MEDIA ADVISORY
May 7, 2012
Public invited to help DNR develop a mooring buoy plan for Quartermaster Harbor, May 31
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking input from boaters and the public interested in helping to develop a plan for mooring buoys on state-owned aquatic lands in Quartermaster Harbor. The public workshop will be May 31 at McMurray Middle School on Vashon Island.
Staff from DNR will present a preliminary plan showing the proposed layout for mooring buoy fields in the Burton and Dockton areas of Quartermaster Harbor. DNR will also explain how the preliminary plan proposes to address requirements for regulatory permits required by King County, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
DNR staff will also review pending buoy license applications with applicants and confirm existing buoy locations, including those that are unused and may be removed over time. Buoy users who haven’t yet submitted applications are encouraged to attend. Application forms will be available at the meeting, and staff will be available to assist with questions.
| Who: | DNR Aquatic Reserves Program |
| What: | Public informational workshop to seek public input on proposed buoy fields for Burton and Dockton areas in Quartermaster Harbor |
| When: | 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, May 31 |
| Where: | McMurray Middle School, 9329 SW Cemetery Rd., Vashon 98070-6105 |
Why:
| The mooring buoy plan aims to promote safer navigational conditions for recreational boaters and reduce harm to sediments on the sea floor that may disturb herring spawning habitat. |
Directions and web linkDirections to McMurray Middle School:
http://g.co/maps/mu6yp More information about the Quartermaster Harbor Mooring Buoy project: www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/em_fs11_012.pdf For more information about the meeting, contact Lisa Randlette, environmental planner, 360-902-1085 or lisa.randlette@dnr.wa.gov.
DNR: steward of state-owned aquatic lands
The 2.6 million acres of state-owned aquatic lands (mostly submerged lands) are a public trust, managed and protected by DNR for the people of Washington. DNR manages these lands to protect fish and wildlife and to facilitate commerce, navigation, and public access.
Revenue is generated from the sale of renewable resources such as wild geoduck, as well as from leasing submerged lands for marinas, docks, and other uses. This revenue is used to manage and protect the health and productivity of aquatic resources and to fund local projects that restore aquatic ecosystems and create public access to the waters of the state.
Media Contact: Toni Droscher, DNR Aquatics Program Communications Manager, 360-902-1523, toni.droscher@dnr.wa.gov
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