Acquisition of Maury Island mine site critical to preservation of important habitat

A HEALTHY Puget Sound is fundamental to our way of life and is a legacy we must pass on to our children. Our environment, health and economy are all threatened by the current trends in Puget Sound's decline and we must be relentless and purposeful in our work to protect this priceless natural resource.

A recent opinion piece by the Washington Policy Center's Todd Myers on a key conservation effort on Maury Island came to an erroneous conclusion. ["Politics pollutes Puget Sound," Opinion, Aug. 31.]

In particular, Myers's report of a $100 million price tag for the purchase of the mine site is wildly off base. Negotiators are discussing a much smaller number.

Here are the real facts and the reasons why this conservation project would be good for Puget Sound and good for the region:

The 250 acre Maury Island property sits at the heart of a nearshore reach so ecologically unique it has been designated as State Aquatic Reserve and a National Marine Protected Area. Endangered Orcas feed at Maury during the fall and winter, and salmon rely on the nearshore area, which hosts a healthy population of herring, surf smelt and sand lance — all important forage fish for salmon.

In its 2007 Final Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan, NOAA's Fisheries Service highlights the significance of the Maury Island shoreline to chinook, noting "the preservation of this area cannot be overestimated in its value to Chinook recovery." The plan also instructs that the Maury nearshore "be given the highest level of protection from development."

In 1998, Glacier Northwest came forward with a proposal to utilize the property to create the largest mine of its kind in the U.S. and build an industrial barging facility in the middle of this sensitive and increasingly valuable nearshore reserve.

During the permitting process for the proposed project, countless experts expressed their concern to the regulatory agencies, documenting significant impacts to salmon and other endangered species.

And U.S. District Court Judge Ricardo Martinez agreed when he ruled in 2009 that in permitting the facility, federal agencies had violated the nation's most fundamental environmental laws. He stated flatly, "What's missing here is science," and suspended previous approvals and directed further review.

Further, soils at the mine site are contaminated with arsenic from the Asarco smelter in Ruston at levels up to 20 times higher than allowed by law. The Department of Ecology determined contamination at the site created a significant public health risk and ordered a formal cleanup under the state's toxics regulations.

The top priority in the Puget Sound Partnership's Action Agenda is to protect intact ecosystems. So, recognizing a purchase and sale agreement would create a win — win scenario for both Glacier and Puget Sound, the company and environmental advocates began acquisition discussions in 2009.

In 2010, with support from the environmental community, King County, Gov. Chris Gregoire, Glacier and state agencies including the Puget Sound Partnership, the Legislature appropriated funding from the Asarco bankruptcy trust fund, moneys restricted by federal bankruptcy court to properties contaminated by Asarco.

We expect our elected and appointed officials to address pivotal Puget Sound issues and to act when major opportunities arise. This is one such opportunity. The acquisition would protect vital endangered-species habitat, support our plan for Puget Sound recovery and eliminate the public health risk from the disturbance of highly toxic soils. And Glacier would benefit by receiving a solid return on their investment.

The Partnership's support for the acquisition of the Glacier site shows the kind of forward-thinking leadership necessary for the recovery of Puget Sound.

Kathy Fletcher is executive director of People For Puget Sound; Amy Carey is president of Preserve Our Islands; Joan Crooks is executive director of Washington Environmental Council.