HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2006-005WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2006 59
CLEARANCES
Initial
Date
Date Received in Council Office
Agenda Date
Assigned to:
Orr i=0r:
1/17/2006
1117!2006
Council
Dni sron Head.
Dept. Head..
LA
Prosecutor:
Purchasrn !Bud et:
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUMENT:
Resolution supporting the retention of the Magnuson Amendment
ATTACHMENTS:
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) :YO
Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( ) Yes ( ) :YO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) :YO
Requested Date:
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public
hearing, you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate.
Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.)
Resolution supporting the retention of the Magnuson Amendment of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
C04WITTEE ACTION.•
COUNCIL ACTION:
1/17/2006: approved 6 -0 -1 Crawford
abstained
Resolution Number 2006 -005
Related County Contract #J:
Related File Numbers:
Ordinance or Resolution
Number: Res. 2006 -005
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing
on the County's website at: www.eo.whatcom.wa.us /council.
Retention of Maenuson .Amendment
PROPOSED BY: Consent
SPONSORED BY: Consent
INTRODUCED: January 17, 2006
RESOLUTION NO, 2006 -005
SUPPORTING THE RETENTION OF THE MAGNUSON AMENDMENT OF
THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT
WHEREAS, Puget Sound is a life- giving estuary, the home of multitude of
species, including 40 species that warrant special protection, including the federally
listed Puget Sound orcas, chinook and chum salmon; and,
WHEREAS, the health of the Puget Sound ecosystem is at risk, as evidenced
by the large number of water bodies polluted by past industrial practices, ongoing
industrial discharges and stormwater discharges and by declining populations of
rockfish, salmon, forage fish, marine birds, and orcas; and,
WHEREAS, oil spills are a grave threat to ecosystems and marine and
nearshore animals, as evidenced by long -term impairment observed at Valdez,
Alaska, 16 years after the Exxon spill; and,
WHEREAS, the likelihood and severity of oil spills is increased by the
increasing number of tankers in Puget Sound and the volume that those tankers
carry; and,
WHEREAS, a single large oil spill could be devastating to the Puget Sound
ecosystem; and,
WHEREAS, the Federal Magnuson Amendment places limits on amount of
crude oil transiting Puget Sound by prohibiting the issuance of permits required to
modify or construct facilities adjacent to navigable waters, where they enable an
increase in the volume of crude oil being handled at the facility; and,
WHEREAS, some members of Congress are attempting to repeal the
Magnuson Amendment, and thereby allow an increase in crude oil transiting Puget
Sound; and,
WHEREAS, many of Washington's elected representatives to Congress, have
stated that they do not support the repeal of the Magnuson Amendment because of
the grave consequences that an oil spill could have in Puget Sound;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that
we support the efforts of members of the Washington State delegation to oppose
the repeal of the Magnuson Amendment.
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APR440WAQ� this 17thday of January 2006.
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.� +pf HAT ' �fi WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
r %f. COUNTYOewg, � WH TCOM OUNTX, WASHINGTON
s 1k . r•
na 13r*xsQrf00 Clerk of the Council Lurie Caskey- chreiber, Council Chair
Civil Deputy Prosecutor
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