— from Stephanie Buffum for FRIENDS of the San Juans —
At its October 8 meeting, the San Juan County Council missed an important opportunity to make a significant contribution to promote the survival of our precariously endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales.
These orcas feed almost exclusively on Chinook salmon, whose juveniles frequently forage in our waters before moving to open ocean. Thus anything islanders can do to enhance the survival of these young salmon — for example, making sure their habitats are not impacted by human activities — will in the long run benefit the orcas by making more of their favorite prey available. That means adopting measures to protect and enhance shoreline areas and eelgrass meadows where the young Chinook salmon find food and shelter.
So why would the San Juan County Council not do everything in its power to protect this marine food web on which the orca depend?
The Friends of the San Juans has been arguing for greater protection for orca, salmon, and forage fish for over seven years while the county was updating its Shoreline Management Plan. Dissatisfied with the County’s work, we petitioned the Growth Management Hearings Board regarding seven elements and received favorable rulings on three: improving watershed mapping to aid mitigation within individual watersheds, creating tracking of cumulative impacts, and tightening requirements on shoreline armoring.
Public testimony at the Planning Commission and County Council compliance hearings enthusiastically supported bold actions to protect the orcas and their marine food web.
But at their latest SMP meeting, Council was tone deaf to public testimony and the Board asking, “What are the minimum changes we need to do to be compliant? Are we going above and beyond what we have to do?” As a member of the governor’s orca task force, Council member Stephens should be seeking ways in which our county could help the orcas, not seeking bare-minimum compliance with the Growth Management Act.
Helping the orca survive will require much more than a minimalist approach towards stewardship of the healthy, productive marine environment they need.
The citizens of San Juan County support restoration of county owned property, and environmental protection of our shorelines. These require fully funding enforcement, comprehensive permit review with experts, and leveraging all county environmental staff to work together.
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It is really disheartening to hear that they asked what is the “minimum” they have to do to be compliant! I have seen this wrongful and shameful attitude all too often in regard to environmental protections. I am deeply disappointed in reading about this attitude of our commissioners on such an important issue dear to all of our hearts. Of course, an attitude change is desperately needed not only for shoreline habitats but for wetland habitats that support shoreline systems. It’s a continual source of pain to my heart to see the obvious being ignored in favor of encouraging and incentivizing unlimited growth.