First the trees go....

Then the trucks come....

Then life as we know and love it disappears:
our quality of life, our property values, our peace and quiet.

Who protects taxpayers and residents from the "emotional pollution" caused
by this type of operation? How come CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS cannot be considered a "jurisdictional agency" on SEPA documents and allowed to give their comments, havng an equal voice to that of the agencies entrusted with the responsibility of managing our infrastructural affairs?

Transcription of Comments from DNR's June 21, 2001 "Open House" (Which DNR is now calling a "hearing." - An Adobe Acrobat file)

Hand-outs given by DNR at 1/27/1 public meeting (Adobe Acrobat file)

Note: We have DNR annual reports dating back to 1989. Email us if you wish to review them.

Articles & Information on DNR Meetings, etc.

DNR's
Official Website

DNR
DOCUMENTS:

• "Notice" of DNR's "Landscape Scoping Meeting" 7/2/700
• Research Documents
  on Powerhouse Site used for MDNS (Studies performed during Granite Falls' project. Powerhouse Site evaluated as Alternative #3. This is a LARGE 1.9 mb Adobe Acrobat file)
• Revealing Excerpts from DNR's Powerhouse File
• Communication Plan - Notes from DNR meetings indicate concern for image tarnished during Powerhouse's review process
  

DNR BOARD MEETING MINUTES

DNR Staff Presentation to DNR Board of Directors 12-5-00 before approval was given for the Powerhouse Project

DNR "PR" Piece: How they care for habitat & buffers.

Where does all the money go? (View a pie chart of fund distribution, eff. date 7-01)

Where was the money SUPPOSED to go? (Read the 1889 Enabling Act, which gave 500,000 acres of land to Washington State as a school trust.)

DNR's Financial Statement/Annual Report for 2000 -where the money comes from, and goes to (Adobe Acrobat file). We have "hard" copies of DNR annual reports since 1989. Email us if you wish to view them.

SEPA ISSUES:

• 11/16/00 "Botched" MDNS
• Amended SEPA (6-01)
• Amperage Timber Sale SEPA (& other items)
• SNAG/GRIT 7/16/01 Response to Draft SEPA (part 1 - in Acrobat) (as a Word Doc)
• GRIT/Storm response to Draft SEPA (Part 2) (as a Word doc)

Synopsis of Project:
This proposed deforestation and gravel operation encompasses 600 acres, extracting gravel over a 20-year period. It will bring 350 round trips (700 trucks) per day up and down Sultan Basin Road and onto Route 2, and will effect Endangered Species habitat for Chinook Salmon and Bull Trout. It is located about 1/2 north of the Sultan city limits. There will be deforestation, blasting, drilling, and earth-moving directly parallel to the Sultan River. It would be located in an extremely sensitive ecological area (click here to see a topographical map) (or click here to see map of the area). It may come as news to residents that the "Powerhouse" site was evaluated as Alternative #3 when the Granite Falls' CSR project was being reviewed. Click here to review these detailed studies.

During the DNR Board Meeting of February 6th, they decided to place this project "on hold" pending discussions with County Executive Bob Drewel and County Chair Dave Somers. This "truce" is suspect, however, since the DNR Board, knowing full well of the problems that exist with this project, went ahead and approved the Minutes from their December 5, 2000 board meeting, during this this proejct was given the go-ahead. Read the statement given by L. Storm to the DNR Board during this meeting.

The gravel auction, which was previously scheduled for March 19th, has also been delayed. This auction is to sell off our natural resources to the highest bidder. His number is: 360-902-1642. (By the way, are our taxpayer-owned resources still "resources" if they no longer exist?)

What happened Tuesday, February 6th
WHEN THE DNR BOARD MET?
(Click here to read DNR board minutes since 1999)

From left: Board members James Zuiches, Glen Huntingford, Terry Bereson and Land Commissioner Doug Sutherland (Krisina Vogt and Bob Nichols are not shown).

The following Sultan Residents were on hand to give comments to the Board: Sue Shawger, Loretta Storm, Kevin Pettelle and Chris Wakefield-Nichols. Perry and Barbara McPherson were also present, but did not testify. CLICK HERE to read our full story on what happened, along with what action was taken by the City of Sultan Council February 7th.

Monday, February 26, 2001:
A meeting was held between the DNR, Snohomish County Executive Bob Drewel, County Council Chair Bob Somers, and Paul Elias, General Manager of the Snohomish County PUD, to discuss the ineffective (flawed and incompetent) SEPA process. DNR agreed to REOPEN that process, which included redoing the MDNS, as well as giving the public an opportunity to give their input.

When the City Council & DNR Met May 25, 2001: What happened?

Read a 3/26/01 memo from Gary Bourne, the City's acting engineer (from Berryman & Henigar), giving a summary of the meeting between DNR, PUD and the City. The subject was the city's water easements on proposed Powerhouse Site DNR land.

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