Fight Gravel Mining over the Nooksack

[Christopher Keefe]

An important message from
Friends of the Nooksack Samish Watershed
Acme farmers and residents need your help. 
Tuesday August 9th, County Council voted to approve a 280 acre mineral zoning designation (a gravel mine) in Acme.  The mining site is located on a steep slope just above the South Fork of the Nooksack and adjacent to several commercial organic family farms.  Our watershed is at risk, not to mention the endangered salmon, the farmers, and our rural way of life.

Please help.  Act now! 
Urge County Executive, Pete Kremen, to veto this decision.
Our deadline is tight:  Monday August 15th.
E-mail: [e-mail]
Phone [phone]

[Christopher Keefe]

Dave,

Thanks for your advice.  After long hours of fighting the good fight, Anna and the Friends of the Nooksack Salmon Watershed won this one! 

[dave smith]

if you really want to stop gravel pit

heres some ideas

this is not complete but gets you some ideas

it takes time

a lot of time

but

if you got the proof gravel pit will harm the environment in some way

breaking some law or regulation

i mean legal scientific proof

which isnt easy

find some type of expert

hydrologist

or

fisheries expert'

uw has or last time i checked a fisheries department

and

geology department

write a letter

not email

to department outlining what kind of help expertise you need

you got no money

etc

if someone takes a interest great youll get legal scientific proof

contact conservation socioeties

fishing societies

if native americans fish the river ask them for help

they sometimes got people who help

who says silting run off etc will harm or destroy salmon etc in river etc

and

it violates this law

it cant be we say they say

but hard scientific data

if you got it

forget lawsuit

file a legal quo warranto against beaureacrat or government official who approved the gravel pit

theirs no jury

its decided by  judge on legal merits

what you need to do is prove they

usurped (legal word) their authority

in other words

approved gravel pit

when it shouldnt have been approved

its a little tricky

but

if you win

no gravel pit

the beaurcrat or elected official gets removed you replace him

BE PREPARED FOR PAYBACK IN VARIOUS FORMS

INCLUDING HAVING DRUGS PLANTED ON YOU OR IN YOUR VEHICLE

pissing off money boys entails risk

no im not a lawyer

know a little law the hard way

wrongful unlawful over a dozen times

sit in motorized wheelchair mostly from repeated attempts to kill me

deny me  essential health care repeatedly

which put me their

with current death threats from cops prosecutors federal intelligence agencies etc

over my court proceedings

i got felony convictions

legal incomptencies

and

i can carry a gun legally

the cops just eat it

knowing the law

can sometimes be helpful

but

the judges will hate you

the legal  system is all corrupted

think about risks

and

if you want to take them

myvehicle has a infared detector

two types of audio video recording completely seperate

i carry two micro tape recorders

two minatrure cam corders

to protect myself now

and

i know enough law to make things get real nasty legally real fast

count the costs before you even think of attempting to stop gravel pit

what is your personal cost benefit

what risks are you willing to take

 

 

[Heather K]

Updates on protecting our lands & waters in the South Fork Nooksack Valley are offered through http://www.safeguardthesouthfork.org/    'Safeguard the South Fork'.  

There is also a 2nd local organization supported by our farmer families who are focusing specifically on the gravel & mining re-zone issue, called  "Friends of the Nooksack Samish Watershed'.  they do not yet have a website, but can be found on faceboo, or I can connect you to their email if you message me.

[Heather K]

quote per David Stalheim: “ The County Council's action last Tuesday is Not the final decision, however. Under the Growth Management Act, you can amend the Comprehensive Plan no more than once per year -- with some limited exceptions. The action on Tuesday will be forwarded to what is called "concurrent review", which by County Code (WCC 2.160.100.C) should occur on or about February 1, 2012. (In 2011, the final concurrent review didn't take place until May.)"

 

"Executive Kremen, therefore, will Not have any opportunity to veto this ordinance. As a potential County Council member, however, he may be a deciding vote next year on this application. This gets me to where your energy might best be spent fighting this project: elections of County Executive and County Council. “  

 “Of course, there will be a new County Executive next year that, if presented with an ordinance to approve, would have the ability to veto that ordinance. This ordinance can, and should have been denied. There was no consideration to protection of the environment in making this initial decision. I just won a Growth Management case against Whatcom County because they didn't consider the environment. (http://www.gmhb.wa.gov/CaseDetail.aspx?cid=1093). The Saxon proposal clearly did not meet the County's own criteria for mineral resource lands amendment. Whatcom County has the basis to deny this proposal, and it can withstand any challenge from the gravel interests.” end quote-  per David Stalheim  email 8/13/11-

For questions email:    [e-mail]

[Heather K]

Save our Farms & Our Salmon: Take Action Request from “ Safeguard the South Fork " by Monday pm - Contact Pete Kremen 676-6717   http://www.safeguardthesouthfork.org/

[Heather K]

Sunseed Farm now encouraging emails to Pete: http://www.sunseedfarm.com/organic/S.F._Mining_Info.html

Hope Pete remembers all our phone calls & emails if he ends up voted in a council chair!

Uprising Organics, our local seed-saver farmers also live in valley, along with Moondance Farms.

My newest understanding is quote:  “final ordinance will not be presented for some time” so “ technically there is nothing to veto until it comes back to council for final approval, which may not be until February - after Pete is out of office. Still a good idea to tell Pete what you think.”

And it is a good idea for us to think about the elections and who we want in those chair when council make any votes. 

Thanks to county councilman Carl Weimer for this ordinance update, his advocacy for citizens, and for walking his dog near Cherry Point!

Be sure to read his blogs- http://carlvotes.blogspot.com/2011/07/cherry-point-full-disclosure....

* * * * *

Thoughts on Transition USA on being involved in elections- http://transitioninaction.com/forum/topics/transition-politicians

[J. C. Walker,Jr.]

I spoke with Mr. Kremen yesterday and was pleased to hear he was disappointed with the decision taken by the council on Tuesday. He said he was leaning towards the veto option, but was concerned with further litigation should he proceed with a veto. Should he not veto the decision the possibility for litigation still exist from the Federal Government enforcing the Clean Water Act. If you get the chance watch Tuesdays proceeding on BTV ch 10. Thank you for helping Whatcom County maintain its resilience.

[Heather K]

Call Pete Kreman 676-6717 “Say No to South Fork-Samish River Mineral ReZone- We Request Reversal/Veto of Council's Zoning vote!”  Phone by Monday August 15 & pass the word!

Remind Pete your neighborhood will be voting this election!

 

We must be pro-active to protect our local foodsheds, our local farmers, and the salmon runing upstream.

 

Jaren Paben's Herald report-

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/07/25/2112811/sand-and-gravel-...