A Seaplane base at Cathlamet

To The Eagle:

As each reader has no doubt experienced, the area in and around Cathlamet can be breathtaking and incredibly peaceful: it is a situation that is unique compared with nearly every other city on the lower Columbia River.

While we are aviation enthusiasts ourselves (but not pilots), my family and I wanted to urge our fellow citizens to contact the county commissioners and ask them to reject all proposals for any type of seaplane hanger, ramp, or base near Cathlamet or on the Cathlamet channel.

In our letter parts 2 and 3, we explored a variety of economic and logistical impacts on our city, but in this part, we'd like to explore one of the most significant negative impacts: Noise!

The Cathlamet channel area is uniquely low noise; Seaplanes are not. The noise will be distinct and awful and will be heard for miles across the whole area.

Cathlamet is the most environmentally quiet city on the lower Columbia River: No trains, no interstate highway, no freight trucking corridor, no ocean shipping channel, and no overhead flight paths; the unique quiet zone we have today would be forever lost if this request is granted.

Those with riverfront homes get a new feature for their properties: a front-row seat on a noisy seaplane runway. Local realtors are standing by...

If you agree with any of these concerns, please email your commissioners and tell them No Seaplanes! Happy New Year!

Wilkie Sargent

Cathlamet