  |
|
|
Department of Ecology News Release - March 14, 2006
06-041
BELLEVUE - The Department of Ecology (Ecology) today placed stringent safeguards on a proposal by Northwest Aggregates to rebuild an existing dock at a gravel mine on Maury Island in King County.
The state safeguards would be incorporated into a federal permit under consideration by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). Ecology sent the requirements to the Corps today through a document called a state water-quality certification. It outlines measures the Seattle-based company must take to protect water quality and aquatic habitat if a new dock is constructed and used to load gravel barges.
Ecology placed environmental conditions on both the construction and operation of the proposed pier.
Northwest Aggregates will need to remove the existing dock comprising 228 creosote-treated timber piles. Creosote is toxic and contains a number of chemicals known to cause cancer, including dioxin. The chemicals accumulate in plant and animal tissue and can take years to break down in the environment.
In its place, the company will construct a new 305-foot pier that uses approximately 56 steel pilings. The dock also extends further out into the water to keep barges from adversely affecting habitat along the shore, especially eelgrass.
Other key environmental requirements include:
"Protecting the health of Puget Sound is one of our highest priorities," said Ecology Director Jay Manning. "Given our focus on protecting and restoring Puget Sound, we gave this project a very careful review. State law imposes a high environmental standard to be met before we can permit these types of shore side projects and I'm satisfied that Northwest Aggregates has met all of Ecology's requirements."
The dock project is part of Northwest Aggregates's overall plan to develop large-scale operations at the existing 235-acre mine on the island. The proposed gravel operation already has received several approvals by local and state agencies. The company still needs to obtain authorization from the Corps as well as an aquatic lease from the state Department of Natural Resources.
# # #
Contact: Curt Hart, public information manager, 360-407-6990, or cell phone, 360-480-7908
For more information: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/fed-permit/NWRO_Decisions.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
