The City of Tacoma is in the early stages of developing a subarea plan for the Tacoma Tideflats.
Right now, the decision to build the Liquid Natural Gas facility is bypassing that plan. Here is a sample letter to send to the Tacoma City Clerk:
Tacoma City Clerk
733 Market St. Room 11
Tacoma, WA 98402
Statement Against Expansion of Facilities, including an LNG Plant, in Tide-flats without Adequate Review and Without Complete Subarea Plan
Dear Tacoma City Council,
I am writing this letter to request that you maintain the current interim regulations regarding development of industry in the tide-flats with the following retraction: Do not allow a 10% expansion of existing facilities as is currently allowed in the interim regulations. I urge you to maintain interim regulations and to force companies to wait and comply with Subarea Planning Process, as this process allows time needed for public review and consensus on issues that are very important to the health and well-being of our community.
My concerns regarding the fast-tracking of the LNG plant and other development in our community include:
- Inadequate environmental review.
- Harmful effects of further industrial development to local water, air, animals and people.
- Environmental waste from prior industrial use at the Port of Tacoma still has not been removed.
- Potential for catastrophe in event of earthquake or volcanic eruption.
- Impact of catastrophe near densely populated area.
- The safety of detainees at the nearby detention center.
- Companies that promise jobs are not held accountable for : number of jobs created, who gets these jobs, and the cost to public health (air and water quality, diseases) of these jobs
In addition, I advise against any fast-track development of fossil fuel industry, given the recent dire warnings of United Nations International Panel on Climate Change and given all indicators that climate change: increasing forest fires, mass extinction, increasing climate-related hurricanes and storms.
I urge you to consider the long-term impact of our choices on all members of our community and on the planet as a whole. Friends testify to the sanctity of all life and are committed to social justice. Please consider all viewpoints and develop consensus when making critical decisions. I urge you also to hold companies that may cause public harm accountable for their actions and accountable to our community.
Respectfully,
[Your name]
