Planners accept Port 2 20-year disposal permit

The Wahkiakum County Planning Commission last Thursday accepted a recommendation for approval of a shoreline substantial development permit for Port District 2.

The permit would cover a 20-year program for deposition of dredge spoils at Skamokawa Vista Park.

The US Army Corps of Engineers uses the park’s waterfront as a dredge spoils site. Port 2 sells sand from the deposit, paying the state Department of Natural Resources a royalty, for the state claims ownership of the sand.

Past shoreline permits have been for five years. Wahkiakum County Public Works Director Chuck Beyer said the county’s permitting consultants said the work would comply with the county’s Shoreline Management Program. He added that the long duration would save the effort of going the permit application process, which can be lengthy.

“Does the 20 years bother anyone,” planning commission Chair Gene Healy asked the planning commission. “If some other superceding regulations came along, would they take effect?

“We should have some review,” said planning commission member Bob Ward.

“I don’t want to put hurdles in their way,” said commission member Paul Schreiber.

Commissioner Scott Anderson agreed. “It (sale of sand by the port) is a viable business venture; I don’t think we should limit them,” he said.

The port could be required to amend the permit if regulatory parameters changed, Beyer said. Also, the work is subject to permits from other agencies, and those permits may be one to five years in length.

“We can require that they supply us with updated permits as they get them,” he said.

The nine planners present voted unanimously to recommend county commission approval of the permit to the county board of commissioners.