Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe officially states its opposition
to the pit to pier project

The following is the correspondence sent to Governor Locke, Commissioners Huntingford, Titterness, and Rodgers:

After careful consideration, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe would like to express its formal opposition to the proposed Fred Hill Materials (FHM) Thorndyke Project. After a series of site tours and presentations by FHM representatives, staff review of FHM environmental studies, and careful deliberation, the Tribal Council has reached unanimous agreement that the impacts from this large-scale industrial development are simply too great.

We do not take such a decision lightly. The Tribe generally does not get involved with county and state land use actions, however, in certain circumstances where these actions jeopardize the Tribe’s protected Treaty rights to hunt, fish, and gather shellfish we must respond. Beyond Tribal Treaty right impacts, the disruption to surrounding communities from such a large development and its associated shipping traffic is obtrusive and unacceptable.

 From our communications with FHM, Jefferson County, and State agency representatives, the Tribe has not been assured that our Treaty rights would be protected or that community impacts could be avoided. Two years ago, the Tribe commented on the need for a comprehensive environmental analysis to better gage and mitigate for impacts to the natural and human communities of east Jefferson County and Hood Canal. Unfortunately, the current piecemeal, incremental project permitting process lacks such a comprehensive evaluation and does not allow for the identification and implementation of meaningful mitigation measures.

 Chief among the Tribe’s concerns with the FHM Thorndyke Project are:

     * impacts to regional aquifers that sustain important salmon streams
       (such as Thorndyke Creek)
     * marine water quality risks from spills of oil or other pollutants
     * the potential for invasive species introductions through ballast water discharge
     * direct disruption and dislocation of salmon and shellfish fisheries from barge traffic and
        the enormous pier
     * further fragmentation of upland wildlife habitat
     * loss/disruption of shoreline erosional processes that sustain important nearshore
        ecosystem food webs on which threatened salmon and shellfish depend
     * the potential for barge collisions with Hood Canal Bridge – an important regional
        transportation link
     * significant bridge travel delays due to more frequent openings to accommodate barge
        traffic

 Finally, given worsening water quality conditions in Hood Canal, the Tribe is particularly sensitive to land use actions that could further degrade our quality of life and limit harvest opportunities for the 80-90% of Tribal households that rely on shellfish and salmon for subsistence or their livelihood. Changes to the Hood Canal ecosystem have a real, direct impact on Tribal families, and, indeed, to all citizens who enjoy the natural beauty of this irreplaceable treasure.

 Please consider your decisions on this matter carefully.

 Sincerely,

 Ronald G. Charles
Tribal Chair

 CC: Lower Elwha S’Klallam Tribe
 Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe
 Skokomish Tribe
 Point No Point Treaty Council
 WA Dept. of Natural Resources
 WA Dept. of Ecology
 WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
 U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
 National Marine Fisheries Service