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Status Review & Update on
Totten Inlet Mussel Rafts

• Last year, the Thurston Co. Hearing Examiner found that Taylor's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was lacking in several areas (particularly cumulative impacts) which could negatively impact the ecology of Totten Inlet.

• Taylor appealed to the Thurston Board of County Commissioner (BOCC) to overturn the Hearing Examiner's decision.

• In November of 2012, the Thurston BOCC upheld the Hearing Examiner's decision and denied Taylor's request for a permit to expand mussel aquaculture operations in Totten Inlet.  Read the BOCC decision.

• Taylor appealed to the State Shoreline Hearings Board (SHB) to overturn the Thurston Co. Commissioner's decision.  That proceeding will occur:

9 AM – 5PM, April 22 & 23, 2013 ( Mon. & Tues)
State Parks Bldg, 1111 Israel Rd SW, Suite 301, Tumwater, WA 98501.
Directions

We urge you to attend if at all possible. Your personal presence to show public support for this issue will be noticed by the SHB and may impact the outcome.

The Thurston Co. Prosecuting Attorney's Office has the primary responsibility to defend the County's decision. APHETI is a formal party in the SHB proceedings and will be represented by our attorney, Mr. David Mann.

Financial support for Mr. Mann's efforts has been generously provided by a private citizens shoreline group located in Pierce County. It is clearly seen that raft type aquaculture will surely expand to the inlets of Pierce County if approved here in Totten Inlet.

We will notify you of the outcome of the SHB proceedings. Either way, the next step in the “due process” available to Taylor or Thurston Co. / APHETI is an appeal to Superior Court.

The battle for Totten Inlet and the broader Puget Sound goes on. Your patient support over all these years has been the key to APHETI's success. Thank you!
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November 19, 2012:  The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners upheld the Hearing Examiner's decision from July, 2012.

On Thursday, July 19, 2012, Thurston County Hearing Examiner, Thomas R. Bjorgen, issued his decision on the proposed expansion of mussel-raft aquaculture operations in Totten Inlet. 

Briefly stated, the Decision concludes that the Taylor Shellfish Company (Taylor) application does not comply with the standards for issuance of a Substantial Shoreline Development Permit.  This being due to Taylor’s failure to adequately analyze three critical cumulative impacts the mussel rafts may have on the marine environment.  Read more of the summary.

The full 95-page decision document is available electronically from Thurston County's Permitting and Land Use web site (click on Hearing Examiner Decision, July 19, 2012) 

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GEODUCKS planted in PVC PIPES in  6/2000,
and left for SIX years! 
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Aquaculture Expansion

Tunicates

EIS Status

Baseline Study

APHETI video

Map of Shellfish Aquaculture Areas in South Puget Sound
 (PDF, 1.5 MB)

JOIN US! in the fight to preserve the Puget Sound.

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Totten Inlet  2006
Geoduck tubes, loose oyster bags, sharp metal clips, 
rebar posts, and loose wire netting.
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Non-native mussels on rafts.....rafts with permit violations!
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