Whidbey Environmental Action Network joins in lawsuit – Updated

Whidbey Environmental Action Network’s WEANie whackos Marianne Edain and Steve Erickson filed as intervenors in a lawsuit against the Snohomish County Public Utility District’s application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a permit to install two energy-producing turbines in Admiralty Inlet. The proposed location is west of Central Whidbey’s Keystone Harbor.  http://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/news/154229955.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_10151054804848777_23206780_10151058755468777#f2ed857baf7cc64

The WEANie whackos are concerned about the PUD’s proposal to construct the on-land portion of the system at Keystone Spit, which could impact a “relatively rare native plant community.”

According to the WEANie whacko website “Over two dozen native plant species are threatened with extinction from Whidbey Island. The plants they list are:
Congested Brodiaea, Musk Monkey Flower, Hooker’s Onion, Howell’s Brodiaea, Menzie’s Larkspur, Prairie Shooting Star, White Fawn Lily, Tiger Lily, Narrow- Leaf Desert Parsely, Laceleaf Microseris, Sicke Keeled Lupine, Purple-eyed Grass Widow, Prairie Goldenrod, Hyacinth Brodiaea, Scarlet Paintbrush, Showy Fleabane, Roemer’s Idaho Fescue, Chocolate Lily, Foothill Sedge, Blue Flag Iris, Death Camas, Hairy Chrysopsis, Rank Prairie, Prickly Pear Cactus, Garry Oak, and Tomcat Clover.”

WEANie whakcos were so concerned about these “rare native plants” that they even went to before the Growth Management Hearings Board back in 1998 to force Island County to “designate and protect these rare native plants as species of local importance.”
http://www.whidbeyenvironment.org/WEAN/Action_Alerts_files/ActionAlert_6.pdf

There is one major malfunction in this scenario. According to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Species Report for Island County one plant is listed as “threatened” and that plant happens to be Golden Paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta)
http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/countySearch!speciesByCountyReport.action?fips=53029

http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=Q26U

In Washington State there are nine species listed:
1. Catchfly, Spalding’s (Silene spaldingii) Status: Threatened
2. Checker-mallow, Nelson’s (Sidalcea nelsoniana) Status: Threatened
3. Checkermallow, Wenatchee Mountains (Sidalcea oregana var. calva) Status: Endangered
4. Desert-parsley, Bradshaw’s (Lomatium bradshawii) Status: Endangered
5. Howellia, water (Howellia aquatilis) Status: Threatened
6. Ladies’-tresses, Ute (Spiranthes diluvialis) Status: Threatened
7. Lupine, Kincaid’s (Lupinus sulphureus (=oreganus) ssp. kincaidii (=var. kincaidii)) Status: Threatened
8. Paintbrush, golden (Castilleja levisecta) Status: Threatened
9. Stickseed, showy (Hackelia venusta) Status: Endangered
http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/pub/stateListingAndOccurrenceIndividual.jsp?state=WA&s8fid=112761032792&s8fid=112762573902

Notice that the WEANie whacko’s list and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Services list do not match. Perhaps it is because of this:

Frosty Hollow Ecological Restoration
Marianne Edain/ Steve Erickson
Box 53, Langely, WA 98260
T: 360.579.2332
wean@whidbey.net

Consulting for site characterization and ecological restoration. Site and project-specific scoping and seed collection. Over 200 Pacific Northwest native seed species. Since 1982.
http://www.plantnative.org/orwa_professionals_wa.htm

Another interesting point is Marrianne Edain changes her tune it’s not about rare and native plants. Instead their lawsuit is about “slapdash work.”  Notice how they included the “tribes” and other government agencies in this yet these tribes and agencies are not identified in the Whidbey News Times article.  Are the WEANie Whackos representing these agencies in this lawsuit?  Can you say WEANie Grandstanding?

“You’re absolutely right, of course. How could I have been so foolish as not to seek your advice before commenting. Yes, WEAN is way out there, right along with the Tulalip tribe, the Sauk-Suiattle tribe, the Swinomish tribe, the Skagit River Systems Co-op, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Ecology, the Department of the Interior, NOAA Fisheries, Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security bureau, and K & L Gates, on behalf of Pacific Crossing cable co.

And of course you and Ken Wolfe overlooked the part where I wrote that it was not the tidal turbines but the slapdash work of SnoPUD to which we object. We need to know if this is a viable source of energy. Contrary to your claims, there have been very few prototypes of tidal turbines tested. You might want to check out Tidal Turbines on Google. You will find a very short list indeed of operating or planned tidal turbine projects. You will also have to discriminate among the various types of projects. Getting a bit technical for you? Sorry about that. Actual tidal turbine projects similar to the Admiralty Inlet proposal include: Race Rocks, southern Vancouver Island; Kislaya Guba, Russia; Jindo Uldolmok, Korea; Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. That’s it. Scotland, India, and New York have plans to build turbine systems. So actual functioning tidal turbine pilot projects number 4. And yes, they are pilot projects, as Admiralty Inlet would be.

To reiterate: we’re not telling them not to do it. We’re telling them they need to do it right. And there are a whole lot of tribes, agencies, and one very large cable company who happen to agree with us.”  Marrianne Edain, WEANie Whacko, May 29, 2012

Now the flip side:

1. “And of course you and Ken Wolfe overlooked the part where I wrote that it was not the tidal turbines but the slapdash work of SnoPUD to which we object. We need to know if this is a viable source of energy. Contrary to your claims, there have been very few prototypes of tidal turbines tested.”  Marianne Edain

Your opinion is showing, and that is all you have.  No facts whatsoever to back up any of your claims.  You are operating under the ” Precautionary Principle.”  How is anyone going to know if this is a viable source of energy unless it is tested?  There is alot of money being spent on what you refer to as “slapdash work.”  YOU fail to prove that assertion.

The Precautionary Principle: http://reason.com/archives/1999/04/01/precautionary-tale

2. “To reiterate: we’re not telling them not to do it. We’re telling them they need to do it right. And there are a whole lot of tribes, agencies, and one very large cable company who happen to agree with us.”  Marianne Edain

How are YOU going to know if the project is being done right?  Since when did you become experts in this field?  Show us your credentials.

3.  The WEANie Whackos filed a motion to intervene back in 2006 against the Snohomish County Public Utility District’s SPIEDON CHANNEL TIDAL ENERGY HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT. 

Their reasoning for the intervention: “WEAN’s member’s may be adversely impacted by the project. The aesthetic character of the project area may be degraded. The natural environment, including aquatic resources, shorelines, and terrestrial sites with supporting infrastructure may be degraded. This may cause loss and degradation of the recreational, economic, and educational opportunities and experiences of WEAN’s members. Therefore, WEAN has a significant interest which may be affected by the outcome of the proceeding. The interest of WEAN’s members is not represented by any other current party.

In addition to representing its members, WEAN is an organization representing the broader public interest. Therefore, WEAN’s intervention is in the public interest. WEAN’s participation will assist full development and consideration of all material facts and issues required to be considered in this proceeding.”

WEAN’s Motion to Intervene Project No. 12689-000 is found here:  http://www.pstidalenergy.org/Tidal_Energy_Projects/PUD_Spieden_Channel_P12689/WEAN_Intervention_08182006.pdf

What a crock!  The WEANie Whackos do not want ANY hydroelectric projects in Puget Sound.