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EIS PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING
The Army Corps of Engineers has announced that they have initiated the development of the Court ordered Glacier NW Environmental Impact Statement(EIS). The first step of this process requires the Corps to invite the public to help scope the range of issues and concerns that will be evaluated in the EIS document.
A public scoping meeting [...] Read More
Funding For Potential Property Acquisition
Nearly a year ago - well before winning the federal court case- POI invited a coalition of the region’s top environmental groups, agency heads and elected officials to join together and work with us in the development and implementation of a plan to purchase the Glacier site.
The Cascade Land Conservancy, a statewide organization specializing in [...] Read More
Court Case Victory!
On August 13, 2009 U.S. District Court Judge Ricardo Martinez ruled in favor of Preserve Our Islands appeal of the Army Corps Permit. The Judge’s decision invalidated the Federal permit and remanded the issue back to both the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Marine Fisheries Services.
To read the Judge’s decision click here
In his [...] Read More
The Fight Moves Into The Courtroom
In recent weeks the fight to protect Maury Island has moved into the courtroom.
The lawsuits related to our appeal of the Federal Army Corps permit and the State DNR aquatic lands lease have both begun.
We have asked the courts to overturn the approvals granted and expect a decision in upcoming months.
Click here to read Preserve [...] Read More
There Is No Shortage Of Sand And Gravel In The State Of Washington
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In In 2003, the Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association (WACA) released a publication The Aggregates Industry In Washington.
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This publication is an uncited, unsourced document produced in whole by the aggregates industry - which stands to profit handsomely from a government and public reaction to a perceived shortage of gravel.
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The Aggregates Industry in Washington incorrectly reports a yearly aggregates usage that is 15 million tons higher than the actual documented usage in the State of Washington.
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Using untested proprietary modeling and incorrect usage figures, WACA inaccurately projects that by 2020 the aggregates use in State of Washington increase of 22 million yearly.
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In reality, correct projections based on documented per capita usage and State population estimates show an estimated increase of as little as 8 million tons per year by 2020.
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A recent Government study done by British Columbia found that the Puget Sound region has no current or anticipated shortage of aggregate supply.
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This same study determined that the supply in the region was so healthy that there was no market to export aggregates from Canada now or in the near future.
The Maury Island Gravel
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The aggregate resource at the Maury Island site is from a glacial deposit called Vashon Advanced Outwash. These deposits are abundant in the Puget Sound lowland areas and run from Bellingham to South of Olympia.
- In order to be used for concrete rather than fill, aggregates are required by WSDOT and other building code regulations to meet very strict grain size specifications and are also required to be washed to remove silt and other deleterious materials.
- Glacier's own internal analysis of the grade of aggregate material found at the site documents that the sand and gravel cannot be used in concrete production and is only suitable for use as the most basic fill material.
- Additionally, because they do not have the water available on site to wash the aggregates, the sand and gravel from the Maury Island site can only be used as common fill material.
- The use of the aggregates from the Maury Island site has historically been used only as fill material in fact, the 1998 expansion proposal was made by Glacier in order to allow the company to bid on the fill project for the 3rd runway at Sea Tac.
- In recent years, the head geologist at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources specifically noted that the type of resource at Maury Island was not in short supply.
This Proposal Doesn't Make Any Sense
It Doesn't Make Environmental Sense
It Doesn't Make Economic Sense
It Doesn't Make Sense For
The People Of Washington State