An open letter to the San Juan County Council:

This is a small community. It is disappointing to hear from people who have had conversations with one or two of the council members and who have come away with the observation that those council members have closed their minds to any other views on critical areas and environmental protection.

One of you has expressed the view that CAPR is just a group of radicals. Another has stated the view that CAPR is just a group of conservatives who drink too much. You are better people than these off-hand comments would suggest. Please read again your oath of office and the county mission statement.

For your information, CAPR San Juan is a non-partisan, non-profit, volunteer organization made up of local residents who are very concerned about the affect the regulations you are considering will have on their private property and on the local economy.

Our growing membership is diverse. Some members consider themselves to be liberals on many issues, while others call themselves conservative. Some are wealthy, many are not. Some are retired and others are still working hard. What brings them together is their concern about the future. The affect that the CAO rule changes will have on their ability to use and enjoy their homes and property is substantial, and the Department of Ecology has not presented a good case for change.

Our members understand there is an important role for government and land use regulation in maintaining the quality of life we all treasure in the islands. Also, our members believe that land use rules should be justified based on true local conditions that are demonstrating there would be serious consequences for a failure to act.

You, as a County Council, have every right to take into account local conditions, such as: the lack of industry, the preponderance of land being set aside for open space, the extent of local stewardship of these islands, as well as other factors. Any regulations should also be supported by rigorously peer reviewed science.

Dr. Kenneth Brooks was polite to DOE in the last workshop. However, his supplemental science is clear in noting that having a DOE employee review their boss’s written and cherry picked science is not peer review. It is rubber stamping the boss’s information to keep one’s job.

Our members are folks who want to protect the environment, but do so in a manner that is rational and reasonable. We do not want to be stampeded into adopting land use regulations that may be useful on the mainland, but which have little real value to the environment in the islands.

We want our local elected representatives to stand up and represent us. We want you to truly evaluate the realistic level of impact we, in the islands, have on salmon and other species of concern and act according to that local knowledge. We do not expect you to simply “go along to get along” with the generic canned opinions of the state agencies.

Frank Penwell, president
CAPR San Juan