[Editor Note: This is a response received from the Department of Ecology about the wetlands and the Sierra Pacific Project between 200th and 208th Street]

Thank you for contacting the Department of Ecology regarding the development in the Frederickson/Spanaway area.  I understand your concerns and frustrations, but the information Ecology has given you previously is correct – the developers of the Frederickson Industrial Park have the permits they need from us to proceed.  Ecology issued an Administrative Order on April 7, 2015, to allow for the loss of 9.8 acres of isolated wetlands, and required those impacts to be mitigated with the creation of 16.6 acres of wetlands and the enhancement of 7.5 acres of existing wetlands at a location south of 208^th.  I know that Zach Meyer, of my staff, told you earlier that the mitigation was being done through the County’s In-Lieu-Fee Program, but he mixed that up with another project.  These impacts will be mitigated with additional wetland area.

The US Army Corps of Engineers did issue an official Jurisdictional Determination on November 25, 2014, stating that the wetlands were isolated, and the applicant would not require further authorization from the Corps to develop the site.

Ecology also issued a Construction Stormwater General Permit in February, 2018.

The original application and approval included the construction and operation of a sawmill and other lumber-related activities.  Those features are no longer part of the development, but they were evaluated as part of the original approval.  Sierra Pacific chose to utilize an existing mill site that had recently been shut down in Shelton instead.  The current development consists of a mixed-use industrial facility.

Construction of the mitigation area, south of 208^th Street has also begun, as required under the 2015 Order.  Ecology will continue to work with Sierra Pacific and Pierce County to ensure the successful development of the mitigation area.

Zach provided to you the information you need to submit a complaint to our Environmental Response Tracking System:

Hello Ms. XXXXXXX,

Thank you for the email. To file an environmental complaint, please report environmental issues to Ecology’s Environmental Response Tracking System (ERTS) online (https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-involved/Report-an-environmental-issue) or by phone (360-407-6300).

Zach Meyer
Wetlands/Shorelands Specialist | Shorelands & Environmental Assistance Program
Washington State Department of Ecology | Southwest Regional Office, Lacey, WA

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(email: July 25, 2018)

Ecology wants to know about those issues that can have a negative impact on our environment.

Zach also provided the information to you necessary to obtain records from our office, when you responded that you wanted to see some of the permitting documents:

Due to rules and regulations, I am unable to send out these files directly to you. To view these permit files, you can file a public disclosure request to view permits and related documents.  Information on how to file a public disclosure request can be found at https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Accountability-transparency/Public-records-requests or by calling 360-407-6040.

(email: July 25, 2018)

You are welcome to view the information that Ecology has related to this project, but we must use the records request process described at the above website to accurately track the requests that Ecology receives and our response.  Thank you for your understanding.

Please contact me if you have other questions about these issues.  I can be reached at: 360-407-7260, or perry.lund@ecy.wa.gov

You can also contact Rich Doenges, manager of our Water Quality Section at the SW Regional Office: 360-407-6271, or rich.doenges@ecy.wa.gov 

Rich and I, and our staff in the SW Regional Office, are the best place for you to get assistance with activities occurring in Pierce County.

Perry J Lund
Section Manager | Department of Ecology | Shorelands and Environmental |   Assistance Program
Southwest Regional Office | 360-407-7260