The URL can be used to link to this page

Public Comment o aw c ��. 1 0 IL o 1. Cli r U 'd U '' g g g 2 w 4 N— ( c WT 4 i U Cl) 3 Q. Z Z 0 Z H W �� a)v 0 M CJ LJ cp Cl) � J cg z W N * v 0 O n--- g �., i J. (-) ''2 ILI n i NS A (f) 1g n 2 10 Q 0 tc) 0 z E of^ o F-M w 3 � lii r Z a 1� s 3 2 t ,..0 --q.t. c 9 ii , -z ,t ..... d ,) I�� --A _..----..,p \s,,,,,...„ 0 i �' �;;I► 3 r `' lC) CO t` 00 0) 0 r N co ni- J 4 Thank you commissioners for this opportunity to address you with my concerns I have been involved in this Crystal Geyser Roxane folly from the day we found out they had purchased property in an RDD 20 Zone for an INDUSTRIAL operation directly across the road from our home In the beginning it was NOT IN MY BACK YARD,but VERY quickly became, not in my STATE! After last Friday's Chronicle issue, it's NOT ANYWHERE IN MY COUNTRY! They are threatening a law suit to BRING US TO THE TABLE We have asked this company to come to the table,through Letters,town hall meetings,comments and QUESTIONS they have NOT addressed BUT they have the audacity to THREATEN us with lawsuits? WHO HAS BEEN AT THE TABLE I ask???7 WE HAVE! They have made statements"OFF THE RECORD" in order to coerce us into "coming to the table" Well we have been at the table,WHERE ARE THEY? We all KNOW where they are' They are out there Planning to hire a PR firm They are Planning to PLANT supporters They are Threatening to sue the local News Paper for simply exposing the truth They are Planning to sue our group for doing the very thing they want free rein to do! DAMAGE OUR AQUIFER! And this is what we KNOW' WHAT MIGHT THEY STILL BE HIDING? We have yet to hear anything other than one-second hand email filled with vague innuendoes addressed to the county manager in order to use him and your board as emissaries *****Emissaries for a corrupt,lying, environmental-destroying nightmare of a foreign multi billion $ underhanded organization. One that is poised to steal the natural resource that has been revered, protected,and utilized in the way we want it to continue LEWIS County is a beautiful area One that companies s should haveeve BEGGING to be est bat of ethompanies that when VETTED, are found to be honest, This company has none of these qualities In closing, 1- I suggest you stop this with a temporary injunction TODAY 2- Hire a WATER RIGHTS ATTORNEY to garner advice TODAY 3- Tell CRYSTAL GEYSER ROXANE to leave and not look back,unless it would be to save a bit of face and gift this property to the COWLITZ TRIBE TODAY 4- For the future" VET companies that wish to setup operations in this county BEFORE the EDC encourages and aids them in setting up a business 4,,,/, . ,0 b 4C � tit Sign in Join now Corporate Water Mining and the Effects on the Local Environment and Aquifer. Joshua Hail MLA,BLA Follow lr Landscape Designer Z 0 In the 1990's small towns located on the east end of Lewis County, in the State of Washington found themselves gasping for tax revenue due to the loss of their timber boom As the Timber industry began to dry up,so did the towns Schools that were once rivals had to merge in order to keep their state funding and school districts open. Families moved away The closest city center is over an hour and a half away This area is pristine and untouched, making many outside people want to visit.It is located by and around the outskirts of Mt Rainier National Park and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Enter the age of bottled water and corporations who saw huge profits from something we can turn on the tap and get for free Sound familiar only if you have seen Tapped,Water Town,or a variety of documentaries on Flint, Ml This is their typical business model Sneak in and buy the land apply for the permits,and dangle carrots of the prospect of jobs while strip mining aquifers Many of these companies are owned by even larger corporations,with no affiliation or interest to the community in which they draw their shares.They extract the natural resource of local water at tenths of a cent and sell it back to the public around the nation for large profits. Bottled water is the modern-day robber baron. So there it is, David vs Goliath money vs. natural beauty and the greed of large vs.the needs of low income Do I have your'feels'yet?While the emotions are the drive, let us look at the science,the reason these kinds of things need to be stopped, controlled, and forced to repair the damaged landscape they create (Sublimation and dry/contaminated aquifers) The Use of the Aquifer Water and Water Rights Water rights for many years have been interpreted as "he who has the biggest pump has the right. The DOE of Washington State says We are responsible for managing the water resources of the state, including issuing the right to use water as well as protecting the instream resources for the benefit of the public.. Many of these permits have been in existence since the late 1800s. Before we can issue a water right permit,the proposed use must meet a four-part test: Water must be available(both physically and legally) Water must be used beneficially Water use must be in the public's interest Water use must not impair another existing use Washington State follows the doctrine of prior appropriation,which means that the first users have rights senior to those issued later We call this "first in time,first in right." If a water shortage occurs, senior rights are satisfied first and the junior right holders can be curtailed" (https.//ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Water-supply/Water-rights? fbclid=lwAR2bPjKoD8kJt84GnLGmcbi1yUJOk3J5r0 nI5W4XbO6bJLApbDLzMeSC_k) ..in many cases, it is left up to the counties in the state to manage the laws of the water rights Basically,the GMA is to protect Washington from companies trying to do what REDACTED is planning Craig Jasmer, resident and local leader of the Lewis County Water Alliance,on the Washington State Growth Management Act Counties that may not see the water miners coming are ill preparnditto Join now fight deep pockets with a long term strategy These types of industrial operations target counties throughout the country without proper water restrictions in place and without the deep pockets required to fight them head-on in court battles Your average homeowner has no need to pump over 5,000 gallons of water per day Farmers and agriculture use often run much higher The new plant that is proposed in Randle,WA,with the newly purchased 81 acres that sit on the banks of the Cowlitz River, is proposing 400 gpm 24 hrs a day 7 days a week withdrawal Drawing both from the aquifer and potentially the salmon supporting river RIVER - STREAM - AQUIFER INTERACTIONS GAINING STREAM t Flow direction r r t F F - _iJnsatur __ _ IF r `Water table I Shallow aquifer Not to scale LOSING STREAM Flow direction 'V Water table Unsaturated __ ___ -- `- '► �''---- Zone ' 1 • Small Residential Well vs. Industrial Well Usage BEFORE WITH SMALL LOCAL WELLS x'""114 �^ ,M !r.:,-.3 «. PUMPING W/ IRRIGATION '� " , "- . . AND INDUSTRIAL WELLS %� `F :; ��. `s* [ t 4 r ? mN 1� 4 x, w j / I ,0-z,-.4r- s T7 W,t 11 / Cone of Depression DEFINITIONS Gaining Stream is one in which the channel bottom is lower than the level of the surrounding groundwater table Through the course of the summer,water moves from the ground into the channel Losing Stream is one which is above the groundwater table,and water moves from the channel into the surrounding ground Cone of Depression A cone of depression occurs in an aquifer when groundwater is pumped from a well In an unconfined aquifer,this is an actual depression of the water levels That is 7-10 Semi trucks every hour,24 hrs a day,on an already failing highway system that boasts to be among the deadliest in the State of Washington (http://www.chronline.com/news/updated u s-highway the deadliest-road/article_7012ac36 1a41 11e3 9382-001a4bcf887a.html? fbclid=lwAR3hioimTwZUVa^j2d3d644CgdFPP3nljfgRmNV4gfOZjJTfKtdLftdvWE) I can not tell you,as a former resident of this county, how many times I saw fatal wrecks on my daily commute Sometimes entire families or occupants have lost their lives because of a chip or lumber truck. Weekend warriors from Seattle fly up and down the road in icy conditions to get to the ski slopes RV's and summer travelers clog the road due to scenic vistas and the inability to adequately negotiate the heavy grades of the southern Cascade foothills Highway 12 is a complete mess for a Two Lane highway without added pressure Water Extraction and Aquifer Impacts The water extraction is the main issue.The aforementioned issues are regional problems for the area Extracting 177 million gallons a year from an aquifer that is adjacent to a salmon supporting river is egregious.The fear of residential wells running dry in summer months where recharge is in the 10ths of an inch is real Governor Inslee has already declared 17 counties in a state of drought. Lewis County is one of them https.//www.governorwa.gov/news media/inslee-expands drought emergency nearly-half state During times of drought,this plant will not go dry while pumping due to the depth of the well,the diameter of the well,and the proximity to the river (See River Stream Aquifer Interactions Graphic Above) It will be others up and downstream,and uphill of them that will have to worry about their wells going dry The company will be able to take water from the aquifer in times of recharge and in times of drought.This is why they chose the area next to the river for the plant site The porous soils and easily infiltrated soils of the surrounding areas make this possible (See the soils map) Sadly if the glacier ever disappears,that helps steadily feed the river,the plant will no longer need to stay there and mine the water Sign in Join now to No alt text provided for this image h tips://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcan oeslmoun t_rainierlhazard_laha rs.h tm l It has been noted that the existing Cowlitz Glacier is the main contributor to the river and aquifer of the valley So in the case of the disappearance of the glacier,either through means of climate change or through more catastrophic events, such as Mt. Rainier finally erupting this area is geologically unstable No alt text provided for this image Glacial Loss and Future Climate Change This adds even more problems to the heavy withdrawal of water at industrial levels proposed https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4383415 MORA 2015 Glacier-Extents 20170705.html According to Change in Glacial Extent at Mount Rainier National Park from 1896 to 2015",this data shows a gradual loss of ice extent at Mount Rainier A gradual loss of ice is significant because a loss of ice area can represent a major glacial volume change If the regional climate continues to change in ways that shrink glacial extent,further loss in surface area park-wide is anticipated,as well as the complete loss of lower-elevation small glaciers with surface areas less than 0.2 km2(0.08 mi2)in the next few decades.This means that as the glaciers shrink in the coming years,the main water supply to the Cowlitz River and ultimately the aquifer will diminish and dry up There will no longer be a reservoir of stored glacial water feeding the aquifer and river and the area will rely solely on storm events and melt water for aquifer and river recharge fy No alt text provided for this image In this case the river will have lower levels of water flowing through it.As the aquifer is further used for industrial scale water extraction,demands on the losing river that contributes to the local aquifers will cause a decrease in water levels as well Water Levels, Warmer Rivers, and Salmonids Lower water levels mean warmer water temperature Warmer water temperatures mean less total dissolved oxygen levels Less dissolved oxygen and warmer water cause higher salmonid mortality rates The Cowlitz is home to many endangered species of salmon. "Salmonids(salmon trout,and char—including bull trout)require cool,well-oxygenated water to survive The maximum temperature that saimonids can tolerate varies with species, lifestage(e.g. fry fingerling or adult), prior acclimation,oxygen availability duration of warmer temperature,and the presence of pollutants Given the opportunity,juvenile and adult salmon will occupy water that is 13-18°C (55- 64°F),with the warmer water selected only if excess food is available.Water temperatures of approximately 23 25°C(73 77°F)are lethal to salmon and steelhead,and genetic abnormalities or mortality of salmonid eggs can occur above 11°C(52°F).(p1 Effects of Elevated Water Temperatures on Salmonids Washington State Department of Ecology; Focus Number 00-10-046, 2000)Increasing urbanization and the spread of impervious surfaces can substantially impact runoff and water quality in streams and rivers(eg Kaushal et al.2005,2008) Urban heat island"effects can also increase air temperatures(Braze)et al 2000),and urbanization and other land-use changes account for an increase in mean air temperature of 0.27°C. "For example, large surges"in stream temperatures are associated with urban runoff from hot pavements in watersheds of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study" (Rising stream and river temperatures in the United States Sway S Kaushall*,Gene E Likens2, Norbert A Jaworski3 Michael L Pace2± Ashley M Sides) David Seekeil4, Kenneth T Belts David H Secorl,and Rebecca L Wingate), Front Ecol Environ 2010, 8(9)•461-466, doi:10.1890/090037 published online 23 Mar 2010)This is important to understand because the glacial meltwater helps keep the river at a cooler level than the surrounding contributing streams Some of these streams dry up in the summer months,therefore making the Cowlitz Glacier and tributaries the only water bodies capable of sustaining the salmonids at their preferred water in Join now temperatures Warm river temperature affects salmon by Decreasing the supply of oxygen Disrupting metabolism Increased susceptibility to toxins such as nickel and chlorine. Increased vulnerability to diseases at temperatures of 16C or 61 F Reduced ability to avoid predators Reduced food supply But, notice the study by Kaushall et al It clearly shows correlative evidence that"large surges of water temperature is due to run off from hot pavements Hot pavement such as the proposed water extraction and bottling plant with a proposed building footprint of 100 thousand sq.ft. is adjacent to the Cowlitz River Increased water temperatures stormwater run off potential water loss to the aquifer,and a losing river contribution result in lower water levels than normal Increased water temperatures and lower water levels spell doom for the already critically endangered salmon on this river Conclusion The more I research this problem,the further down the rabbit hole" I fall. Everything from violating the 4 requirements for water rights in the state of Washington,the increased shipping traffic on a two-lane highway, the geologic instability of the region,future climate impacts,and the impacts on salmonids make this a dangerous place to extract water from The corporation will not divulge its intentions on the site but continues to drill exploratory wells and monitoring wells on site.Just yesterday they accidentally released an internal email that is either a "true accident"or potential threats"to a community ready to fight a threat to the communities well being,the river,the pristine region,and the clean aquifer that supports their lives (email or contact me for the accidental release information) This is just bad business for the river,the community the ecosystem,the fish and for the environment. About the Author Joshua Hail was the youngest licensed well driller in the state of Washington at Age 22. He attended the University of Idaho where he received both A Bachelors and Masters of Landscape Architecture with emphasis on hydrogeology geology and water While there he published a Thesis on "Designing Rio Infiltration SwaleModels for Shallow Aquifer Recharge for the Soils in Moscow Idaho Since then he has worked extensively on creating bio swales and proper drainage to mitigate stormwater events r(A'' ; Joshua Hail MLA,BLA's post:#water#waterrights#aquifer#aquiferdepletion#salmon#er$dgnger. Join now 2 comments Sign in to leave your comment Michel le Carr Michelle Carr-Crowe 20m Real Estate Agent at Michelle Carr Crowe and the Get Results Team Altas Realty Thank you for sharing these facts about the Cowlitz and water systems We appreciate your expertise Like Reply Zora oeGra Zora DeGrandpre qi, ndpre Physician at East County Natural Medicine Thank you for this! As a Randle WA resident and member of the Lewis County Water Alliance I appreciate your well-thought out and well reasoned argument.We are upstream of the proposed site and as I look out our window the Cowlitz is already running low I am looking into the effects on human health as well as the problem of hazardous wastes the company has been known and has been indicted for mishandling If anyone reading this has expertise, I would gladly answer any and all questions Like Reply More from Joshua Hail MLA, BLA 2019 Cookie Policy Community Guidelines About Copyright Policy Language v User Agreement Brand Policy Privacy Policy Manage Subscription BOCC 7/15/2019 At a previous meeting between the Commissioners and the Prosecuting Attorney's office, you asked the PA to get a better understanding of the steps involved for Crystal Geyser to obtain a water right permit and for information for you to further understand at what point the County would become involved in approval of a business on the site. I wish to urge you to continue this endeavor because I too want to know the process that the Dept of Ecology follows in order to approve the water right permit and to understand whether or not Crystal Geyser, with a simple water permit, can pump the water directly into tanker trucks and haul it off the property without any input from the County or a SEPA process Please do not let this seemingly inadvertent email sent to the Chronicle last week cause you or any of us to become complacent about what is happening It isn't over and done until it's over and done Thank you. From Craig Jasmer craigjasmer@gmail.com Subject Public comment Date Jul 15, 2019 at 12 28:39 AM To stevejasmer @centurytel.net This is on behalf of Craig Jasmer, who could not be here today The Washington State Growth Management Act was adopted because Washington State found that uncoordinated and unplanned growth posed a threat to the environment, a threat to sustainable economic development, and a threat to our quality of life Essentially, the Growth Management Act was put in place to protect Washington from companies trying to do exactly what Crystal Geyser is scheming to do in Randle Lewis County adopted a Comprehensive Plan in accordance with the Growth Management Act However, as the Lewis County EDC has successfully marketed to their client, the Lewis County Code does not put any specific limits on the size or water resource consumption of a business in a rural zone The code fails to adequately represent the policies within the land use element of the Comprehensive Plan, and since a hearing examiner makes the final decision, the code needs to be more specific as to what is prohibited. As citizens of Lewis County, we ask that you provide the resources needed so that your Community Development department and the Planning Commission may take QUICK action to amend the code to be in-line with the Comprehensive Plan, to protect our rural environment, and to protect our water resources We have already initiated Phase 1 of the public participation program section 17.12.050 with Community Development Director, Lee Napier We ask that you ensure this process is given high priority, so that the amendment may be completed as quickly as possible. We will be at the next Planning Commission meeting on July 23rd Please ensure that our request is on the agenda While Crystal Geyser was the reason this weakness in the code was brought to light, let us be very clear Our request is NOT targeted at Crystal Geyser Our request is to protect rural zones from ANY non-agriculture, non-forestry big business that might threaten our environment, threaten our water resources, and threaten our way of life in Lewis County. Thank you Dear Rona¶ Obyquity the atone,* MI..rq{;OM a!day abol,f Cs.e otrmmurny,rveie wnent n el or ex,r other>!X'.CIKm,e They Cr,a toe wr^,tyre hppaertrr,...AO.,re fns e:pp tmy ae m,ch I he.e reel itermaly cor rnc,cud un erythuq 14:I have ldd therm'oft the emceed'.1 that ttxfre are oWe<po'oemtee loos for t1 u prupa ty that have beer. Cga,A tltaael Dj,fl4e be,yete They were eery atnch.'f iy thri taro Ate w»knOW.dt the rWXed rw la r g 10 INC*ha Wirt*tO tXt4r„4y reettva,r.'tae st b. velon to corn°to the axes As INSvoters stands.°is deed It■cause The of:twee:on hes suit sSaluty ocxnmcod uhf oent and rneda adenst vs •can tea yak.,1C K)%m as cr.-err p°posed rate., .t w.t Jet,eleCed The C infy may ewer.Ct'anga TIM T°rlrp Td adail ei euy:ytery'.i i a W'Iry Ont",efip We are ro turae rapt to have hoar suer,yet The orfy 00S side Chances I sea are I Fire a FR Cm ii i t y i.r the putp(ksa of(altaaV,g(fray rCayJl allppaeasq latareiangiy icrnegh.I a4 creac ud Jay^a,Star t0 ego how the Urhon dews Ina e'td shot er Jay recommends sameana sit.,•s"Od the poof'te• tie put are In ttx,ch we,sorrraore Once we here pores eharrgh pecpd,we mobttte them In to same%short as the opoosdion trued,out to Cara),ol4cyss,mesa.poyemrm ortal agonoeet Along the-se Ives lye alree&r yawed op',acre oerdtactnrs oral thee 6Jb6 1G Qylhar trey emiynyeye.aiee.a6 menhener.t.K.aready gameree 6y,.op rr telert from af'We man Crrrm,maye M rfi.e tutor.,v, tJlmtzt we have peep!° wo COopw the wen si_{r.•:yt lotions ar•A we try Ore thaecia 7.0 U».tnaNY, 2 We su•'r•e s,.4dvtsron for thdr darrege YJ the acqurer daa to'Mosher and sett¶(stem faoree tydpen/ry,this pees therm 1d the lade one(ref are Crapar d to Faye me Oven nlydbO comeramdex n aty),;•We We,bong 00 Cr Warty tr.°t c n;*eland,awry Whee,I at Witenrcaon'we leuktul al a jxd Iocatlon pt.rg delance away 0.d town R yea.hale We ■Jidtng•we canna escape the tram[lama_Cal plare far dhera who Nara$.reed the rl rw.p 5 A crrtrratxrr d one end two Aft Of the above are L,y'Hr■tprrg stela but from my;perspective worth rt 4'e wit race the same all over Wasr.ngmn and Crogcr. ,foes an find the ur,com sae al as lent 1 w.n lkprsua tN6 iftet°gy a Irons Int)mrhtntar'0,whorat6,and faro)rr nimaf 0)511r$ran-awIl wnh tta PR Srrn and Nng a Iawauc The brgtleet rx k ,s negebme Vii tree'r a await bat t'arky f sut*stenbatod we na✓a sc<rc7.rq by vest On 00-e■ette I ear wr`iJmp tl.m 140 Pk el9 et me arrow yon liskz lMI. 1 harks e:.:t't:tr•re,Phone Corporate Water Mining and the Effects on the Local Environment and Aquifer. Published on July 12, 2019 LinkedIn July 12, 2019 • 1 Likes • 2 Comments In the 1990's small towns located on the east end of Lewis County, in the State of Washington, found themselves gasping for tax revenue, due to the loss of their timber boom As the Timber industry began to dry up, so did the towns. Schools that were once rivals had to merge in order to keep their state funding and school districts open Families moved away The closest city center is over an hour and a half away. This area is pristine and untouched, making many outside people want to visit It is located by and around the outskirts of Mt Rainier National Park and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Enter the age of bottled water and corporations who saw huge profits from something we can turn on the tap and get for free Sound familiar, only if you have seen Tapped, Water Town, or a variety of documentaries on Flint, MI This is their typical business model. Sneak in and buy the land, apply for the permits, and dangle carrots of the prospect of jobs while strip-mining aquifers. Many of these companies are owned by even larger corporations, with no affiliation or interest to the community in which they draw their shares. They extract the natural resource of local water at tenths of a cent and sell it back to the public around the nation for large profits https.//www.linkedin.com/pulse/corporate water-raining effects local environment Joshua hail mla bla 7/14/19, 3.55 PM Page 1 of 9 Bottled water is the modern-day robber baron So there it is, David vs. Goliath, money vs. natural beauty, and the greed of large vs the needs of low income. Do I have your 'feels' yet? While the emotions are the drive, let us look at the science, the reason these kinds of things need to be stopped, controlled, and forced to repair the damaged landscape they create (Sublimation and dry/contaminated aquifers) The Use of the Aquifer Water and Water Rights: Water rights for many years have been interpreted as "he who has the biggest pump has the right." The DOE of Washington State says "We are responsible for managing the water resources of the state, including issuing the right to use water as well as protecting the instream resources for the benefit of the public Many of these permits have been in existence since the late 1800s. Before we can issue a water right permit, the proposed use must meet a four-part test 1 Water must be available (both physically and legally) 2. Water must be used beneficially 3 Water use must be in the public's interest 4 Water use must not impair another existing use Washington State follows the doctrine of prior appropriation, which means that the first users have rights senior to those issued later We call this "first in time, first in right." If a water shortage occurs, senior rights are satisfied first and the junior right holders can be curtailed." (https.//ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Water-supply/Water-rights? fbclid=lwAR2bPjKoD8kJt84GnLGmcbilyUJOk3J5r0- nI5W4XbO6bJLApbDLzMeSC_k) " in many cases, it is left up to the https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/corporate water mining effects local environment Joshua hail-mla bla 7/14/19 3 55 PM Page 2 of 9 counties in the state to manage the laws of the water rights Basically, the GMA is to protect Washington from companies trying to do what REDACTED is planning." - Craig Jasmer, resident and local leader of the Lewis County Water Alliance, on the Washington State Growth Management Act Counties that may not see the water miners coming are ill-prepared to fight deep pockets with a long term strategy These types of industrial operations target counties throughout the country without proper water restrictions in place and without the deep pockets required to fight them head-on in court battles Your average homeowner has no need to pump over 5,000 gallons of water per day Farmers and agriculture use often run much higher The new plant that is proposed in Randle, WA, with the newly purchased 81 acres that sit on the banks of the Cowlitz River, is proposing 400 gpm 24 hrs a day 7 days a week withdrawal Drawing both from the aquifer and potentially the salmon supporting river No alt text provided for this image DEFINITIONS 1 . Gaining Stream- is one in which the channel bottom is lower than the level of the surrounding groundwater table Through the course of the summer, water moves from the ground into the channel 2 Losing Stream- is one which is above the groundwater table, and water moves from the channel into the surrounding ground 3 Cone of Depression- A cone of depression occurs in an aquifer when groundwater is pumped from a well In an unconfined aquifer, this is an actual depression of the water levels That is 7-10 Semi-trucks every hour, 24 hrs a day, on an already failing highway system that boasts to be among the deadliest in the State of https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/corporate water mining-effects local environment Joshua hail mla-bla 7/14119 3-55 PM Page 3 of 9 Washington (http.//www.chronline.com/news/updated-u-s-highway_ the-deadliest-road/article_7012ac36-1 a41-11 e3-9382- 001a4bcf887a.html? fbclid=lwAR3hioimTwZUYa j2d3d644CgdFPP3nlifgRmNV4gfOZOTfK tdLftdvWE) I can not tell you, as a former resident of this county, how many times I saw fatal wrecks on my daily commute Sometimes entire families or occupants have lost their lives because of a chip or lumber truck Weekend warriors from Seattle fly up and down the road in icy conditions to get to the ski slopes. RV's and summer travelers clog the road due to scenic vistas and the inability to adequately negotiate the heavy grades of the southern Cascade foothills Highway 12 is a complete mess for a Two-Lane highway without added pressure. Water Extraction and Aquifer Impacts: The water extraction is the main issue. The aforementioned issues are regional problems for the area Extracting 177 million gallons a year from an aquifer that is adjacent to a salmon supporting river is egregious The fear of residential wells running dry in summer months where recharge is in the 10ths of an inch is real. Governor Inslee has already declared 17 counties in a state of drought. Lewis County is one of them. https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-expands- drought-emergency-nearly-half-state During times of drought, this plant will not go dry while pumping due to the depth of the well, the diameter of the well, and the proximity to the river (See River Stream Aquifer Interactions Graphic Above) It will be others up and downstream, and uphill of them that will have to worry about their wells going dry The company will be able to take water from the aquifer in times of recharge, and in times of drought. This is why they chose the area next to the river for the plant site The porous soils and easily infiltrated soils of the surrounding areas make https://www.Iinkedin.com;pulse/corporate water-mining-effects-local environment-joshua hail Tile hla 7/14/19 3.55 PM Page 4 of 9 this possible. (See the soils map) Sadly, if the glacier ever disappears, that helps steadily feed the river, the plant will no longer need to stay there and mine the water. No alt text provided for this image It has been noted that the existing Cowlitz Glacier is the main contributor to the river and aquifer of the valley So in the case of the disappearance of the glacier, either through means of climate change or through more catastrophic events, such as Mt Rainier finally erupting, this area is geologically unstable. No alt text provided for this image Glacial Loss and Future Climate Change: This adds even more problems to the heavy withdrawal of water at industrial levels proposed. https //www.documentcloud.org/documents/4383415-MORA-2015- Glacier-Extents-20170705.html According to "Change in Glacial Extent at Mount Rainier National Park from 1896 to 2015", this data shows a gradual loss of ice extent at Mount Rainier A gradual loss of ice is significant because a loss of ice area can represent a major glacial volume change If the regional climate continues to change in ways that shrink glacial extent, further loss in surface area park-wide is anticipated, as well as the complete loss of lower-elevation small glaciers with surface areas less than 0.2 km2 (0 08 mi2) in the next few decades This means that as the glaciers shrink in the coming years, the main water supply to the Cowlitz River and ultimately the aquifer will diminish and dry up There will no longer be a reservoir of stored glacial water feeding the aquifer and river, and the area will rely solely on storm events and melt water for aquifer and river recharge https://www.linkedin.com/pulselcorporate water mining effects local environment joshua hail-mia-bla 7/14/19 3 55 PM Page 5 of 9 No alt text provided for this image In this case, the river will have lower levels of water flowing through it. As the aquifer is further used for industrial scale water extraction, demands on the losing river that contributes to the local aquifers will cause a decrease in water levels as well. Water Levels, Warmer Rivers, and Salmonids: Lower water levels mean warmer water temperature. Warmer water temperatures mean less total dissolved oxygen levels Less dissolved oxygen and warmer water cause higher salmonid mortality rates. The Cowlitz is home to many endangered species of salmon "Salmonids (salmon, trout, and char — including bull trout) require cool, well- oxygenated water to survive. The maximum temperature that salmonids can tolerate varies with species, lifestage (e g , fry, fingerling or adult), prior acclimation, oxygen availability, duration of warmer temperature, and the presence of pollutants Given the opportunity, juvenile and adult salmon will occupy water that is 13-18° C (55-64° F), with the warmer water selected only if excess food is available Water temperatures of approximately 23-25° C (73-77° F) are lethal to salmon and steelhead, and genetic abnormalities or mortality of salmonid eggs can occur above 11° C (52° F) (p1 Effects of Elevated Water Temperatures on Salmonids Washington State Department of Ecology, Focus Number 00-10-046, 2000) Increasing urbanization and the spread of impervious surfaces can substantially impact runoff and water quality in streams and rivers (eg Kaushal et at 2005,2008). "Urban heat island" effects can also increase air temperatures (Brazel et al. 2000), and urbanization and other land-use changes account for an increase in mean air temperature of 0 27°C. "For example, large "surges" in-stream temperatures are associated with urban runoff from hot pavements in watersheds of the Baltimore https.//www.linkedin.comfpulse/corporate water-mining effects local environment yoshua hail mta tila 7/14/19 3.55 PM Page 6 of 9 Ecosystem Study." (Rising stream and river temperatures in the United States Sway S Kaushall*, Gene E Likens2, Norbert A Jaworski3, Michael L Pace2t, Ashley M Sidesl, David Seekell4, Kenneth T Belt5, David H Secorl, and Rebecca L Wingatel, Front Ecol Environ 2010; 8(9). 461-466, doi 101890/090037, published online 23 Mar 2010) This is important to understand because the glacial meltwater helps keep the river at a cooler level than the surrounding contributing streams. Some of these streams dry up in the summer months, therefore making the Cowlitz Glacier and tributaries the only water bodies capable of sustaining the salmonids at their preferred water temperatures Warm river temperature affects salmon by 1 Decreasing the supply of oxygen 2 Disrupting metabolism 3. Increased susceptibility to toxins such as nickel and chlorine 4 Increased vulnerability to diseases at temperatures of 16C or 61 F 5 Reduced ability to avoid predators 6. Reduced food supply. But, notice the study by Kaushall et al. It clearly shows correlative evidence that "large surges of water temperature is due to run-off from hot pavements" Hot pavement such as the proposed water extraction and bottling plant with a proposed building footprint of 100 thousand sq ft is adjacent to the Cowlitz River Increased water temperatures stormwater run-off, potential water loss to the aquifer, and a losing river contribution result in lower water levels than normal. Increased water temperatures and lower water levels spell doom for the already critically endangered salmon on this river Conclusion: https.//www.linkedin.com/pulse/corporate-water mining effects local environment joshua hail mla bla 7/14/19 3.55 PM Page 7of The more I research this problem, the further "down the rabbit hole" fall. Everything from violating the 4 requirements for water rights in the state of Washington, the increased shipping traffic on a two-lane highway, the geologic instability of the region, future climate impacts, and the impacts on salmonids make this a dangerous place to extract water from. The corporation will not divulge its intentions on the site but continues to drill exploratory wells and monitoring wells on site Just yesterday they "accidentally released" an internal email that is either a "true accident" or "potential threats" to a community ready to fight a threat to the communities well being, the river, the pristine region, and the clean aquifer that supports their lives (email or contact me for the accidental release information) This is just bad business for the river, the community, the ecosystem, the fish, and for the environment. About the Author: Joshua Hail was the youngest licensed well driller in the state of Washington at Age 22 He attended the University of Idaho where he received both A Bachelors and Masters of Landscape Architecture with emphasis on hydrogeology, geology, and water. While there he published a Thesis on "Designing Bio-Infiltration SwaleModels for Shallow Aquifer Recharge for the Soils in Moscow, Idaho" Since then he has worked extensively on creating bio-swales and proper drainage to mitigate stormwater events • Joshua Hail MLA; BLA's post: #water #waterrights #aquifer https.//www.linkedin.com/pulse/corporate water reining effects local environment joshua hail mla bla 7/14/19, 3 55 PM Page 8 of 9 #aquiferdepletion #salmon #endangeredspecies #waterfight #aquifermining #evironment #traffic #shipping #bottledwater #landscape #planning #geology #opinion #screncebackedopinion #corporation #environmentalimpact #SEPA #climatechange #glaciers 2 comments Thank you for sharing these facts about the Cowlitz and water systems. We appreciate your expertise 3h Thank you for this! As a Randle, WA resident and member of the Lewis County Water Alliance, 1 appreciate your well-thought out and well- reasoned argument. We are upstream of the proposed site and as look out our window, the Cowlitz is already running low I am looking into the effects on human health as well as the problem of hazardous wastes the company has been known and has been indicted for mishandling If anyone reading this has expertise, I would gladly answer any and all questions. 7h https.//www.linkedin.com/pulse/corporate water mining effects local environment joshua hail mla-bla 7/14/19 3 55 PM Page 9 of 9