From Native Daily Network

"The Washington State Attorney General’s (AG) office called a recent Environmental review fictional. They and the State Department of Ecology (DOE) recently submitted written comments to Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) regarding a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that could have substantial long-term effects on the rights and lives of the Puyallup Tribe as well as local citizens.......

Fictional
It is one of those moments when you have to reread what you have just read to let it sink in that it is actually what you are reading. Imagine, if you will, the uncontainable excitement you feel when you see, in your email inbox, the wonders of a routine email release of a government agency to government agency communication.

Hype aside, it was perhaps one of the most impressive smackdowns we had seen for a while. The AG’s comment not only questioned the validity of the research done in the draft SEIS, they openly mocked it. They wrote that “Procedurally, the SEIS should be significantly revised to accurately identify the actual circumstances and current status of the construction and permitting process on the site. As currently drafted, the SEIS evaluates a No-Action Alternative that can only be described as fictional. ”

Fictional! With everyone able to see that we are already past the point of No-Action because the facility has been built, pipes have been laid and infrastructure prepared. Of course it is fictional. But for one government agency to say that to another? That is huge. Even more so when it comes from the office of the state governments legal department....."

Assumptions
There is a famous saying about assuming things which almost seems appropriate here.

The draft EIS, the AG suggests, “appears to assume that construction, and therefore impacts of construction, are still contingent on the selection of an alternative.” The SEIS states that in the case of No-Action “the existing land uses would continue at the proposed Tacoma LNG Facility site.” The AG’s letter takes exception to this. “It is not clear that this could be the case,” it reads,” if so, substantial demolition and removal activity would be required.”

This is at the heart of the fictional comment. The draft EIS fails to acknowledge any construction has started. In fact, it says that in a no-action scenario there would be no construction impacts – even though there is already a significant impact from construction. The AG letter calls these assumptions “plainly incorrect” and repeatedly points out that the SEIS doesn’t reflect reality..."

Hands Up to each and everyone of you for standing together for our Mother Earth. YEHOW! 

Read the full Native Daily Network article

Read the WA State Attorney General Comment Letter to PSCAA

Read the WA Dept of Ecology Comment Letter to PSCAA

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