Several Whidbey beaches remain closed all year long for recreational shellfish harvest because of sewage treatment outfall.
Sewage treatment outfall. Not stormwater.
Reporting on this topic appears to be completely off limits to the press.
View the Washington State Department of Health beach list here.
Image above: 9/30/2020
Source: Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Safety Map
Click image to enlarge.
Underreported news stories are curious.
Has anyone ever seen the Puget Sound area press ask questions about Whidbey water quality impacted by sewage treatment plant outfalls?
Has anyone ever seen any government agency, elected official or volunteer organization seeking answers related to one or more sewage treatment plants sending unsafe product into the waters near Whidbey Island?
Coupeville – just west of Captain Thomas Coupe Park
“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”
“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”
Source: WDFW
North side of Penn Cove at Monroe Landing
“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”
“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”
Source: WDFW
We are told that stewardship is a priority:
Sign below educates the public on local waters.
Saratoga Passage Marine Stewardship Area
Has there ever been a news story to inform the public on the Saratoga Passage Marine Stewardship Area?
Looks like a significant area.
Distance learning idea:
Podcast 4 Another Month With An R – Whidbey Sewage Treatment Plant Outfalls
Whidbey Waters – Mixed Signals of Concern
March 13, 2020 Whidbey News-Times
4th grade students publish book on Salish Sea
“Invisible Pollution in the Salish Sea”
School teachers,
Are you teaching your students to look for green colors on the Recreational Shellfish Safety Map?
Related:
Anacortes – Stormwater is Rainwater
Whidbey Island Toilet Flush or Rain Water?
“…talking to officials at the Town of Coupeville…”
Green colors show safe places for recreational shellfish
4 Stories The Puget Sound Press Will Not Question Or Report On
Whidbey Signs of Water Quality
When Things Get Back To Normal
Ready To Purchase A Subscription – Whidbey Water Quality
I will purchase a subscription to any Puget Sound area newspaper working to inform us on Whidbey water quality impacted by sewage treatment plant outfalls.
Ready to Support Local News on Whidbey Island
It looks like both Whidbey papers have stripped away all comments from past articles, and removed the opportunity to post comments to new articles.
I’d be more interested in paying (again) for a local paper subscription if there was more in the way of newspeople asking questions.
Elimination of reader comments works against the idea of paying for an online subscription.
Manage it, don’t ban it. Online comment sections
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