Point Wells - Snohomish County environmental review - Scoping meetings
Friday, February 14, 2014
Point Wells - Snohomish County environmental review - Scoping meetings
Snohomish County will host two scoping meetings as part of the environmental review process for the proposed development at Point Wells. Scoping is the community’s opportunity to comment on the project’s impacts, identify alternatives and how to address the impacts. The two meetings will both be held on Tuesday, February 18, with one meeting in Everett and one in Shoreline. The locations and times of the two meetings are as follows:
Everett
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 12:30 p.m. to approximately 2:30 p.m.
Snohomish County Administration Building Court Complex
3000 Rockefeller Ave.
Everett, WA 98201
Shoreline
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m. to approximately 8:30 p.m.
Shoreline Conference Center
18560 1st Avenue NE
Shoreline, WA 98155
If you are unable to attend either meeting, you can submit your comments:
1. Via email to: Darryl.Eastin@co.snohomish.wa.us
2. In writing to:
Darryl EastinSnohomish County Planning and Development Services3000 Rockefeller Ave. M/S 604, 2nd FloorRobert Drewel BuildingEverett, WA 98201
Through Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act, when a proposed project is likely to result in significant adverse impacts, the lead agency is required to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS). In the case of Point Wells, Snohomish County is the lead agency. The EIS reviews the project’s impacts and provides reasonable alternatives and possible mitigation. The first step in the process is to conduct “scoping” which is the community’s opportunity to comment on the impacts, identify alternatives, and how to address the impacts.
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1 comments:
Ok, so we have been given due notice. But how are we to prepare. The following excerpt is from the State of Washington Department of Ecology's Citizen's Guide to SEPA Review and Commenting. Copy and paste the following URL into your browser: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sepa/citizensguide/citizensguide.htm
What comments are helpful?
Comments in the following areas are particularly valuable:
•Any inaccuracies in the environmental checklist, EIS, or other documentation;
•Areas of potential environmental impact that have not been identified;
•Adverse environmental impacts that have not been adequately addressed;
•Possible mitigation measures that could or should be added to the proposal;
•Reasonable alternatives to the proposal;
•The need for additional study(ies);
•The merits of the alternatives and mitigation measures considered in the document; and
•Reasons that a determination of nonsignificance is not appropriate and that an environmental impact statement (EIS) should be prepared.
Other tips
It is important to remember that your goal is to communicate your concerns. If you fail to make yourself both understandable and believable, then your message is likely to be wasted.
Be clear, concise, and organized. Decide what you need to say before you begin. Developing an outline, if you have a number of points, is a good idea to help you group your comments in a logical order. Jumping back and forth between several topics reduces the impact of your argument.
Be specific. Saying that you are against a project will not have as much effect as saying why. It is always a good idea to give as much support as possible to your comments. Include as much factual information as possible. For instance, you can compare how things were, to how they are, to how you believe they will be in the future—and why. Referring to the comprehensive plan (if your community has one), development regulations, information on similar projects or situations, or other environmental laws and/or documents can also be helpful. It is important to be as accurate as possible.
Identify possible solutions. Suggestions on reasonable mitigation (conditions to avoid, minimize, or reduce adverse impacts) may help shape a questionable project into a welcome addition to a community. After identifying your concern, whenever possible, suggest possible solutions.
For questions or comments concerning SEPA, please email sepahelp@ecy.wa.gov or call (360) 407-6922.
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