26, 2005, Gardner expressed his support for POI and his personal philosophy on understanding both sides of the South Maury Island/Glacier Northwest mining issue and acknowledging the importance of one’s personal view and the opponent’s stance.http://www.preserveourislands.org/POIWeb/Background/News/ While he has expressed hopes of the community purchasing the land from Glacier Northwest in order to stop the expansion, he does recognize the relevance of compromise and the reality of the situation. Gardner was joined by King County Council
member Dow Constantine
, who has strongly advocated the protection of salmon, expressing the possible negative impacts Glacier Northwest’s expansion could have on the threatened species
. In his view, putting the salmon in further danger would be a step backwards in the policies and funds currently implemented for protection.
Gravel mining by Glacier Northwest on Maury Island does have some advantages. Glacier Northwest is a large company with twelve sites, other than south Maury Island, from which aggregates
are mined in Washington and Oregon. Actively mining the Maury Island site would provide a small number of jobs for people on the island and in surrounding areas, while its operations are estimated to continue for the next 20 to 30 years, depending on business and demand.
Additionally, the aggregate resources do not produce much waste material when mined, and are therefore beneficial and cost effective for the region. The sand, gravel, and quarry
rock from the Maury Island site would be distributed throughout the Pacific Northwest region to be used for building roadways and houses, creating concrete, and making other products such as roof tiles and cement blocks.http://www.glaciernw.com/
, lead
, and cadmium
, probably due to decades of copper smelting
operations in Ruston, Washington
, located just south of the southern tip of Vashon Island. When examined by area, the data indicates the most serious arsenic contamination is in South Vashon-Maury Island.http://www.metrokc.gov/health/hazard/soilsamples.htm At a public meeting in February 1999, following the public disclosure of elevated levels on the Lone Star Northwest Gravel Mine (now Glacier Northwest) site, the community raised new questions about the level of arsenic contamination for Vashon-Maury Island as a whole.
One risk associated with Glacier Northwest’s plan for expansion involves amassing thousands of tons of arsenic-contaminated soil into a large, plastic container. Due to decades of downwind fallout from the ASARCO
copper smelter near Tacoma, the top layer of earth on Maury Island is laden with toxins, including arsenic,http://www.preserveourislands.org/ which was found in concentrations nearly double those requiring industrial cleanup and 20 times those of residential standards. Glacier Northwest plans to bulldoze the top 18 inches of soil and store it in an enormous berm
, which would store large amounts of hazardous wastes for 50–75 years. Glacier Northwest offers no plan for managing the toxins after that time. If the permit is issued and the company is allowed to mine at the proposed rate, it is foreseeable that the corporation will have exhausted the site and moved on long before necessary measures are taken to proper dispose of the toxic waste.
Should the berm rupture, if disturbed by something such as an earthquake, the mass of toxic soil would flow downhill into Puget Sound, where it would devastate not only the physical environment, but also the populations living there. Fish, birds and marine mammals would be exposed to extreme levels of the deadly contaminants, which bio-accumulate up the food chain. Sea birds often die after eating arsenic-tainted fish, which would prove disastrous on Maury Island as its Quartermaster Harbor
has been identified by the Washington Department of Natural Resources
as “an important area for marine birds.”
Exposure to arsenic can cause health effects, such as gastrointestinal disturbances, abnormal heart rhythm, and blood vessel damage in the short term and skin , bladder, kidney, liver, and lung cancers in the long term.
tree stand habitat, located in the area of the proposed expansion. Glacier Northwest has acknowledged that it will occupy the stand, but stresses that restoration of the habitat will be a continually occurring process. Nevertheless, the concern for irreversible damage to one of the largest Madrone forests in the United States still exists. Madrone trees protect against soil erosion with wide roots, which anchor the soil, and their leaves, which protect soil from the rain. The forest also provides nesting areas and food for numerous birds, ranging from the Chestnut-backed Chickadee
to the Bald Eagle
. If Glacier Northwest were allowed to conduct their proposed expansive mining operation on Maury Island, then approximately 235 acres (0.95 km²) of Pacific Madrone
, or Arbutus menziesii, could be deforested. Glacier Northwest plans to take steps to mitigate the deforestation of the area, which includes transplanting saplings after the various stages of mining has commenced; however, the success rate of Madrone trees surviving transplantation would be low, according to the Holden Arboretum
. The University of Washington’s Botany Department has confirmed that Madrone trees have high rates of germination and emergence, yet seedling survival is poor on most sites; approximately 90 to 100% of seedlings die within the first year. Such a low survival rate will cause the forest to become reestablished in approximately 20 years, as reported by the official environmental impact statement
.
on South Maury Island relies on rainwater to sustain it. The rainwater is absorbed by the ground and is filtered through hundreds of feet of soil to a layer of permeable rock that holds the water. According to the EPA
, the aquifer supplies 71% of the drinking water for island residents, making it the primary source of drinking water on the island, and making contamination of the aquifer system a significant hazard to public health. If the supply were to be contaminated, no reasonably available alternative source of drinking water could replace the aquifer system. According to POI, it is proposed that Glacier Northwest would mine to within 15 feet of the aquifer. This could lead to possible disruptions and contamination of the aquifer flow and recharge capabilities.
claims that the usage of barges is not detrimental to the environment, those against the mine expansion, especially those from Preserve Our Island
, disagree. They claim that the physical effects of the barge itself, and the side-effects of its loading procedures, can be detrimental to the near shore environment. It is estimated that the velocity of the prop wash from these barges can re-suspend about 90% of the ambient bed material in the shallow waters. This effect, contrary to Glacier Northwest
's attempt at mitigation, would not be avoided even if the dock and loading site were extended into deeper waters as planned because of the likely possibility of aggregate falling over the side of the barge into the sound. The effect of this spillage could then raise the ambient bed as it is collected on the ocean floor, exposing it to the dangers of the barge's prop-wash. These effects would pose a more significant effect during low tides, as outlined in the continuing section on the remaining eelgrass beds. By using barge ships as their main form of transport, Glacier Northwest
is also putting South Maury Island’s fragile habitat at an extremely high risk for oil spills. An oil spill would demolish the near shore habitat, which would affect the fish, birds, and sea mammals living throughout the Puget Sound.
is the destruction of eelgrass
beds with the proposed expansion by Glacier Northwest. Part of the allure of the Maury Island location is the site's proximity to the Puget Sound waterway. Glacier Northwest ships gravel by truck and by barge, but shipping gravel by barge is cheaper than by truck, so the gravel mine will use a dock (Glacier Northwest). The existing dock on the eastern shore is "dilapidated" (Preserve Our Islands-Eelgrass). Glacier Northwest has agreed to expand this dock to distances that reduce the risk of damaging the local habitat, yet many concerns still remain, including the potential damage to the local eelgrass habitat, a vital part of the salmon’s livelihood. According to Dr. David Jay's Propeller Wash Analysis Study of 2002, expanding the dock out as Glacier Northwest has proposed will not significantly reduce this risk (Preserve Our Islands-Eelgrass). The construction of the dock could also stand to disturb the habitat.
Eelgrass
not only provides food for juvenile salmon but is also provides sediment control
. This protection helps preserve the highly productive bacteria
in the sediments that nourish large amounts of invertebrates. Eelgrass meadows cushion the impact of waves
and currents
, preventing erosion
. The eelgrass also serves a vital role in the lives of hundreds of other species including chum
, herring
, and crab
. The Quartermaster Harbor
herring stock is currently the largest spawning population in southern Puget Sound, and the third largest in the entire Puget Sound region. The state of Washington has already lost nearly 33% of its eelgrass population (www.preserveourisland.org). The expansion of Glacier Northwest and its proposed dock
would destroy even more of the crucial eelgrass populations. The spillage
from the sight and towboat propellers would erode the eelgrass especially from May toJuly, when the tide is the lowest, which is also the most important growth period for eelgrass. Although Glacier intends to replace the eelgrass somewhere else on the island, there is a great chance that it would not be successful because of eelgrass's sensitivity, which causes eelgrass replacement projects to have a low success rate.
, which is detrimental to many types of marine life, and the removal of the old dock might leave some creosote residue behind. (http://www.dnr.wa.gov/htdocs/amp/sepa/aqr/mauryseis/seis.pdf). Herring eggs, which are often placed on pilings, die if the piling they are on is coated with creosote. It is cancerous to any marine life living near it, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency|EPA declared that any creosote spills over one gallon must be reported (http://www.epa.gov/). Part of the current mandate for construction calls for heavy sampling to ensure that no creosote is left after the new dock is in place. Glacier Northwest is currently arguing this issue in court.
expansion. (Preserve Our Islands). The lizards themselves are far from endangered, even though South Maury Island is one of their only habitats in the Puget Sound area. However, removing these lizards from South Maury Island could be detrimental. The full effects of their absence on the island are unknown, but it is speculated that the insect populations that they feed on could rise without their natural predator, the effects of which could be anywhere from being a nuisance to destroying local flora. Also, Western Fence lizards are thought to diminish the danger of Lyme disease
because when the ticks feed on the lizards, the Lyme disease bacteria is killed.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9B00E6D9133CF93AA25757C0A96E958260
s. The nutrients in the soil help nurture the growth of eel grass beds that contribute to sustaining a healthy ecosystem
and food web
on the island. Mining on the island by Glacier Northwest would remove important feeder bluffs and accelerate erosion. An abnormal amount of gravel, dirt and nutrients in the water would upset the delicate balance that supports forage fish
and eel grass beds.
and Vashon Island
, has been declared by the Audubon Society as an “Important Bird Area
” due to its rare intact ecosystem and eelgrass bed habitat (Audubon Society Washington Watchlist Webpage). The beds support herring, which are an important food source for many of the bird species that breed in Quartermaster Harbor (Audubon Society Washington Watchlist Webpage). Several of the species that use the area are either federally listed as being threatened or are strong candidates for state recognition as threatened species
. Included on this list are the Marbled Murrelet
, Common Loon, and Brandt's Cormorant
(Audubon Society Washington Watchlist Webpage). In addition, Quartermaster Harbor plays a large role in Grebe ecology, with 8-10% of Washington’s total Grebe population using it as winter habitat (Holt, A1). Western Grebe
populations have declined by about 95% since the 1970s, from 120,000 birds to less than 5,000 in the year 2000, making Quartermaster Harbor an important refuge for remaining birds (Holt, A1). Marbled Murrelets are also on the decline, having lost nearly 96% of their population to oil spills, loss of habitat, and gill nets (Holt, A1; Audubon Society Marbled Murrelet Webpage).
These integral bird populations that are being threatened helped to prompt the Washington Department of Natural Resources to select Quartermaster Harbor and the southeastern shore of Maury Island as an aquatic reserve in 2003. One of four sites selected in the state of Washington, this particular area is not only rich in species of birds, but also includes many other diverse habitats such as extensive eelgrass beds, kelp beds, herring spawning grounds, Chinook salmon migratory corridors, and bottom fish rearing habitats. The proposed shoreline has been surveyed by the department and was found to have 78% of its expanse covered in eelgrass beds, which provide food for marine species as well as anchoring sediments and keep sub tidal environments moist (Maury Island Aquatic Reserve Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement). It was felt that the creation of the reserve would positively impact the aquatic vegetation through the implementation of good management policies, as well as setting standards for operations and construction in regard to marinas, over-water structures, recreational docks, and mooring buoys. An aquatic reserve would help create a healthy ecosystem that connects all of these habitats, which would create economic advantages and opportunities to enjoy these aquatic ecosystems for generations to come (Washington State Department of National Resources Webpage).
The Department of National Resources would partner with King County and the Department of Ecology to help the species in the marine habitat by improving water quality and minimizing soil erosion and shoreline hardening. These improvements would be countered by the actions of Glacier Northwest, which could contribute to the depletion of water quality as well as the destruction of bluffs and shorelines across the site.
. These fish, dependent on the eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds, are vital to the J, K and L Orca whale pods that occupy southern Puget Sound waters between the months of October and March. Salmon account for 90% of the orca
whales’ diet, 2/3 of that consisting of the Chinook salmon. These three pods, currently consisting of 84 individual whales, utilize this area for a winter feeding ground as well as for calving and nursing their young (Preserve Our Islands Web site. Maury Island strip mine could cause killer whales to quit south sound). The Southern Resident orca (Orcinus orca) is listed by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission as an endangered species, and is listed as depleted under the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife).
According to University of Washington
research scientist David Bain, this orca population is "teetering on the brink of extinction" (Ervin 2004). Bain suggested that the Glacier Northwest’s proposed dock expansion, along with the frequent tug and barge traffic used to load and transport the gravel, could deter the orcas from utilizing this area. The noise created by loading the gravel onto the barges would be magnified by the water and, at full proposed operation, would be fairly constant. Bain, who is studying the effects of noise on the orcas for the National Marine Fisheries Service
, suggests that being deterred from using this area could contribute to the extinction
of this resident population.
and Washington Department of Ecology determined that the source was the Polar Texas oil tanker owned by ConocoPhillips
. (Washington State Department of Ecology Web Page: Dalco Passage Spill)
Though recent spills have been minor, there is concern that Washington does not have the capacity to respond to a big oil spill in the future, which would devastate the environment and have significant impacts on the surrounding community, wildlife
, and fisheries. Efforts are being made to strengthen the community, State, and Coast Guard partnership in preventing and responding to oil spills effectively. Washington is also working to improve Tug Escorts for loaded tankers, enhance oil spill contingency plans, and remedy environmental damage already cased by oil spills. (Washington State Department of Ecology Web Page: Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response)
One of the more recent oil spills occurred on January 28, 2005. Ecology officials estimated that “hundreds of gallons” contaminated the Dalco Passage off Vashon/Maury Island. The cause of the spill is still unknown, even after the Coast Guard and Department of Ecology collected oil samples in an effort to identify the source (People for Puget Sound article on Jan. 2005 oil spill).
In dealing with significant oil spills, the Washington State Department of Ecology works with other organizations to assess the damage done in monetary value, and, if possible, seeks compensation from the responsible party(s). The State Department of Ecology then works with other organizations, using the money to mitigate the oil spill, to restore and protect priority wildlife
habitats (Washington State Spill Prevention/Response page).
----
Vashon- Maury Island Community Council
Vashon-Maury Island faces many environmental issues, but the Vashon-Maury Island Community Council
has been serving this island since 1933. This council is a town hall style forum for the discussion of issues relevant to the residents of the Vashon-Maury Islands. The Council is recognized by King County as an Unincorporated Area Community Council. As a town hall forum, decisions are made by a public vote at their general meetings. Much of the work of the Council takes place in its committees, which then forward their recommendations to the whole Council for action. Public meetings are held once a month and welcome all residents of the island over the age of 18 to discuss the upcoming events and issues surrounding this island. The council lets all residents know the issues the island is facing and allows people to take action.
(EIS) detailing the proposed scale of operation, which is then reviewed by King County. Sand and gravel extraction could be as high as 7.5 million tons per year, but could also be much lower, depending on demand. Also dependent on demand is the lifetime of the mine, which could be 11 years at full production, up to 35 years before the site is closed. The clearing of ground is proposed to occur in phases of 32 acres (129,000 m²) each, with no more than two phases in process at a time. In order to reduce arsenic contamination, contaminated materials will be contained within a sealed berm, and no contaminated materials will leave the site.
Also stated in the EIS are alternative actions that Glacier Northwest proposes to take in order for them to mine at the Maury Island site, including reduced hours of barging to control noise, mitigation of the Madrone forest, habitat retention for the pileated woodpecker by creating a habitat elsewhere prior to removing the Douglas-fir snags, and the alternative of not only repairing the dock that already exists, but replacing it altogether. This new dock is proposed to be built with the latest technology to reduce shade and contamination, and to extend into deeper water to avoid impacts to the most sensitive areas of the shoreline. Building a new dock would eliminate repeated repairs on the existing dock.
Accessed 16 May 2005
Puget Sound environmental issues
Puget Sound is a deep inlet of the Pacific Ocean in western Washington, extending south from the Strait of Juan de Fuca through Admiralty Inlet. It was explored and named by Capt...
, which include concerns regarding declining salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and forage fish
Forage fish
Forage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish, are small fish which are preyed on by larger predators for food. Predators include other larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Typical ocean forage fish feed near the base of the food chain on plankton, often by filter feeding...
populations, degrading critical marine and shoreline habitats
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
, and threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
such as the Orca
Orca
The killer whale , commonly referred to as the orca, and less commonly as the blackfish, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas...
.
Many of these concerns are centered around the proposed expansion of the South Maury Island
Maury Island
Maury Island is a small island in Puget Sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is connected to Vashon Island by an isthmus built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Before construction of the isthmus, the island was connected to Vashon only during low tide. The island is rural with...
gravel site owned by Glacier Northwest
Glacier Northwest
Glacier Northwest is the Pacific Northwest’s largest supplier of ready mixed concrete, sand, gravel, rock, cement and building materials.-History:...
.
Gravel mining on South Maury Island
The primary environmental issueEnvironmental issue
Environmental issues are negative aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment. Environmentalism, a social and environmental movement that started in the 1960s, addresses environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism.-Types:...
on Maury Island is Glacier Northwest's proposal to expand its gravel mine, located in the southern part of the island. Glacier Northwest has operated the mine on the island since the 1940s, but in 1998 it announced its proposal to expand the operation to approximately 7.5 million tons of gravel a year. According to Glacier Northwest senior executives in a presentation at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in April 2005, the expansion of its South Maury Island mine is in the interest of the Pacific Northwest as a whole. They claim Washington uses approximately 75 million tons of gravel and sand per year; seven tons per person, per year. The Seattle/Tacoma area uses 48% of all sand and gravel, making the South Maury Island site centrally located for supplying this demand. They estimate economic growth in the Puget Sound region
Puget Sound region
The Puget Sound region is an inland area of the Pacific Northwest in Washington , including Puget Sound, the Puget Sound lowlands, and the surrounding region roughly west of the Cascade Range and east of the Olympic Mountains.- History :...
between 2000-2020 will require an additional 22 million tons of gravel per year. They claim that Washington, and particularly the Seattle/Tacoma area, may benefit from an expansion of local sand and gravel mines. There is also potential for the construction of a third runway at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea–Tac Airport or Sea–Tac , is an American airport located in SeaTac, Washington, at the intersections of State Routes 99 and 509 and 518, about west of Interstate 5...
that would require large quantities of sand and gravel. Many people believe that South Maury Island is one of the most sensitive places to mine due to the amount of wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
the area supports; however, Glacier Northwest claims that mining on the island and barging the gravel off the site will have fewer environmental impacts than would mining somewhere else and transporting the gravel by truck. Grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
efforts and litigation have managed to postpone the proposed expansion as of yet.
Preserve Our Islands (POI) is a volunteer, non-profit organization committed to preserving all aspects of life and the environment on Vashon Island
Vashon Island
Vashon is a census-designated place in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon-Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,624 at the 2010 census. At , it is about 60 percent larger...
and Maury Island, and is opposed to Glacier Northwest's proposal to expand its gravel mine. According to Glacier Northwest's website, it is the largest supplier of aggregate
Construction Aggregate
Construction aggregate, or simply "aggregate", is a broad category of coarse particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are the most mined material in the world...
in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, creating a need for it to continuously extract aggregate so that it can remain the largest supplier. POI claims that if Glacier Northwest continues to expand, nearly ten percent of Maury Island will be affected. They also argue that the near shore location of the gravel pit will endanger the eelgrass
Zostera
Zostera is a small genus of widely distributed seagrass, commonly called marine eelgrass or simply eelgrass . The genus Zostera contains sixteen species.-Ecology:Zostera is found on sandy substrates or in estuaries submerged or partially floating...
habitat, which is vital for salmon to spawn
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
. POI also argues that toxins will contaminate the island's only source of drinking water and will affect the residents as well. It hopes that its grassroots efforts will stop Glacier Northwest's expansion.
Glacier Northwest's proposed mining expansion has stirred response in the government. U.S. Senator Patty Murray
Patty Murray
Patricia Lynn "Patty" Murray is the senior United States Senator from Washington and a member of the Democratic Party. Murray was first elected to the Senate in 1992, becoming Washington's first female senator...
, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate....
, has pushed measures for economic development and environmental and public safety initiatives throughout Washington, one of which concerns the conservation of Maury Island. Providing approximately $2 million, this bill would contribute to the goal of local organizations, such as POI, of preserving the threatened 250 acres (1 km²) that are home to the state’s largest Madrona
Arbutus
Arbutus is a genus of at least 14 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, and North America.-Description:...
forests, as well as its shoreline habitats. By incorporating funds from local, state, and private sources, this bill would promote responsible, cost efficient local stewardship.
Among the key figures in the conflict is former Washington Governor Booth Gardner
Booth Gardner
Booth Gardner , an heir to the Weyerhaeuser fortune, was the 19th Governor of the U.S state of Washington between 1985 and 1993. He also served as the ambassador of the GATT. He is a Democrat. Before serving as governor, Gardner was Pierce County Executive...
, also a member of Preserve Our Islands. In a presentation given at the University of Washington for the Society and Oceans course 103 on April 26, 2005, Gardner expressed his support for POI and his personal philosophy on understanding both sides of the South Maury Island/Glacier Northwest mining issue and acknowledging the importance of one’s personal view and the opponent’s stance.http://www.preserveourislands.org/POIWeb/Background/News/ While he has expressed hopes of the community purchasing the land from Glacier Northwest in order to stop the expansion, he does recognize the relevance of compromise and the reality of the situation. Gardner was joined by King County Council
King County Council
The Metropolitan King County Council, the legislative body of King County, Washington, consists of nine members elected by district. The Council adopts laws, sets policy, and holds final approval over the budget...
member Dow Constantine
Dow Constantine
Dow Constantine is an American politician in the state of Washington where he currently serves as King County Executive, an office he has held since November 2009. He was previously in the state legislature and on the King County Council, chairing the latter before his election as Executive...
, who has strongly advocated the protection of salmon, expressing the possible negative impacts Glacier Northwest’s expansion could have on the threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
. In his view, putting the salmon in further danger would be a step backwards in the policies and funds currently implemented for protection.
Gravel mining by Glacier Northwest on Maury Island does have some advantages. Glacier Northwest is a large company with twelve sites, other than south Maury Island, from which aggregates
Aggregate (composite)
Aggregate is the component of a composite material that resists compressive stress and provides bulk to the composite material. For efficient filling, aggregate should be much smaller than the finished item, but have a wide variety of sizes...
are mined in Washington and Oregon. Actively mining the Maury Island site would provide a small number of jobs for people on the island and in surrounding areas, while its operations are estimated to continue for the next 20 to 30 years, depending on business and demand.
Additionally, the aggregate resources do not produce much waste material when mined, and are therefore beneficial and cost effective for the region. The sand, gravel, and quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
rock from the Maury Island site would be distributed throughout the Pacific Northwest region to be used for building roadways and houses, creating concrete, and making other products such as roof tiles and cement blocks.http://www.glaciernw.com/
Arsenic contamination
Studies over the past 30 years have shown that the soil in some areas of Vashon-Maury Island has elevated concentrations of arsenicArsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
, lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, and cadmium
Cadmium
Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, bluish-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. Similar to zinc, it prefers oxidation state +2 in most of its compounds and similar to mercury it shows a low...
, probably due to decades of copper smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
operations in Ruston, Washington
Ruston, Washington
Ruston is a town in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 749 at the 2010 census.Although it is nearly indistinguishable from the adjacent city of Tacoma, the predominantly residential area still retains its status as a separate municipality long after it ceased to be a...
, located just south of the southern tip of Vashon Island. When examined by area, the data indicates the most serious arsenic contamination is in South Vashon-Maury Island.http://www.metrokc.gov/health/hazard/soilsamples.htm At a public meeting in February 1999, following the public disclosure of elevated levels on the Lone Star Northwest Gravel Mine (now Glacier Northwest) site, the community raised new questions about the level of arsenic contamination for Vashon-Maury Island as a whole.
One risk associated with Glacier Northwest’s plan for expansion involves amassing thousands of tons of arsenic-contaminated soil into a large, plastic container. Due to decades of downwind fallout from the ASARCO
ASARCO
ASARCO LLC is a mining, smelting, and refining company based in Tucson, Arizona that mines and processes primarily copper. The company, a subsidiary of Grupo México, is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy...
copper smelter near Tacoma, the top layer of earth on Maury Island is laden with toxins, including arsenic,http://www.preserveourislands.org/ which was found in concentrations nearly double those requiring industrial cleanup and 20 times those of residential standards. Glacier Northwest plans to bulldoze the top 18 inches of soil and store it in an enormous berm
Berm
A berm is a level space, shelf, or raised barrier separating two areas. Berm originates in the Middle Dutch and German berme and came into usage in English via French.- History :...
, which would store large amounts of hazardous wastes for 50–75 years. Glacier Northwest offers no plan for managing the toxins after that time. If the permit is issued and the company is allowed to mine at the proposed rate, it is foreseeable that the corporation will have exhausted the site and moved on long before necessary measures are taken to proper dispose of the toxic waste.
Should the berm rupture, if disturbed by something such as an earthquake, the mass of toxic soil would flow downhill into Puget Sound, where it would devastate not only the physical environment, but also the populations living there. Fish, birds and marine mammals would be exposed to extreme levels of the deadly contaminants, which bio-accumulate up the food chain. Sea birds often die after eating arsenic-tainted fish, which would prove disastrous on Maury Island as its Quartermaster Harbor
Quartermaster Harbor
Quartermaster Harbor is a small harbor located in southern Puget Sound, in Vashon Island, Washington State.-Geographic description:Quartermaster Harbor is formed by Vashon Island on the west and Maury Island on the east...
has been identified by the Washington Department of Natural Resources
Washington Department of Natural Resources
The Washington Department of Natural Resources manage over of forest, range, agricultural, and commercial lands for the people of Washington State. DNR also manages of aquatic areas which include shorelines, tidelands, lands under Puget Sound and the coast, and navigable lakes and rivers...
as “an important area for marine birds.”
Exposure to arsenic can cause health effects, such as gastrointestinal disturbances, abnormal heart rhythm, and blood vessel damage in the short term and skin , bladder, kidney, liver, and lung cancers in the long term.
Madrone tree stand habitat
Another concern in the debate is the disruption of the MadroneArbutus
Arbutus is a genus of at least 14 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, and North America.-Description:...
tree stand habitat, located in the area of the proposed expansion. Glacier Northwest has acknowledged that it will occupy the stand, but stresses that restoration of the habitat will be a continually occurring process. Nevertheless, the concern for irreversible damage to one of the largest Madrone forests in the United States still exists. Madrone trees protect against soil erosion with wide roots, which anchor the soil, and their leaves, which protect soil from the rain. The forest also provides nesting areas and food for numerous birds, ranging from the Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
The Chestnut-backed Chickadee is a small passerine bird in the tit family, Paridae....
to the Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
. If Glacier Northwest were allowed to conduct their proposed expansive mining operation on Maury Island, then approximately 235 acres (0.95 km²) of Pacific Madrone
Pacific Madrone
Arbutus menziesii, commonly known as the Pacific Madrone, is a species of Arbutus found on the west coast of North America, from British Columbia to California...
, or Arbutus menziesii, could be deforested. Glacier Northwest plans to take steps to mitigate the deforestation of the area, which includes transplanting saplings after the various stages of mining has commenced; however, the success rate of Madrone trees surviving transplantation would be low, according to the Holden Arboretum
Holden Arboretum
The Holden Arboretum, in Kirtland, Ohio, USA, is one of the largest arboretums and botanical gardens in the United States, with over 3,500 acres , 600 acres of which are devoted to collections and gardens. Diverse natural areas and ecologically sensitive habitats make up the rest of the holdings...
. The University of Washington’s Botany Department has confirmed that Madrone trees have high rates of germination and emergence, yet seedling survival is poor on most sites; approximately 90 to 100% of seedlings die within the first year. Such a low survival rate will cause the forest to become reestablished in approximately 20 years, as reported by the official environmental impact statement
Environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
.
Water supply
An issue that the residents of South Maury Island face as a result of the proposed expansions of the Glacier Northwest gravel mine is a possible threat to the residents' drinking water supply. The aquiferAquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
on South Maury Island relies on rainwater to sustain it. The rainwater is absorbed by the ground and is filtered through hundreds of feet of soil to a layer of permeable rock that holds the water. According to the EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
, the aquifer supplies 71% of the drinking water for island residents, making it the primary source of drinking water on the island, and making contamination of the aquifer system a significant hazard to public health. If the supply were to be contaminated, no reasonably available alternative source of drinking water could replace the aquifer system. According to POI, it is proposed that Glacier Northwest would mine to within 15 feet of the aquifer. This could lead to possible disruptions and contamination of the aquifer flow and recharge capabilities.
Mining expansion via barges on Maury Island
Glacier Northwest plans mainly on using barges, supported and supplemented by a new dock system - which they have yet to gain permission to construct (Preserve Our Islands, April 26) - to transport the mined aggregate off the island. The company asserts that their reasons for using barge transportation are based on environmental and economic principles, including avoiding the costs and environmental effects of constructing main roads on which the aggregate would be transported. The economic viability of this strategy is clear; one barge of aggregate is equal to approximately 115 trucks (Ron Summers, April 25), but both the use of the barge and construction of a new dock have other consequences as well (see below). Glacier Northwest is hoping to mine and remove 85 million tons of sand and gravel from the island using the barges, which could result in the loss of 8% of the island's land mass, leading to serious effects on the islands near shore habitats, water supply, and the chemical composition of the soil.Environmental effects of barge usage
As Glacier NorthwestGlacier Northwest
Glacier Northwest is the Pacific Northwest’s largest supplier of ready mixed concrete, sand, gravel, rock, cement and building materials.-History:...
claims that the usage of barges is not detrimental to the environment, those against the mine expansion, especially those from Preserve Our Island
Preserve Our Island
Preserve Our Islands is a grassroots organization, created by residents of Maury Island, Washington, United States, that is opposed to Glacier Northwest and their efforts to mine aggregate on Maury Island....
, disagree. They claim that the physical effects of the barge itself, and the side-effects of its loading procedures, can be detrimental to the near shore environment. It is estimated that the velocity of the prop wash from these barges can re-suspend about 90% of the ambient bed material in the shallow waters. This effect, contrary to Glacier Northwest
Glacier Northwest
Glacier Northwest is the Pacific Northwest’s largest supplier of ready mixed concrete, sand, gravel, rock, cement and building materials.-History:...
's attempt at mitigation, would not be avoided even if the dock and loading site were extended into deeper waters as planned because of the likely possibility of aggregate falling over the side of the barge into the sound. The effect of this spillage could then raise the ambient bed as it is collected on the ocean floor, exposing it to the dangers of the barge's prop-wash. These effects would pose a more significant effect during low tides, as outlined in the continuing section on the remaining eelgrass beds. By using barge ships as their main form of transport, Glacier Northwest
Glacier Northwest
Glacier Northwest is the Pacific Northwest’s largest supplier of ready mixed concrete, sand, gravel, rock, cement and building materials.-History:...
is also putting South Maury Island’s fragile habitat at an extremely high risk for oil spills. An oil spill would demolish the near shore habitat, which would affect the fish, birds, and sea mammals living throughout the Puget Sound.
Remaining eelgrass beds
One of the most prevalent issues on South Maury IslandMaury Island
Maury Island is a small island in Puget Sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is connected to Vashon Island by an isthmus built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Before construction of the isthmus, the island was connected to Vashon only during low tide. The island is rural with...
is the destruction of eelgrass
Eelgrass
Eelgrass may refer to:* Zostera, marine eelgrass* Vallisneria, freshwater eelgrass...
beds with the proposed expansion by Glacier Northwest. Part of the allure of the Maury Island location is the site's proximity to the Puget Sound waterway. Glacier Northwest ships gravel by truck and by barge, but shipping gravel by barge is cheaper than by truck, so the gravel mine will use a dock (Glacier Northwest). The existing dock on the eastern shore is "dilapidated" (Preserve Our Islands-Eelgrass). Glacier Northwest has agreed to expand this dock to distances that reduce the risk of damaging the local habitat, yet many concerns still remain, including the potential damage to the local eelgrass habitat, a vital part of the salmon’s livelihood. According to Dr. David Jay's Propeller Wash Analysis Study of 2002, expanding the dock out as Glacier Northwest has proposed will not significantly reduce this risk (Preserve Our Islands-Eelgrass). The construction of the dock could also stand to disturb the habitat.
Eelgrass
Eelgrass
Eelgrass may refer to:* Zostera, marine eelgrass* Vallisneria, freshwater eelgrass...
not only provides food for juvenile salmon but is also provides sediment control
Sediment control
A sediment control is a practice or device designed to keep eroded soil on a construction site, so that it does not wash off and cause water pollution to a nearby stream, river, lake, or bay...
. This protection helps preserve the highly productive bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
in the sediments that nourish large amounts of invertebrates. Eelgrass meadows cushion the impact of waves
WAVES
The WAVES were a World War II-era division of the U.S. Navy that consisted entirely of women. The name of this group is an acronym for "Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service" ; the word "emergency" implied that the acceptance of women was due to the unusual circumstances of the war and...
and currents
Ocean current
An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of ocean water generated by the forces acting upon this mean flow, such as breaking waves, wind, Coriolis effect, cabbeling, temperature and salinity differences and tides caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun...
, preventing erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
. The eelgrass also serves a vital role in the lives of hundreds of other species including chum
Chum
Chum is a fabulous person Chum may refer to:*Chum salmon, a kind of salmon , native to the northern Pacific and adjacent waterways* Chum is a slang term for a friend....
, herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
, and crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
. The Quartermaster Harbor
Quartermaster Harbor
Quartermaster Harbor is a small harbor located in southern Puget Sound, in Vashon Island, Washington State.-Geographic description:Quartermaster Harbor is formed by Vashon Island on the west and Maury Island on the east...
herring stock is currently the largest spawning population in southern Puget Sound, and the third largest in the entire Puget Sound region. The state of Washington has already lost nearly 33% of its eelgrass population (www.preserveourisland.org). The expansion of Glacier Northwest and its proposed dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
would destroy even more of the crucial eelgrass populations. The spillage
Spillage
In industrial production, spillage is the loss of production output due to production of a series of defective or unacceptable products which must be rejected...
from the sight and towboat propellers would erode the eelgrass especially from May toJuly, when the tide is the lowest, which is also the most important growth period for eelgrass. Although Glacier intends to replace the eelgrass somewhere else on the island, there is a great chance that it would not be successful because of eelgrass's sensitivity, which causes eelgrass replacement projects to have a low success rate.
Creosote residue
One of the major issues currently under debate between Preserve Our Islands and Glacier Northwest is the construction of a new dock over the old one. The old dock, however, was constructed using creosote to preserve the wooden pilings. Creosote is a type of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons , also known as poly-aromatic hydrocarbons or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, are potent atmospheric pollutants that consist of fused aromatic rings and do not contain heteroatoms or carry substituents. Naphthalene is the simplest example of a PAH...
, which is detrimental to many types of marine life, and the removal of the old dock might leave some creosote residue behind. (http://www.dnr.wa.gov/htdocs/amp/sepa/aqr/mauryseis/seis.pdf). Herring eggs, which are often placed on pilings, die if the piling they are on is coated with creosote. It is cancerous to any marine life living near it, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency|EPA declared that any creosote spills over one gallon must be reported (http://www.epa.gov/). Part of the current mandate for construction calls for heavy sampling to ensure that no creosote is left after the new dock is in place. Glacier Northwest is currently arguing this issue in court.
Salmon and the nearshore area
The well-being of the near-shore area around South Maury Island is another concern. Eelgrass (Zosetra Marina) is a habitat that protects developing anadromous fish, such as salmon, by providing cover from predation and food, which supports the growth of healthy salmon populations (http://www.metrokc.gov/ddes/cao/PDFs04ExecProp/BAS-Chap7-04.pdf). Eelgrass beds also protect developing species such as herring, which are a food source for juvenile salmon. The construction of the new dock by Glacier Northwest will detrimentally affect eelgrass, disrupting species within the habitat. Docks and their construction affect eelgrass from underwater noise which would disturb fragile species, while creating shade that would threaten eelgrass growth (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pugetsound/species/eelgrass.html). Docks would also harm the eelgrass beds that harbor young salmon by dredging (scooping and suctioning water ways) in order to improve navigation between piers. With the threat of development comes the possibility of building bulkheads, or extensive walls in the water to aid in collecting sediment. This loss of sediment would threaten the livelihood of many fish including salmon, and the man-made walls make it impossible for salmon and other fish to navigate through the waters natural currents.Northwestern Fence Lizard
The Northwestern Fence lizard is a lesser known creature threatened by miningMining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
expansion. (Preserve Our Islands). The lizards themselves are far from endangered, even though South Maury Island is one of their only habitats in the Puget Sound area. However, removing these lizards from South Maury Island could be detrimental. The full effects of their absence on the island are unknown, but it is speculated that the insect populations that they feed on could rise without their natural predator, the effects of which could be anywhere from being a nuisance to destroying local flora. Also, Western Fence lizards are thought to diminish the danger of Lyme disease
Lyme disease
Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto is the main cause of Lyme disease in the United States, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most...
because when the ticks feed on the lizards, the Lyme disease bacteria is killed.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9B00E6D9133CF93AA25757C0A96E958260
Feeder bluffs
Feeder bluffs, also known as eroding shoreline bluffs, are a vital part of the shoreline habitat on Maury Island. The natural erosion of the bluffs helps control the amount of new sediment that is pushed down onto the beach, and later into the tidal and intertidal zoneIntertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
s. The nutrients in the soil help nurture the growth of eel grass beds that contribute to sustaining a healthy ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
and food web
Food web
A food web depicts feeding connections in an ecological community. Ecologists can broadly lump all life forms into one of two categories called trophic levels: 1) the autotrophs, and 2) the heterotrophs...
on the island. Mining on the island by Glacier Northwest would remove important feeder bluffs and accelerate erosion. An abnormal amount of gravel, dirt and nutrients in the water would upset the delicate balance that supports forage fish
Forage fish
Forage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish, are small fish which are preyed on by larger predators for food. Predators include other larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Typical ocean forage fish feed near the base of the food chain on plankton, often by filter feeding...
and eel grass beds.
History
On November 21, 2000, Jennifer Belcher, the Washington State Lands Commissioner, declared five controversial areas around the Puget Sound as aquatic reserves. One month later in December 2000, Belcher added Maury Island to the list of aquatic reserves (Seattle Post-Intelligencer 2000). Many saw this as an attempt to make more obstacles for Glacier Northwest in its goal of obtaining a new dock permit. Subsequently, Glacier Northwest filed a lawsuit against Jennifer Belcher protesting her unilateral decision to establish the aquatic reserves (Gordon 2001). Despite the litigation, the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve was reaffirmed by Doug Sutherland, along with a more specific purpose and protection for the submerged lands in question (Gordon 2004).Goals of the Aquatic Reserve
The reserve was designed to “conserve, preserve, restore, and/or enhance” the habitats and species that make up Maury Island (Draft Management Plan 14). Of the four main goals, the first goal is to conserve the native habitats of plants and wildlife species including forage fish, salmonids, and migratory birds. The second goal is to conserve the functions and native processes of the near-shore ecosystem. The third is to maintain the territory, habitats and species through education and providing opportunities for public involvement. The fourth goal is promote responsible management of recreational, commercial and cultural uses of Maury Island that relate to the previous goals. According to the management plan, a reviewed and updated version will be made every ten years for ninety years (http://thescubastop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=958).Threatened bird populations
Quartermaster Harbor, which lies between Maury IslandMaury Island
Maury Island is a small island in Puget Sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is connected to Vashon Island by an isthmus built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Before construction of the isthmus, the island was connected to Vashon only during low tide. The island is rural with...
and Vashon Island
Vashon Island
Vashon is a census-designated place in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon-Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,624 at the 2010 census. At , it is about 60 percent larger...
, has been declared by the Audubon Society as an “Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
” due to its rare intact ecosystem and eelgrass bed habitat (Audubon Society Washington Watchlist Webpage). The beds support herring, which are an important food source for many of the bird species that breed in Quartermaster Harbor (Audubon Society Washington Watchlist Webpage). Several of the species that use the area are either federally listed as being threatened or are strong candidates for state recognition as threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
. Included on this list are the Marbled Murrelet
Marbled Murrelet
The Marbled Murrelet is a small seabird from the North Pacific. It is a member of the auk family. It nests in old-growth forests or on the ground at higher latitudes where trees cannot grow...
, Common Loon, and Brandt's Cormorant
Brandt's Cormorant
The Brandt's Cormorant is a strictly marine bird of the cormorant family of seabirds that inhabits the Pacific coast of North America. It ranges, in the summer, from Alaska to the Gulf of California, but the population north of Vancouver Island migrates south during the winter...
(Audubon Society Washington Watchlist Webpage). In addition, Quartermaster Harbor plays a large role in Grebe ecology, with 8-10% of Washington’s total Grebe population using it as winter habitat (Holt, A1). Western Grebe
Western Grebe
The Western Grebe, , is a species in the grebe family of water birds. Folk names include "dabchick", "swan grebe" and "swan-necked grebe"....
populations have declined by about 95% since the 1970s, from 120,000 birds to less than 5,000 in the year 2000, making Quartermaster Harbor an important refuge for remaining birds (Holt, A1). Marbled Murrelets are also on the decline, having lost nearly 96% of their population to oil spills, loss of habitat, and gill nets (Holt, A1; Audubon Society Marbled Murrelet Webpage).
These integral bird populations that are being threatened helped to prompt the Washington Department of Natural Resources to select Quartermaster Harbor and the southeastern shore of Maury Island as an aquatic reserve in 2003. One of four sites selected in the state of Washington, this particular area is not only rich in species of birds, but also includes many other diverse habitats such as extensive eelgrass beds, kelp beds, herring spawning grounds, Chinook salmon migratory corridors, and bottom fish rearing habitats. The proposed shoreline has been surveyed by the department and was found to have 78% of its expanse covered in eelgrass beds, which provide food for marine species as well as anchoring sediments and keep sub tidal environments moist (Maury Island Aquatic Reserve Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement). It was felt that the creation of the reserve would positively impact the aquatic vegetation through the implementation of good management policies, as well as setting standards for operations and construction in regard to marinas, over-water structures, recreational docks, and mooring buoys. An aquatic reserve would help create a healthy ecosystem that connects all of these habitats, which would create economic advantages and opportunities to enjoy these aquatic ecosystems for generations to come (Washington State Department of National Resources Webpage).
The Department of National Resources would partner with King County and the Department of Ecology to help the species in the marine habitat by improving water quality and minimizing soil erosion and shoreline hardening. These improvements would be countered by the actions of Glacier Northwest, which could contribute to the depletion of water quality as well as the destruction of bluffs and shorelines across the site.
Southern resident Orca Whale community
The Aquatic Reserve on Maury Island functions as a herring nursery and is in the migratory corridor of the endangered Chinook salmonChinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
. These fish, dependent on the eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds, are vital to the J, K and L Orca whale pods that occupy southern Puget Sound waters between the months of October and March. Salmon account for 90% of the orca
Orca
The killer whale , commonly referred to as the orca, and less commonly as the blackfish, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas...
whales’ diet, 2/3 of that consisting of the Chinook salmon. These three pods, currently consisting of 84 individual whales, utilize this area for a winter feeding ground as well as for calving and nursing their young (Preserve Our Islands Web site. Maury Island strip mine could cause killer whales to quit south sound). The Southern Resident orca (Orcinus orca) is listed by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission as an endangered species, and is listed as depleted under the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife).
According to University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
research scientist David Bain
National Marine Fisheries Service
The National Marine Fisheries Service is a United States federal agency. A division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Commerce, NMFS is responsible for the stewardship and management of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat within the...
, suggests that being deterred from using this area could contribute to the extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
of this resident population.
Oil spills
Another pressing environmental concern South Maury Island faces is oil spills. Although they are not directly related to the Glacier Northwest mining controversy, oil spills add to the sensitivity of the area as an aquatic reserve. On October 14, 2004, an oil spill occurred in the Dalco Passage at around 1 AM. An estimated 1,000 gallons spilled into the waterways surrounding Vashon/Maury Island. The source of the oil was initially unknown, but tests carried out by the Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
and Washington Department of Ecology determined that the source was the Polar Texas oil tanker owned by ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips Company is an American multinational energy corporation with its headquarters located in the Energy Corridor district of Houston, Texas in the United States...
. (Washington State Department of Ecology Web Page: Dalco Passage Spill)
Though recent spills have been minor, there is concern that Washington does not have the capacity to respond to a big oil spill in the future, which would devastate the environment and have significant impacts on the surrounding community, wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
, and fisheries. Efforts are being made to strengthen the community, State, and Coast Guard partnership in preventing and responding to oil spills effectively. Washington is also working to improve Tug Escorts for loaded tankers, enhance oil spill contingency plans, and remedy environmental damage already cased by oil spills. (Washington State Department of Ecology Web Page: Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response)
One of the more recent oil spills occurred on January 28, 2005. Ecology officials estimated that “hundreds of gallons” contaminated the Dalco Passage off Vashon/Maury Island. The cause of the spill is still unknown, even after the Coast Guard and Department of Ecology collected oil samples in an effort to identify the source (People for Puget Sound article on Jan. 2005 oil spill).
In dealing with significant oil spills, the Washington State Department of Ecology works with other organizations to assess the damage done in monetary value, and, if possible, seeks compensation from the responsible party(s). The State Department of Ecology then works with other organizations, using the money to mitigate the oil spill, to restore and protect priority wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
habitats (Washington State Spill Prevention/Response page).
----
Vashon- Maury Island Community Council
Vashon-Maury Island faces many environmental issues, but the Vashon-Maury Island Community Council
Vashon-Maury Island Community Council
The Vashon-Maury Island Community Council is a body whose purpose is to advise the King County Council on matters relating to Vashon Island and Maury Island....
has been serving this island since 1933. This council is a town hall style forum for the discussion of issues relevant to the residents of the Vashon-Maury Islands. The Council is recognized by King County as an Unincorporated Area Community Council. As a town hall forum, decisions are made by a public vote at their general meetings. Much of the work of the Council takes place in its committees, which then forward their recommendations to the whole Council for action. Public meetings are held once a month and welcome all residents of the island over the age of 18 to discuss the upcoming events and issues surrounding this island. The council lets all residents know the issues the island is facing and allows people to take action.
Glacier Northwest's EIS
In order to mine for gravel, Glacier Northwest is required to provide an Environmental Impact StatementEnvironmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
(EIS) detailing the proposed scale of operation, which is then reviewed by King County. Sand and gravel extraction could be as high as 7.5 million tons per year, but could also be much lower, depending on demand. Also dependent on demand is the lifetime of the mine, which could be 11 years at full production, up to 35 years before the site is closed. The clearing of ground is proposed to occur in phases of 32 acres (129,000 m²) each, with no more than two phases in process at a time. In order to reduce arsenic contamination, contaminated materials will be contained within a sealed berm, and no contaminated materials will leave the site.
Also stated in the EIS are alternative actions that Glacier Northwest proposes to take in order for them to mine at the Maury Island site, including reduced hours of barging to control noise, mitigation of the Madrone forest, habitat retention for the pileated woodpecker by creating a habitat elsewhere prior to removing the Douglas-fir snags, and the alternative of not only repairing the dock that already exists, but replacing it altogether. This new dock is proposed to be built with the latest technology to reduce shade and contamination, and to extend into deeper water to avoid impacts to the most sensitive areas of the shoreline. Building a new dock would eliminate repeated repairs on the existing dock.
Possible Advantages and Disadvantages of the Glacier Northwest Gravel Pit
There are some possible advantages to the mining on South Maury Island, as well as disadvantages. According to Glacier Northwest, Maury island has one of the largest reserves of gravel rock, and, because it is an island, the gravel can be easily transported on barges to other areas of the Pacific Northwest. However, the barge traffic itself could increase pollution levels, and also increase the chances of possible collisions with endangered marine mammals who reside in or pass through the area. One of the arguments against the transportation of the rock is that the new dock that would be built for it has much potential for the destruction of vital habitat for sea life. The impact could be lessened if Glacier Northwest replaces or mitigates any damages caused by the dock. Another worry of the Preserve Our Lands and other groups is the possible arsenic contamination of the drinking water. This could be offset by large containers that could contain the waste from the mining. However, what would happen to the arsenic after has been contained has yet to be addressed in detail. Other benefits of the mining are the large number of jobs the mine could create, and the boost to the local economy that the mine might produce. However, the mine could also negatively affect tourism and property values in the area.Further reading
- Audubon Society. Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus). Webpage.
- Audubon Society. Washington’s WatchList Birds. Webpage.
- "Belcher Specifies Aquatic Reserves." Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Seattle, WA: November 21, 2000.
- Bentler, Fred. Department of Natural Resources and Parks. "Water and Land Resources Division." May 9, 2005, Website: “http://www.audubon.org/bird/watchlist/bs-bc-washington.html”
- “Biological and Ecological Characteristics.” The University of Washington Arbutus Page. 2005. 17 May 2005.
- Brown et al. Reptiles of Washington and Oregon. Seattle Audubon SocietySeattle Audubon SocietySeattle Audubon Society is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting birds and the natural environment by involving volunteers and the community in education, advocacy, preservation, science and enjoyment...
, 1995.
- Christie, Patrick. Assistant Professor, School of Marine Affairs and the Jackson School of International Studies. "Growth and Maintaining Salmon Populations in the Puget Sound: Incompatible Desires?" School of Marine Affairs 103. University of Washington. Seattle, 22 April 2005.
- "Concerns About Arsenic." Preserve Our Islands Official website
- Ervin, Keith. Friday August 20, 2004.Orca habitat at risk if barging allowed, UW scientist testifies. Seattle Times. Seattle, Wa.
- Gardner, Booth. "Governor Gardner supports Preserve Our Island". Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber. 7 July 2004.
- Glacier Northwest website:
- Gordon, Susan. "Northwest Aggregates". The News Tribune. Seattle, Washington: December 5, 2001. pg. B2.
- Gordon, Susan. The News Tribune. Seattle, Washington: November 25, 2004. pg B2.
- Gordon, Susan. "Eelgrass Vanishing From Sound; Preserve Our Island Group Says Maury Island Gravel Pit Expansion Would Threaten Already Disappearing Sea Plant." The News Tribune. September 3, 2002.
Accessed 16 May 2005
- Goverde, H.M, G. Janssen, W.J. Sydeman, W.M. Jarman. "Trace Metals in Seabirds, Steller Sea Lion, and Forage Fish and Zooplankton from Central California." Marine Pollution Bulletin Oct 1998 v36 i10 p 828
- "Habitat Destruction." Preserve Our Islands Official Website.
- Holt, Gordy. State's Grebe Population Dives Quartermaster Harbor is One of the Tiny Species' Last Havens. Seattle Post - Intelligencer. Seattle, Wash.: Mar 29, 2001. pg. A.1
- "Marine Nearshore." Near Shore Technical Committee, January 2001.
- "Maury Island Aquatic Reserve Draft EIS." 23 May 2005.
- McDonald, Elvin, ed. Trees. New York: Pantheon Books, Knopf Publishing Group, 1996.
- Montgomery, David R. King of Fish. Cambridge: Westview P, 2003.
- Nelson, Sharon. "Don't Expand Island's Gravel Mine." Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Seattle, Wash.: Jun 27, 2001. pg. B.4
- "Pacific Madrone." Department of Ecology: Puget Sound Shorelines. .http://www.ecy.wa.gov>.
- People for Puget Sound article on the January 2005 oil spill in the Dalco Passage.
- Port of Seattle Homepage. “Third Runway.” Accessed 23 May 2005
- People for Puget Sound Official Website
- "Soil sampling: 1999-2000 Vashon-Maury Island Soil Study." Public Health - Seattle & King County. January 13, 2005 . http://www.metrokc.gov/health/hazard/soilsamples.htm>
- Summers, Ron. "Grousing About Gravel Site Gratuitous." Seattle Post-Intelligencer. August 17, 2004. Accessed 14 May 2005
- "Unincorporated Area Council (UAC)." Department of Community and Human Services. March 3, 2005.
- "Vashon-Maury Island Community Council." Community Council Official Website
- Washington State Department of Ecology Web page: Dalco Passage Spill
- Washington Department of Natural Resources. Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement: Maury Island Aquatic Reserve. July 13, 2004.
- Washington Department of Natural Resources. Maury Island Environmental Aquatic Reserve: Draft Management Plan. July 2004.
- Washington Department of Natural Resources. Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland recommends four aquatic reserves in Puget Sound.
- Washington State Spill Prevention, Response, and Preparedness Page.
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. New Regulations Governing Eastern North Pacific Southern Resident Stock of Killer Whales Issued. WDFW Science Magazine. Olympia, WA.
External links
- Preserve Our Islands
- Glacier Northwest
- Maury Island Mine Project
- People For Puget Sound
- Department of Natural Resources
- Department of Ecology: Puget Sound Shorelines
- Washington Spill Prevention, Response, and Preparedness Page
- People for Puget Sound article on the January 2005 oil spill in the Dalco Passage
- Washington State Department of Ecology Web Page
- Seattle Audubon Society Bird Watchlist
- Washington State Department of National Resources: Aquatic Reserves
- Maury Island Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement