Summary

on today’s decision by State Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark to initiate a staff review of the Glacier Northwest tidelands lease on Maury Island

Story

I commend Commissioner Goldmark for directing his staff to review the aquatic lands lease issued to Glacier Northwest for their Maury Island barge facility.

This lease was issued without adequate review in the waning days of the final term of former Commissioner Doug Sutherland. Commissioner Goldmark has rightly instructed his staff to examine how the Glacier Northwest dock proposal fits with the Puget Sound Partnership’s Action Plan to clean up Puget Sound and the state’s own designation of the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve.

The construction of the dock is a threat to our already-endangered orcas and Chinook salmon. The suspicious circumstances surrounding the issuance of the lease harm citizens’ confidence in our state government.

Commissioner Goldmark took decisive action today both to address the potential environmental consequences of this action and to reassure the people of Washington that his office is committed to an open, honest government.