Stafford Creek gets final permit - June 27, 1998
By Aberdeen Daily World Staff
The final permit for the 1,936-bed Stafford Creek Corrections Center was granted on Friday by the Army Corps of Engineers, State Representative Lynn Kessler announced Friday afternoon.
"I just got word from the Department of Corrections that they have the final permit for Stafford Creek in their hands," Kessler, D-Hoquiam, said. "It's the major hurdle that we had to get across. And everyone worked hard to get it done."
Representatives from the Department of Corrections and the Corps of Engineers couldn't be reached for comment late Friday.
For nearly a year, the 1,936-bed prison has endured legal pressure and permit issues, including battles with the Department of Ecology and the Corps of Engineers.
Kessler said in March that the battles have been worth it, as they have helped to "save our water, take care of some job opportunities for our community and taken care of some really serious problems our state is having with room for prisoners."
Original plans for the prison could have put as much as 17 acres of wetlands in jeopardy. Now, the plans have been adjusted so that potential wetland impact is reduced to a maximum of 2.4 acres.
The mixed-security prison will provide an estimated 650 jobs in the Harbor area. The state hopes to open the prison by Jan. 1, 2000.
Back to Whats New Index Page
Back to CRC Index Page
Back to Estuary Index Page
Back to Grays Harbor County Issues Index Page