A Citizen Responds:
JZ Knight Sets the Record Straight on the City of Yelm Water Issue in Public Ad

Yelm and Thurston County Issues

A Citizen Responds…

As you may recall:

Back in May, the City of Yelm issued a baffling MDNS (Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance) for an incomplete and unapproved draft Water Mitigation Plan –

in which the City of Yelm determined

– that a proposed five-fold increase in pumping City water “will not have a probable significant adverse environmental impact on the local aquifer”.

JZ Knight bought space for full page ads in the Nisqually Valley News (NVN) & The Olympian to alert citizens to the City’s failure to protect the local aquifer and to provide a reasonable opportunity for citizen input. [see that ad here]

JZ Knight, the Squaxin Island Indian Tribe, and the Yelm Aquifer Preservation Society have appealed the MDNS. Over 100 comment letters were written by citizens – all opposing the City’s improper MDNS. [see all of the comments here]

The NVN used copious amounts of space in its May 22nd and May 29th editions to publish the City’s misleading comments and disparaging remarks about citizens who speak out against improper and unlawful City conduct;

and now

JZ Knight buys space in the NVN and NVN Shopper the week of July 8th, yet again, to set the record straight:
See Full Copy of Ad Here

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Ed Wiltsie  •  Jul 12, 2009 @10:16 pm

    This is exactly the point that I raised at the start of the Thurstion Highlands
    Development process. The initial Aquifer test reports indicated that the aquifer would be drawn down 7 ft 2 miles away, suggesting that wells closer in could be drawn down significantly more. The final aquifer drawdown study appears to confirm greater drawdown characteristics.

    JZ’s contention is accurate and the MDNS is in error. There will be major impacts. The City of Yelm’s migitation plan via the Thurston Highlands development is no longer confirmed, hence it can not be considered viable at this time and should be withdrawn as I commented in May 2009.

    Further, original agreements made with Thurston Highlands regarding transfer of the Golf Course water rights and development of a well field by Thurston Highlands have been cancelled eliminating a second aspect of the City Mitigation Planl, without a major commitment of funds by the City, which is not possible without a complete change of the present process via action by the Mayor and Council, including securing funding for the development of the Golf Course well field development.

    E A Wiltsie