Orcas Port Manager Bea vonTobel announced yesterday, Jan. 20, that the last permit for the north outfall repair has been received. The preconstruction meeting was held later on Wednesday, and construction is due to start as early as Friday or Monday.
VonTobel explained that the Port has been waiting for this permit since last spring. In the process, the Tribes involved weren’t contacted by the Corps of Engineers in a timely manner; they were recently contacted, and asking for their expedited reply. The Tribes still have 30 days to object to the permit, and “If the Tribes object, we’ll deal with it at that time,” said vonTobel.
The project involves the outfall stormwater pipe that goes into the Strait at the north end of the port. It has moved eastward due to time and tides, and its repair will involve moving it back to its DNR boundary, and anchoring it with 14 vertical posts and the crosspieces that hold the posts from moving.
The outfall problem has been going on for some time; previous efforts involved divers attempting to anchor the pipe. “We call it the Loch Ness Monster, several boats have gone aground on it,” vonTobel said.
“Because [the repair] involves pile driving, there may be some noise associated with this project, and depending on the height of the machinery, some short airport closures might be necessary to preserve the airspace safety,” vonTobel said. “The window for work is 21 working days from the start of work.”
