We oppose dewatering the South Parcel.
July 28, 2011
Dear Citizens of DuPont and friends,
Did you know that our city council and our community are currently facing a significant decision? We need your immediate help as we work to protect DuPont’s treasured Sequalitchew Creek, Edmond Marsh and ensure our drinking water remains clean and pure.
Currently, there is a 320 acre gravel mine in our community operated by CalPortland. They have come forward with a proposal to expand their sand and gravel mining operations into a 166 acre section of land which is adjacent to Sequalitchew Creek and directly to the South of their current DuPont site. They also hope to expand into the North Parcel which they own.
As part of the South Parcel expansion, CalPortland proposes to use a series of wells to drain or “dewater” the aquifer underlying the site – so that the company can mine below the existing water table.
This is an extreme proposal that calls for approximately 6.5 million gallons of water to be pumped from the aquifer each day that will cause the surrounding water table to drop along Sequalitchew Creek and Edmond Marsh that is part of our drinking water system, according to DuPont’s Water System Comprehensive Plan.
The regional aquifer they have proposed to dewater is part of the federally-designated Central Pierce Sole Source Aquifer system. This designation is only given to sensitive, at-risk water resource areas that are a community’s only option for clean drinking water.
Expert environmental specialists who have reviewed CalPortland’s proposed expansion plan in the South Parcel have found that dewatering is likely to cause permanent, irreversible damage to Sequalitchew Creek and to Edmond Marsh. Dewatering the aquifer also presents a documented threat to the drinking water supply at Fort Lewis (JBLM), as well as to the groundwater recharge that is the ultimate source of DuPont’s drinking water.
While we are not opposed to CalPortland mining in the South Parcel, we are opposed to an expansion that allows the dewatering of the aquifer. We DO NOT oppose mining in the North Parcel that will yield approximately 60 million tons of gravel or the current site where another 40 million tons of gravel remains to be extracted.
Over 15 years ago, in exchange for dropping a legal challenge and allowing CalPortland into our community, the company made a commitment to the City of DuPont and its citizens that it would not seek any future expansion that would “significantly impact the flow of Sequalitchew Creek.”
Yet here they stand today, with broken promise and a proposal to do just that.
As a result of CalPortland’s violation of the previous agreement, the City of DuPont has been asked to amend the original settlement agreement, so that these new impacts to our creek and marsh would be allowed.
A new agreement has been put before the City Council for their final approval. We believe that before signing any agreement, our City of DuPont Councilmembers need to hear your input on CalPortland’s proposal, and on the details of the amended settlement document.
We have two important actions that we need you to take today, to ensure the protection of the Sequalitchew Creek Watershed and our community.
1. Please contact the members of the City Council immediately to let them know that the protection of Sequalitchew Creek, Edmond Marsh and the local drinking water quality is important to you – and that you do not support any proposal or amended settlement agreement that involves dewatering of the aquifer.
Let them know that the dewatering of our aquifer is an unacceptable part of CalPortland’s expansion proposal, and that you expect the DuPont City Council to represent the community’s interest in protecting the area’s environmental and water resource values by declining to sign any expansion agreement that allows dewatering.
The City of DuPont is taking questions and comments (for the record, for City Council) from all members of the public during a 60 day comment period.
Your comments can still be sent to:
Erin Larsen, City Clerk
Email: elarsen@ci.dupont.wa.us
If you prefer to send a hard copy letter, send it to: Erin Larsen, DuPont City Hall, 1700 Civic Drive, DuPont, WA 98327.
Residents and any member of the public are also welcome to come and address Council during any public comment period.
A Special Meeting on the 2011 Settlement Agreement is scheduled for August 30, 2011 at DuPont City Hall. This is another opportunity to make your comments heard by City Council.
2. Please visit our website at SaveOurCreek.info and sign up to receive our email action alerts. We promise we won’t barrage you with a high volume of emails.
We urgently need your help to protect the creek, and signing up for our email list allows us to send you timely and important messages.
The Sequalitchew Creek Watershed Council was formed in 1995 and has diligently worked to protect the vital ecological functions of Sequalitchew Creek and Edmond Marsh.
But, we can’t do it alone.
We need you to help us protect our community watershed by using your voice…and we need you to come in off the sidelines and join us in opposing the dewatering proposal that is currently included in CalPortland’s expansion plans.
Together, we can and will protect the Sequalitchew Creek Watershed and our drinking water quality.
Sincerely,
The Sequalitchew Creek Watershed Council
PO Box 171
DuPont, WA 98327
The gravel chute and barge loading facility near Ketron Island
The processing plant at the DuPont Mine
Tug and gravel barge leaving the DuPont Mining facility
