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Department of Ecology
P.O. Box 47775
Olympia, WA
March 29, 2004
The Honorable Bob Beerbower
Grays Harbor County Commissioner District 1
100 West Broadway Suite #1
Montesano, WA 98563
Dear Commissioner Beerbower:
I'm writing to ask that you please help familiarize your constituents with the water-quality protection elements of Plan.
Since each of the counties which participated in the Plan development will be holding a public hearing about the Plan during April, that would be a practical venue for making sure people are aware of the water quality part of the Plan.
The Water Quality Committee of the Chehalis Basin Partnership was the forum for developing a key comprehensive water quality cleanup plan that is embodied in the Watershed Plan known as the Detailed Implementation (cleanup) Plan for DO, Temperature, and Fecal Coliform Bacteria in the Chehalis/Grays Harbor Watershed. The final public-review draft cleanup plan was completed in collaboration by the Water Quality Committee and the Department of Ecology and endorsed by the Committee in July, 2003. Because of the intensity of the Watershed Planning Units discussions on the Watershed Plan overall, the Water Quality Committee chose to postpone sending the cleanup plan directly to their Partnership. However, the purpose and approach of the cleanup plan align with the objectives of the Watershed Plan.
In fact, the Plan specifically embodies the need for implementing water quality cleanup as well as long-term protection. Section 4 of the Plan says:
Water Quality Goal and Objectives
Even though the public-review-draft cleanup plan isn't considered a truly final document, I think it's important for our mutual clients to be aware that it is embodied in the Watershed Plan and was developed in collaboration with the Partnership. I have respectfully postponed finalizing the Cleanup Plan because of a commitment to the Partnership that such plans will be prepared with their collaboration. However, since the cleanup plan has been ready for the Partnership's review since July last year and because the Watershed Plan shows the need for implementing current and future water cleanup plans, I think it's only fair now to recognize water cleanup as part of the Watershed Plan. I wanted you to be aware of this so you and your constituents can consider approval of the overall Watershed Plan with that understanding.
If you have any questions I would be glad to come and meet with you. Please contact me at 360/407-6276.
Sincerely,
Dave Rountry
Water Quality Protection Coordinator
SWRO Water Quality Program
DR:jr
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