Love to see newspeople ask:
When is the last time all of Penn Cove was safe for recreational shellfish harvest?
Image above: 11/23/2022
Source/Daily Status Reports: Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Safety Map
Click image once or twice to show detail.
More monitoring:
“King County already monitors Penn Cove water; Vracin said personnel from the county come in every two weeks by boat to collect samples.”
November 22, 2022 Whidbey News-Times
King County keeps eye on Penn Cove
The Port of Coupeville will partner with King County to monitor the water quality in Penn Cove.
“We try to support anybody and everybody that is an official organization that is there to help protect our environment and study the health of Penn Cove,” he said. “When they reached out for this project, we were very excited to support them.”
“The King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks will install solar-powered sensors on the Coupeville Wharf and at other locations in Penn Cove to collect data on the water’s temperature, salinity, pH, oxygen saturation, chlorophyll levels and more.”
“Equipment will likely be installed within the next three months, according to wharf manager Danielle Vracin. King County already monitors Penn Cove water; Vracin said personnel from the county come in every two weeks by boat to collect samples. The new equipment the county is installing will automatically collect data every 15 minutes and transmit it to a website where scientists and members of the public can see it in real time.”
Not seeing any concerns here Re:
Coupeville
Clam, mussel, and oyster seasons CLOSED for harvest year-round.
Washington Department of Health (DOH) cautions that clams, oysters, and mussels from this beach are not fit for human consumption at any time.
Water Quality Comment: This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.
Updated: Wed, 23 Nov 2022 03:00:52 PDT
Source: WDFW
Background
Several Whidbey beaches remain closed all year long for recreational shellfish harvest because of sewage treatment outfall.
Sewage treatment outfall. Not stormwater. Not climate change.
Reporting on this topic appears to be completely off limits to the press.
View the Washington State Department of Health beach list here.
Americans do not live in a free and honest society.
In a free and honest society, newspeople would be asking questions related to public policy all of the time.
Voting is highly emphasized in American culture. Asking questions related to public policy takes a lower priority.
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?
A photo tour of Penn Cove here:
Wastewater Treatment Plant – Department of Ecology Award For Outstanding Performance
Coupeville
“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
Oak Harbor
Oak Harbor City Park
“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”
“Washington Department of Health (DOH) cautions that clams, oysters, and mussels from this beach are not fit for human consumption at any time.”
“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”
Source: WDFW
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?
Jan 22, 2021 Whidbey News-Times
Town mayor updates residents with annual address
“This coming year is all about stormwater,” Hughes said.
“A big rainstorm in February 2020 sent “hundreds of gallons” of water rushing through the sewer plant.”
“The mayor shared that the wastewater treatment plant operators received an award from the Department of Ecology for outstanding performance.”
“We always want to do as much as we can to protect the Cove,” Hughes said.
Love to see newspeople report/ask questions on how/why stormwater is routed to the facility that treats water from toilet flushing?
In both Anacortes and Oak Harbor, we are told that stormwater is separate from what is treated at the plant:
Anacortes – Stormwater is Rainwater
“Storm drains discharge directly into the surrounding waters, they do not lead to the wastewater treatment plant.”
Oak Harbor, WA
Storm Drain
Related:
Politicians, Puget Sound Press, and Earth Day
Saratoga Passage Marine Stewardship Area – Any News Coverage?
Stormwater, Untreated Sewage and Puget Sound
Local Waters And The Puget Sound Area Press
High Quality Water For Puget Sound? – Recreational Shellfish Harvesting CLOSED Year-Round
“…talking to officials at the Town of Coupeville…”
Whidbey Signs of Water Quality
When Things Get Back To Normal
4 Stories The Puget Sound Press Will Not Question Or Report On