Public comments needed to protect South Tacoma aquifer
Sign the online petition, sending your comments to all three city meetings at: "Support the South Tacoma Economic Green Zone, Phase-1a Work Plan"
https://actionnetwork.org/
By Heidi Stephens
Last year, the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council submitted an application to the city for a code amendment update with the goal of better protecting Tacoma’s largest underground water supply within South Tacoma. This area, which has been designated "environmentally geohydrologically sensitive,” is also a wetland, some of the last urban wild land in the city and a very important watershed to Flett Creek and Chambers Clover-Creek… yet for decades the city has allowed heavy industrial zoning within it.
From the 1880s and all the way till 1980s, continued industrial activities at the "South Tacoma Field” had resulted in the release of toxic chemicals into the soil and groundwater. Over the following decades, heavy industrial zoning seemed to be accepted as simply the norm by the city leaders; however, the residents of South Tacoma continue to encourage our city to consider new possibilities, moving away from allowing heavily polluting industry in the middle of our urban area and above the groundwater aquifer.
Today, South Tacoma is a community of residential, recreational, school and business districts, but has one of the highest air pollution rates in the nation, some of the highest illness and mortality rates in the county among the lowest-income and most diverse residents of the city. For the city to not only continue allowing for this, but also to continually add to it, is a form of environmental racism.
The South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District and its current zoning-overlay need updating to reflect modern day best science which is long overdue, and which affects more than just South Tacoma because the South Tacoma Aquifer at times provides up to 40% of Tacoma's back-up water supply.
Without periodic code review and regular updates, as recently as a just few years ago a metal recycling / auto crushing facility was allowed to begin operation directly above this protected groundwater aquifer, involving toxic auto-fluids, heavy metals and degreasers (all of which are specifically noted by the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department as contaminants to strictly avoid in such an area).
Even more recently, a discovery was reported of abandoned and leaking underground petroleum tanks, which current regulations only require voluntary clean-up of, which then often goes uncompleted.
Most recently, residents learned about the megalith warehouse complex permit application to create a massive distribution center totaling over 2.5 million square feet – nearly 50 football fields (and that’s just the buildings, not counting additional paved drives and parking) all of which will affect water infiltration and moisture retention above the aquifer in "recharge” areas.
Besides the water concern, such warehouse operations have historically been very damaging to the neighborhoods around them and (as in this case) often push into minority, low-income areas, increasing truck traffic by an estimated 12,000 vehicle trips per week day, bringing carcinogenic diesel exhaust and toxic tire residue, as well as noise, more air pollution and street safety issues, all of which will also eliminate open green spaces, tree canopies and urban wildlife, contributing to more heat zones, urban dead zones and further climate change.
The aquifer amendment proposal will not only accomplish that minimum overdue code review requirement, but it also includes a larger view for the "South Tacoma Economic Green Zone” (STEGZ) with the purpose of creating new, non-polluting, business opportunities in the aquifer protection district, and not inhibiting this vulnerable aquifer’s ability to recharge.
The Planning Commission not only approved the STEGZ proposal to move forward, but also added a recommendation to consider implanting a moratorium on all permitting until the groundwater code has been correctly updated.
Please voice your agreement to reverse pollution and environmental racism in South Tacoma, by supporting STEGZ and asking the city to:
·
pass the South Tacoma Economic Green Zone Phase-1a Work Plan to begin updating the overdue South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District land-use overlay,
·
and including a moratorium on any new permitting within this groundwater district and recharge areas until the code has been appropriately updated.
… at the following meetings:
Tuesday, 6 p.m., May 24 Virtual Forum after the City Council Meeting
·
submitting written comments by 4pm to: [email protected]
·
oral comments via Zoom:
Webinar Link: www.zoom.us/j/84834233126
Dial: 253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 848 3423 3126
Passcode: 349099
Wednesday, 4:30 p.m., May 25 Infrastructure Planning and Sustainability Committee (IPS) meeting, by either/both:
·
submitting written comments by 2pm to: [email protected]
·
oral comments via Zoom:
Webinar Link: www.zoom.us/j/86227234162
Dial: 253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 862 2723 4162
Passcode: 614650
Tuesday, 6 p.m., June 7 Public Hearing for 2022 Annual Amendments during the City Council Meeting
·
submitting written comments by 4pm to: [email protected]
·
oral comments via Zoom:
Dial: 253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 848 3423 3126
Zoom weblink and passcode have not been published yet, but can be found on the agenda via the City Council’s calendar: https://cityoftacoma.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
Sign the online petition, sending your comments to three city meetings:
"Support the South Tacoma Economic Green Zone, Phase-1a Work Plan"
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/support-the-south-tacoma-economic-green-zone/
As we all know, due to Global Warming, protection of fresh water will be critical.
As temperatures rise, less snowfall on Mt. Rainier means less run-off to the rivers which Tacoma relies on for one water source. Hot, dry summers (as we experienced last year, and are predicted to continue) means we will be more and more dependent on our aquifer, and we must keep it healthy by working together to secure a better future for South Tacoma and the entire city.