FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 14, 2012
State DNR to hold public meeting on Quartermaster Harbor Mooring BUOY Plan
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public meeting on December 6 in Vashon to present a draft of the Quartermaster Harbor Mooring Buoy Management Plan. At the meeting, DNR will provide information and solicit public comments for managing mooring buoys on state-owned aquatic lands in Quartermaster Harbor.
Surrounded by Vashon and Maury islands, Quartermaster Harbor is a popular place for boaters, largely due to the protection it provides from heavy winds. Because of this popularity, the harbor is becoming congested with unauthorized mooring buoys and abandoned vessels, particularly in Dockton and Burton Cove.
As steward of state-owned aquatic lands, DNR is responsible for ensuring the protection of the marine environment and for protecting navigational and public safety. In 2011, the agency began working with boaters and community members to establish appropriate locations, distances between mooring buoys, and installation methods for mooring buoys in the harbor.
In addition, Quartermaster Harbor is part of the DNR-managed Maury Island Aquatic Reserve, which was established to ensure the environmental protection of the unique habitats and species in the area.
| Who: | DNR Aquatic Resources Division |
What:
| Public Meeting to review draft Quartermaster Harbor Mooring Buoy
Management Plan |
| When: | 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, December 6 |
Where: | McMurray Middle School
9329 SW Cemetery Rd.
Vashon 98070-6105
Directions: http://g.co/maps/mu6yp |
Highlights of recommendations from the draft plan
- Designate buoy fields in Burton Cove and Dockton.
- Require that boaters use embedded anchors with midline floats to reduce the scouring of aquatic vegetation and sediments.
- Streamline the permitting process by allowing DNR to obtain necessary county, state, and federal permits. Boaters will only need to submit one application to DNR, which will include use authorization and the necessary permits.
- Designate a navigational channel at Dockton and include a voluntary, no-anchor area.
- Remove abandoned and derelict buoys.
- Encourage establishment of a public access point in Burton Cove.
About the review process
DNR requests feedback from the public about the findings and recommendations in this plan. In conjunction with the public review of the plan, DNR is also conducting a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental review. The SEPA public comment period will run from November 26, 2012, through Monday, January 7, 2013.
The draft Quartermaster Harbor Mooring Buoy Management Plan and related SEPA documents are at: www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/SEPANonProject/Pages/amp_sepa_nonpro_quartermaster_mar.aspx
The public may send written comments on the plan and/or the SEPA environmental analysis to:
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
SEPA Center
PO Box 47105
Olympia, WA 98504
or send them by email to: sepacenter@dnr.wa.gov
For more information about the meeting and the plan, contact Lisa Randlette, 360-902-1085 or lisa.randlette@dnr.wa.gov.
DNR: steward of state-owned aquatic lands
The 2.6 million acres of state-owned aquatic lands (mostly submerged lands) are a public trust, managed and protected by DNR for the people of Washington. DNR manages these lands to protect fish and wildlife and to facilitate commerce, navigation, and public access.
Revenue is generated from the sale of renewable resources such as wild geoduck, as well as from leasing submerged lands for mooring buoys, marinas, docks, and other uses. This revenue is used to manage and protect the health and productivity of aquatic resources and to fund local projects that restore aquatic ecosystems and create public access to the waters of the state.
Media Contact: Toni Droscher, Aquatic Resources Division Communications Manager, 360-902-1523 or toni.droscher@dnr.wa.gov.
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