Ecology seeking comment on Clallam County's proposed shoreline master program revisions



Shoreline along Lake Sutherland, about 17 miles west of Port Angeles in Clallam County

Starting today, we are accepting public comment until Thursday, Feb. 28, about significant revisions Clallam County is seeking to make to its shoreline master program (SMP).

The locally-tailored set of land-use policies and regulations is designed to protect and guide how Clallam County will develop, restore, and preserve more than 600 miles of marine and freshwater shorelines in the county, including:

• Approximately 130 miles of marine shoreline including a portion of the Pacific Ocean coastline, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and numerous saltwater inlets such as Clallam, Crescent, Dungeness, Freshwater, and Sequim bays.
• More than 480 miles of freshwater shoreline along the Bogachiel, Calawah, Elwha, Quillayute, and Sol Duc rivers.
• About 1,500 shoreline acres around six lakes in the county including Beaver, Crescent, Dickey, Elk, Pleasant, and Sutherland.

Clallam County last amended its SMP in 1992. The revised SMP will replace the county’s current master program and is designed to:

• Prioritize water-oriented uses and development in Clallam County.
• Provide for public access to public waters and shorelines.
• Support restoration actions consistent with the county’s shoreline restoration plan.
• Incorporate critical area regulations to ensure environmentally-sensitive areas within the county’s shoreline jurisdiction are protected.

Shoreline along the Elwha River in Clallam County.

Draft SMP documents available for review online or by appointment

Electronic copies of the county's draft SMP documents are available for review and comment through our website while printed copies are available for review, by appointment, at Ecology and Clallam County. To arrange a time to view printed documents at Ecology, please contact Michelle McConnell. Her phone number is 360-407-6329 and Ecology's physical address is:

Washington Department of Ecology
Southwest Regional Office
300 Desmond Dr.
Lacey, WA 98504

To review the draft SMP documents at Clallam County, please contact Steve Gray. His phone number is 360-417-2520 and the county office is located at:

Clallam County
Department of Community Development
223 E. 4th Ave., Suite 5
Port Angeles, WA 98362

How to submit public comments

Comments only need to be provided once before the Feb. 28 deadline at 5 p.m.. While we prefer public comments be submitted through our online comment form, we also will accept comments by mail sent to:

Michelle McConnell
Washington Department of Ecology
Southwest Regional Office
PO Box 47775
Olympia, WA 98504-7775

Next steps

Once the public comment period closes Feb. 28, Ecology will compare Clallam County's proposed SMP to requirements under the state Shoreline Management Act and Shoreline Master Program Guidelines. Based on the comparison, we will decide whether to:

• Approve Clallam County’s proposed SMP as is.
• Approve the updated SMP with recommended changes.
• Send the proposed SMP back to Clallam County with required changes to meet statutory and rule requirements. Recommended changes may also be included with the required changes.

Marine spatial plan adopted to protect our coastal resources

Ruby Beach on Washington's Pacific coast.

Did you know that only four Washington counties – Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson and Pacific – have marine shorelines on the Pacific Ocean?

Together, these four jurisdictions account for 331,000 acres of marine waters and have 157 miles of open ocean coastline. Our coastal communities and coastal Indian tribes have a rich history and maintain a unique relationship to our coastal resources.

Yet, there are increasing demands on these resources – including new projects and uses that can potentially create conflicts with uses or damage our marine resources.

State develops, adopts marine spatial plan

To ensure Washington maintains a resilient, healthy coastal marine ecosystem, we worked closely with our partners at the Washington departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources (DNR) to adopt a new tool – called a “marine spatial plan” – to help make coordinated, science based decisions about proposed new ocean projects and uses.

The guidance establishes processes for coordinating among local and tribal governments and state and federal agencies and for ensuring interest groups and the public have opportunities to weigh in on future projects.

Since the plan contains new policies to protect sensitive ecological areas and fisheries, the plan also puts the state in a strong position to review and shape new ocean activities in areas of state and federal waters in the plan's study area.

The state worked closely with local and tribal governments, other state agencies, the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council, environmental and planning groups, the private sector and the public to develop the plan.

Plan will help evaluate new ocean projects, uses

The new guidance will help us evaluate new proposals seeking to be located between Cape Flattery and Cape Disappointment. The plan covers a patch of the Pacific nearly 6,000 square nautical miles in size.

Right now, most of ocean uses in Washington center on recreation, maritime shipping, coastal fishing and shellfish aquaculture. But we know we have to be ready to effectively assess proposals for new uses and activities such as:

• Renewable energy
• Mining
• Dredged material disposal
• Marine product harvesting
• Offshore aquaculture operations

Our marine spatial plan builds on a 2010 law passed by the state legislature. Six years in the making, the new plan outlines the data and information that are needed to evaluate new proposals – especially the potential effects new ocean uses could have on people, our local communities and the environment.

It also integrates existing state policies and standards that projects must satisfy such as demonstrating that projects have no likely, long-term significant adverse impacts to resources or uses.

Competition for small fraction of ocean ecosystem

Michele Culver, Intergovernmental Ocean Policy Manager for state Fish and Wildlife said “while the ocean is a vast ecosystem, there is competition to use a small fraction of it.”

The plan, Culver said, provides a way for the state to carefully consider the placement of proposed new uses and the effects on other important activities, such as fishing, that occur in the same area.

  

While the plan establishes protections for fisheries and ecologically sensitive areas in state waters, it doesn’t change current management or permit processes for existing marine activities such as fisheries management plans or shellfish aquaculture.

Before we adopted the guidance, the state sought and received comments on the draft plan and a related environmental impact statement which helped us evaluate anticipated impacts that could arise from adopting the plan.

We carefully assessed all the comments we received and they helped us refine the plan. We will submit the marine spatial plan as part of Washington’s federally-approved Coastal Zone Management Program.

Get involved and stay current on marine spatial planning
  

The new state marine spatial plan creates an inclusive decision-making process that carefully considers economic, social, ecological, and cultural interests and gives all users an avenue for having input on the most appropriate strategies to guide and evaluate future uses of our Pacific Ocean waters.

Everyone can keep tabs and get involved in with marine spatial planning in Washington.

Comment on Ocean Shores’ new shoreline master program

A city that began as a California-style development on Point Brown in Grays Harbor County, Ocean Shores has been a tourist beacon since its conversion from a cattle ranch in the early 1960s.

People continue to flock to Ocean Shores, especially during the warmer months and when shellfish beds are open. And the city’s more than 70 miles of shoreline will continue to attract permanent and temporary residents.

Those shorelines, including the Pacific Ocean, Grays Harbor, Duck Lake and canals, are managed under Ocean Shores’ Shoreline Master Program. The Department of Ecology is currently seeking public comments on a proposed update to this master program.

Local shoreline master programs become part of a statewide master program under Washington’s Shoreline Management Act.

Through 5 p.m. on Feb. 15, the public is invited to comment on the proposed program, which will guide shoreline development and activities. It will:

• Entirely replace the city’s existing program;
• Prioritize water-oriented uses and development within the city’s shoreline areas;
• Identify potential restoration projects for future shoreline restoration efforts in a Restoration Plan; and
• Incorporate critical area regulations to ensure the protection of sensitive areas within shoreline jurisdiction.

Once the comment period is over, we will approve it as is, recommend changes, or send it back to the city for required changes to meet statutory and rule requirements.

The documents for public review and comment are available electronically.

Paper copies are available to view, by appointment, at the following locations:

Washington Department of Ecology

Southwest Regional Office

300 Desmond Drive

Lacey, WA 98503

Staff Contact: Kim Van Zwalenburg

Email: kim.vanzwalenburg@ecy.wa.gov

Phone: 360-407-6520

City of Ocean Shores
Planning Department/Permit Office
801 Minard Avenue NW, Building B
Ocean Shores, WA 98569
Staff Contact: Alicia Bridges
Email: abridges@osgov.com
Phone: 360-940-7489

Submit written comments and questions to:

Kim Van Zwalenburg, Senior Shoreline Planner

Washington Department of Ecology

Southwest Regional Office

PO Box 47775

Olympia, WA 98504-7775

Email: kim.vanzwalenburg@ecy.wa.gov

Phone: 360-407-6520

Comments must be received no later than February 15, 2018, at 5 p.m.

By: Dave Bennett, Communications Manager, Southwest Regional Office, Washington Department of Ecology

Help chart the future of our Pacific coast

Makah Bay on Washington's northwest Pacific Ocean coast.

Are you interested in helping shape the future of Washington’s Pacific Coast?

Ecology is still taking public comment on the state’s proposed Marine Spatial Plan and draft Environmental Impact Statement until Tuesday, Dec. 12.

The science-based guidance would establish a process for reviewing and making decisions about future ocean uses that might be proposed on the state’s Pacific coast.

Marine spatial plan forward looking

There are no new projects currently proposed for our ocean coast. The Marine Spatial Plan, however, is designed to be forward looking by establishing procedures to make sure that local and tribal governments and state and federal agencies coordinate with one another on planning and permitting decisions for any future proposals.

The plan also would help ensure that the public and interest groups have ample opportunity to weigh in on any future proposals.

While most current coastal activities center on recreation, maritime shipping, aquaculture and coastal fishing, Washington could receive requests to locate new types of projects and activities in the ocean such as:

• Dredge disposal
• Offshore aquaculture operations
• Renewable energy

The Marine Spatial Plan would help ensure any future projects avoid causing long-term significant adverse impacts to our environment, fisheries, and other resources.

Identifying conditions, trends and potential effects

The proposed plan provides data on current ocean conditions and future trends. It also outlines the data and information needed to evaluate new proposed ocean projects, including the potential effects a project could have on people, local communities, and the environment.

While the plan establishes protections for fisheries and ecologically-sensitive areas in state waters, it does not change current management or permit processes for existing marine activities such as fisheries management plans or shellfish aquaculture.
 
Multi-party effort

Ecology developed the draft plan in partnership with the Washington departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources, Washington Sea Grant, and other agencies.

The state also worked closely with local and tribal governments, other state agencies, the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council, environmental and planning groups, the private sector and the public to develop the plan.

Submit comments online or by mail

The Dec. 12 deadline for submitting comments is rapidly approaching. You can submit comments online or by mail to: Jennifer Hennessey, Department of Ecology, PO Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600.

Grounded at Ocean Shores: Ecology’s response to the Tamara

By Chase Gallagher, Southwest Region Communications Manager

The Tamara, aground near Ocean Shores.

In the morning hours of Tuesday Aug. 11, the 42-foot commercial fishing vessel Tamara ran aground near Ocean Shores on the Pacific coast. The U.S. Coast Guard received a mayday call from the vessel and dispatched a rescue team from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria. A Coast Guard helicopter was able to safely rescue both crew members on the Tamara and bring them ashore.


The Coast Guard noted there was some level of pollution escaping from the grounded vessel and notified our spills team. We were informed there was as much as 1,000 gallons of fuel on board at the time of the grounding.

We dispatched two of our Southwest Region spill responders to the scene, who worked with a Coast Guard contractor to assess the situation.

Mid-day Aug. 12, 2015: Tamara visible from the beachat high tide.

On the ground, no sheen was visible, but there were reports of a diesel odor on the beach. Some debris that was likely from the Tamara had also washed onto the beach.

To get a better perspective, our spills team took to the air via helicopter. They were able to spot a notable sheen from the vessel being carried south by currents.

Oil sheen carrying south along Ocean Shores. Chance a la Mer State Park in background.

Working with the contractor, our responders attempted to reach the vessel at the next low tide (around 5 p.m. Aug. 11), but the cables and lines from the Tamara prevented them from being able to safely reach the vessel. The decision was made to try again in the morning, at the next low tide.

Thanks to a little help from the moon with a strong minus tide, our spills team and the contractor were able to reach the vessel and pump off 630 gallons of remaining fuel and oily water from the Tamara via a vacuum truck. Responders were able to recover buckets and containers of oil, as well as other hazardous materials.

Coast Guard contractor working to remove remaining fuel from the Tamara at low tide, morning of Aug. 12.

Luckily, no oil sheen has been reported washing up on the beach. With the pollution threat minimized, the Department of Natural Resources’ Derelict Vessel Program removed the Tamara from the beach on Aug. 13.

DNR Derelict Vessel program removing the Tamara (Photos: DNR)

More information on our spills program, including what to do in the event of a spill, is available on our website.

New science sheds light on Puget Sound dissolved oxygen

By Mindy Roberts, Environmental Assessment Program and Andrew Kolosseus, Water Quality Program

The Pacific Ocean is the largest source of nitrogen overall, but human activities add more through wastewater discharges and watershed inputs.

Our two reports evaluate the influence of people, climate, and the Pacific Ocean on oxygen levels in South and Central Puget Sound as well as the larger Salish Sea. Two of our just-released scientific studies show the impacts of human nitrogen sources on dissolved oxygen in Puget Sound now and into the future.

Impacts are greatest in parts of South and Central Puget Sound, although the Pacific Ocean has the largest influence overall.

We plan no regulatory changes as a result of the findings. Our next steps are to refine our analyses. We will continue to coordinate with cities, counties, tribes, and other stakeholders on next steps.

We wrote this blog to let you know more about our findings.

Oxygen matters…

Dissolved oxygen levels have been decreasing in Puget Sound. This is troubling because fish and other aquatic life need oxygen just like humans do. Fish use gills just like we use our lungs — imagine how the low oxygen levels on the top of Mount Rainier feel to climbers. Similarly, when oxygen levels in the water are not high enough, fish can become stressed or die.

What’s causing the oxygen levels to decline? Is it us?

Ecology began asking those questions in the late 1990s, but it wasn’t until recent computer model developments that we’ve been able to tease apart influences in the complex ecosystem of Puget Sound.

What’s our footprint?

As the population grows in our region, our wastewater inputs and developed lands increase. Our daily activities generate more nitrogen, an essential element for growing plants, than a forested area does. We also add nitrogen through our wastewater treatment plants and septic systems, as well as in runoff from fertilizers and domestic animals.

When we add too much nitrogen, which is a fertilizer, excess algae blooms in marine waters like Puget Sound. That algae dies and decays, using up oxygen in the process. But how much do we worsen oxygen?

Both studies found that our actions do worsen oxygen in some regions. Low oxygen is predominantly influenced by ocean inputs and local circulation patterns.

We also projected oxygen into the future — to the year 2070, when our region’s population will nearly double from 4.2 million people today to about 8 million. That means more wastewater, more developed lands, and more nitrogen.

Where are our biggest impacts on oxygen?

While our biggest nutrient sources are from our biggest cities where most of us live, resulting impacts are showing up miles away. The South Sound study found that Carr, Case, Totten, Eld, and Budd Inlets in South Puget Sound, as well as East Passage in Central Puget Sound, respond the most to nitrogen inputs.

We also looked at the effect of human nitrogen sources throughout the U.S. and Canadian waters of the Salish Sea. Again, the greatest impacts were found in South and Central Puget Sound, both now and into the future. Circulation patterns make the South Sound a zone where ocean and human nutrients and their impacts get concentrated.

What about the ocean? How much of an impact does it have?

Pacific Ocean oxygen concentrations have been declining over a 50-year period. If those trends continue through 2070, oxygen levels would decline strongly in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Strait of Georgia, and Hood Canal. We’re interested in what’s behind the ocean trends.

Climate change affects oxygen as well

Air temperatures will increase in the future, also warming the water. Warmer water holds less oxygen, so oxygen levels would decline further. This effect shows up strongest in shallow areas like Bellingham Bay.

The amount and timing of flow from the rivers will also change due to changing snowmelt. This speeds up or slows down circulation and brings in more or less nitrogen to Puget Sound at different times of the year.

What are the next steps?

These are the first detailed analyses of how Puget Sound oxygen concentrations respond to our activities, ocean conditions, and climate change. Other regions like Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico have been evaluating these questions for decades.

We’ve clearly learned a great deal about how Puget Sound works. Over the next few years, we will improve and refine our computer prediction models. We will focus our effort on improving key processes such as bottom sediment influences.

We do not yet know whether reductions in human sources will be needed to meet water quality standards for dissolved oxygen. It is too early for regulatory changes. The next updates will be in 2015.

Thanks to staff, funding, and perseverance

These two studies provide a strong technical foundation for understanding a complex topic like dissolved oxygen in Puget Sound. Dozens of staff from Ecology, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, UW Climate Impacts Group, and partners have contributed to this work over the years — check out our web pages for a full list of publications and acknowledgments.

We lend a huge thanks to numerous monitoring and modeling staff and managers in Ecology’s Environmental Assessment and Water Quality Programs, who worked through science and policy questions for the past eight years.

And we thank more than 40 cities, counties, tribes, and other partners who provided insight and recommendations on numerous presentations and publications.

Lastly, we would not have achieved these accomplishments without funding support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under several National Estuary Program grants.

The two studies can be found online:

• South Puget Sound DissolvedOxygen Study: Water Quality Model Calibration and Scenarios
  
  
• Dissolved Oxygen Assessmentfor Puget Sound and the Straits: Impacts of Current and Future Human NitrogenSources and Climate Change through 2070

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