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conservation action alerts
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Sprawl is a growth issue. It's also a conservation issue. But no matter how
you define it, Sprawl is our issue. The Sammamish Group has chosen to focus
its time and resources primarily on sprawl and the damaging effects to the
environment. The subject is complex, dealing with everything from land use
policies to traffic concurrency, from habitat destruction to water quality,
law enforcement to threshold planning. We in King County feel the effects of
the green eating machine in different ways, but it amounts to the same
bottom line: irreparably destroyed forests, watersheds and wetlands,
diminished salmon habitat, increased density with no supportive
infrastructure, seriously degraded water quality and roads choked with
traffic. So, what are we going to do?
Unify. Organize. Prioritize. Then shoot straight. This is a working meeting to
bring our collective concerns and goals to the table and give it some
structure. Representatives from all neighboring activists groups are
encouraged to attend. It s the goal of the Sammamish Group to put the grass
roots muscle of the Sierra Club behind common, focused efforts, to set new
environmental standards and hold our elected officials accountable. There s
real momentum already created by the hard work of many. Let s keep the
pressure on and turn up the heat.
Come to the next Sammamish Group meeting:
TAKING BACK CONTROL OF GROWTH -
A Working Meeting For Sprawl Campaign Priorities
Details --
- Where: Overlake Park Presbyterian Church
- When: Wednesday, December 9th, 6:45 PM: Your prompt arrival is appreciated.
Crystal Mountain Backcountry at Risk
Crystal Mountain Ski Area is planning a huge expansion into untouched
backcountry and further intrusions into already developed areas:
- Ski lifts and downhill runs would be built into roadless areas
at Bullion Basin, Silver King Mountain, Silver Basin, and Northway Peak.
- A lift would cross over the Pacific Crest Trail.
- A 500 seat restaurant / conference center would be built on National
Forest land to replace the current Crystal Mountain Summit House. (The
current building seats 100.)
- Views from Mt. Rainier National Park, already compromised by recent
Crystal Mtn. construction, would be further degraded by the new restaurant
and other developments.
- Two new hotels, plus new restaurants, meeting facilities, and expanded parking areas would
be built on National Forest land.
- Crystal Mtn. wants to become a four-season resort, even though their
operating permit declares it to be for winter use only.
- Large volumes of groundwater would be pumped into new reservoirs for snowmaking.
- Little consideration has been given to the increased traffic
burden on Highway 410.
Two public meetings will let us take our concerns to the Forest Service:
- December 8, 6-9pm, Seattle Marriott Hotel, Sea Tac Airport, 3201 S. 176th St., Seattle.
- December 9, 5:30-9pm, Enumclaw Junior High School, 550 Semanski St. (From
downtown Enumclaw, follow Hwy 410 westbound, turn right on SE 448th St., then left
on Semanski St.)
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