Sunday, March 06, 2005
Learning to Protect Coastal Resources
I never considered myself an "activist," then "progress" threatened my dive spot.
Progress came in the form of a proposal to construct a cargo unloading ramp at Smitty's Cove in Whittier, Alaska. Whittier sits at the head of Passage Canal, one of the many fjords that radiate off Prince William Sound. Conceived as an alternate port in the "Thousand Mile War" of the Alaskan theater of World War II, the town is a portal to the Sound. Most people go to and from Whittier as a means of getting someplace else, whether it is coming off the cruise ships and immediately getting on the train to Anchorage or going to Whittier to catch the State of Alaska ferry to points beyond.
One of the town's local attractions is Smitty's Cove. With its existing boat ramp, the Cove is a great "put-in" place for scuba divers, kayakers, and recreational boaters. The Cove has a pretty good salmon run and is a favorite of local anglers. It also has an existing cargo transfer operation with a landing craft using the ramp to offload cargo destined for the Alaska Railroad freight train to Anchorage. The Cove is an exemplar of successful multiple use. This condition is like a marriage, some rough spots along the way and the parties having to work to make the arrangement a success. After a while a routine settles in. Then a seductress comes along in the form of Smitty's Cove LLC, a Seattle-based partnership with connections to Lynden Transport. It is usually not a good sign for the locals when a company in a far away place takes the name of a local landmark.
From the beginning, both the partnership and their local agent refused to meet with other users of the Cove or with the City Planning Commission which had the coastal review authority for the application to build a much larger cargo ramp in the Cove. Now this seemingly innocuous project raised questions like, "if the existing ramp is not adequate for your planned operations, just what operations are you planning and how will this affect other's use of the area?"
In the application, the partnership stated that the project was consistent with the enforceable policies of the local coastal zone district. In other words, the applicant certified that building the boat ramp would not violate local coastal land use plans, zoning, and ordinances. Among other things, these policies protected multiple use and recreational access to the area and required that any effects from the proposed boat ramp be mitigated.
An ad-hoc group formed to make sure that the project protected the existing use of the Cove. Our on-going effort teaches several lessons to people who find themselves taking action to protect local coastal resources.
The importance of having a point person, preferably one with ties to the larger local community and the groups who use the area, who can act as the early warning system for any emerging actions.
Early communication among the various interests and users is essential. Talking with each other is important, not only to keep everyone informed but to build solidarity. An email list is essential.
Know the rules of the game if you want to be a player. Permits often require action by more than one approving agency, each with their own procedures and rules. For example, any comment on the applicant's consistency certification has to be in reference to specific enforceable policies and why the project may be in violation of those policies. The public input process is not a referendum on the proposed project. While statements of opposition may result in a warm feeling of having done something, the bureaucracy will only consider those items submitted in accordance with the rules.
Get to know the approving officials. Making the "howdy rounds" is a good idea in most parts of the country for it allows the official to know who you are, not just what you think. In some places, personal relationships are still very important in getting things done. You can rest assured that the applicant probably has met the approving officials.
Get to know the applicant, if possible, but if the applicant doesn't want to meet there is not much you can do about it. Don't worry, eventually they will be conspicuous by their absence.
Knowledge is power, so do your homework. Raising questions about the potential effects of a project and providing credible input is hard work. It requires that you know something about the environment of an area. You don't need to be an expert, but you need a certain level of expertise. The most effective way of doing this is to have each person learn all they can about one aspect of a project.
If people need to be organized, organize them, no one will do this for you.
Progress came in the form of a proposal to construct a cargo unloading ramp at Smitty's Cove in Whittier, Alaska. Whittier sits at the head of Passage Canal, one of the many fjords that radiate off Prince William Sound. Conceived as an alternate port in the "Thousand Mile War" of the Alaskan theater of World War II, the town is a portal to the Sound. Most people go to and from Whittier as a means of getting someplace else, whether it is coming off the cruise ships and immediately getting on the train to Anchorage or going to Whittier to catch the State of Alaska ferry to points beyond.
One of the town's local attractions is Smitty's Cove. With its existing boat ramp, the Cove is a great "put-in" place for scuba divers, kayakers, and recreational boaters. The Cove has a pretty good salmon run and is a favorite of local anglers. It also has an existing cargo transfer operation with a landing craft using the ramp to offload cargo destined for the Alaska Railroad freight train to Anchorage. The Cove is an exemplar of successful multiple use. This condition is like a marriage, some rough spots along the way and the parties having to work to make the arrangement a success. After a while a routine settles in. Then a seductress comes along in the form of Smitty's Cove LLC, a Seattle-based partnership with connections to Lynden Transport. It is usually not a good sign for the locals when a company in a far away place takes the name of a local landmark.
From the beginning, both the partnership and their local agent refused to meet with other users of the Cove or with the City Planning Commission which had the coastal review authority for the application to build a much larger cargo ramp in the Cove. Now this seemingly innocuous project raised questions like, "if the existing ramp is not adequate for your planned operations, just what operations are you planning and how will this affect other's use of the area?"
In the application, the partnership stated that the project was consistent with the enforceable policies of the local coastal zone district. In other words, the applicant certified that building the boat ramp would not violate local coastal land use plans, zoning, and ordinances. Among other things, these policies protected multiple use and recreational access to the area and required that any effects from the proposed boat ramp be mitigated.
An ad-hoc group formed to make sure that the project protected the existing use of the Cove. Our on-going effort teaches several lessons to people who find themselves taking action to protect local coastal resources.
The importance of having a point person, preferably one with ties to the larger local community and the groups who use the area, who can act as the early warning system for any emerging actions.
Early communication among the various interests and users is essential. Talking with each other is important, not only to keep everyone informed but to build solidarity. An email list is essential.
Know the rules of the game if you want to be a player. Permits often require action by more than one approving agency, each with their own procedures and rules. For example, any comment on the applicant's consistency certification has to be in reference to specific enforceable policies and why the project may be in violation of those policies. The public input process is not a referendum on the proposed project. While statements of opposition may result in a warm feeling of having done something, the bureaucracy will only consider those items submitted in accordance with the rules.
Get to know the approving officials. Making the "howdy rounds" is a good idea in most parts of the country for it allows the official to know who you are, not just what you think. In some places, personal relationships are still very important in getting things done. You can rest assured that the applicant probably has met the approving officials.
Get to know the applicant, if possible, but if the applicant doesn't want to meet there is not much you can do about it. Don't worry, eventually they will be conspicuous by their absence.
Knowledge is power, so do your homework. Raising questions about the potential effects of a project and providing credible input is hard work. It requires that you know something about the environment of an area. You don't need to be an expert, but you need a certain level of expertise. The most effective way of doing this is to have each person learn all they can about one aspect of a project.
If people need to be organized, organize them, no one will do this for you.
# posted by covediver @ 10:50 PM 
