Letter to Editor | Environmental stewardship is essential to our islands

||| FROM CHARLES GREENE for SJC CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE |||

I have been a homeowner on San Juan Island since 1985 and have chosen to reside here because of its incredible natural environment. I am an environmental scientist by profession and therefore am painfully aware of the environmental challenges we face locally and globally. While most of my professional work addresses problems nationally and internationally, I volunteer my time to serve on San Juan County’s Climate and Sustainability Advisory Committee. It is from this perspective that I share my dismay about the potential dissolution of the County’s Environmental Stewardship Department.

In my opinion, Environmental Stewardship is one of the most important departments to retain even during a difficult financial downturn. Most community members would agree that our natural environment is one of the primary reasons we have chosen to reside here. From that perspective, Environmental Stewardship is an essential community service. 

I realize that difficult budgetary decisions need to be made; however, choosing to dissolve the Environmental Stewardship Department makes little sense financially. In fact, the decision to break up the Department and dismiss its Director will end up costing the County more than it will save. While Environmental Stewardship costs the County about $130,000/year in general funds, it generates more than $1 million each year in grant support. That return on investment of eight dollars back for every dollar spent is enviable. 

Environmental Stewardship oversees four citizen advisory committees composed of 56 island residents who volunteer their time to help protect our county’s water, shorelines, and climate future. This demonstrates the level of community commitment that has made San Juan County a leader in Washington state and the nation in environmental stewardship. Please do not make a financially shortsighted decision that will have long-term impacts on that leadership.