Let's work together to preserve Hood Canal

By Bob Dietz

January 25, 2004

Some of my critics suggest that I must be a very depressing person to be around, judging from the nature of my columns. I'm too negative about too many things; I write about the dark side of just about everything, they insist. I must admit that I enjoy parading about as a "political radical" just to see how my critics react. But I'm really a charming, genial, pleasant and witty fellow ... and humble!

I admit that I certainly did paint a bleak picture of Hood Canal's future in last week's column. That is, if the current plans proposed and promoted by Fred Hill Materials, the pit-to-pier project, is realized. I don't think it was radical to compare it to the recent oil spill fouling beaches here in Kitsap County, the massive crude oil spill in Alaska in 1989 and the Asarco pollution of Commencement Bay and their poisonous dusting of lawns and play fields in Ruston. Think of the other violations of our good green earth and blue waters throughout the world I could have included.

Consider this new and significant bit of environmental news: on Jan. 14 (just a few hours after I submitted my column to my editor) the Associated Press reported that the Department of Ecology is expanding the "search for arsenic and lead pollution from an old Tacoma-area copper smelter..." Guess where? Thurston and Kitsap counties! That's a pretty big area, so the contamination from that smelter may not be highly concentrated. But we, like our south Puget Sound neighbors, have been sucking up Asarco's arsenic and lead for decades.

As I pointed out last week, Fred Hill Materials is promising economic benefits to Jefferson County if they are granted a permit to dig in their proposed monster gravel pit near Shine and to build a pit-to-pier loading and shipping facility on the shores of Hood Canal. They refer their critics to the fact that part of that economic growth will be the result of increased employment. That's an argument we often hear from "developers." However, I'm reminded of the man who testified before the agency calling for the closure of Asarco in 1985. He pointed out that if he were to hire people to sprinkle lead and arsenic on the lawns of homes in Ruston and Tacoma, he and they would be found guilty of a felony. But, he added, when a corporation does the same thing, it's called an "economic benefit."

Fred Hill Materials won't be spreading arsenic and lead (as far as I'm able to determine at this point), but their pit-to-pier gravel will bring the devastating possibilities of water and land pollution associated with every seaport in the world. It will be one more assault on a magnificent canal already in danger of becoming a watery grave for the sand-dollar beds, geoducks, and salmon, and a shoreline bereft of nesting eagles, osprey and herons.

Unfortunately, there are some people willing to settle for what must be characterized as "20 silver dollars" worth of sand. According to a Jan. 2 article in the Seattle P-I, the Puget Sound Restoration Fund, led by Betsy Peabody, is willing to support the inevitable pit-to-pier environmental disaster for donations of 500,000 tons of sand for their beach restoration projects. Their own publication flaunts this arrangement as a "unique partnership" preferred by "many local residents and property owners ... because they will personally benefit from improved beaches and property values." I don't think one has to be a radical environmentalist to see what's at work here: good old private property rights over environmental protection.

There is still time to preserve Hood Canal. Time to deflate the public relations consulting firms and individuals claiming to be responsible and expert environmentalists. Time to preserve the good name of the older generation of the Fred Hill family. Time to join with such truly responsible organizations as the Hood Canal Coalition and the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group. And time to support the efforts of Congressman Norm Dicks in his opposition to this proposed pit-to-pier monstrosity.

Together we may yet be able to develop a unified vision for Hood Canal. But time is short.

BOB DIETZ

columnists@thesunlink.com

 

Back to Top