ORCAS ISLAND
SOUNDER THE ISLANDS’
Serving Orcas, Lopez and San Juan County
WEDNESDAY, October 22, 2014 VOL. 47, NO. 43 75¢ islandssounder.com
Pages 9 to 16 An advertising supplement published by the Islands’ Sounder
Water district policy prompts criticism by CALI BAGBY Assistant editor
Cali Bagby/staff photo
Halloween island-style
See page 7 for ghost stories and a calendar of local events.
Paul Kamin, general manager of the Eastsound Water Users Association, sent a letter to EWUA members on Sept. 18. The document outlined the Guest House Upgrade Initiative, which requires members who have a second living space on their property to upgrade their memberships to reflect two buildings. Members of the Orcas community, Leslie Liddle, Doug Betchel and Susan Malins, responded to this letter with criticism, stating that it was unfair, aggressive and that the cost was too great. “This initiative is poorly thought out, arbitrary and punishing,” wrote Liddle. (You can read Liddle’s guest column on page 6. A letter from Malins is on page 5. Bechtel’s letter ran in the Oct. 15 edition of the Sounder.) Kamin said the upgrade is not meant as a punishment, but rather a way for people to update their
Lolita subject of new documentary by EMILY GREENBERG Journal reporter
The troubling saga of Lolita, the southern resident orca whale in captivity and on display in a Florida marine amusement park, will be in the spotlight at the 2014 Big Apple Film Festival in New York City. “A Day in the Life of Lolita,” is an eight-minute film that follows renowned marine biologist, Dr. Ingrid Vissner, into Miami's Seaquarium, Lolita's home for the last 44 years. “The film is about elevating our understanding of the Orcas, who are deserving of our respect,” Whidbey Island-based Orca Network Co-founder Howard Garett said. “And correcting this injustice.” Director Daniel Azarian paints a compelling picture of Lolita's situation. Her holding tank, 80-by35 feet, is described by Vissner as "tragically small." The filmmak-
er claims the tank's compressed dimensions violate the Animal Welfare Act, and according to Vissner, cause Lolita to demonstrate "stereotypic behaviors" that are both abnormal and repetitive, and actions not seen of an animal in its natural habitat. Such behaviors include chewing on concrete, resurfacing at the same spot and pacing back and forth. Captured when she was somewhere between three to five years old, Lolita still makes the calls in Miami that she learned 44 years ago in her native sea. A highly sociable creature by birth, she has been alone in her tank since 1980, when her tank mate, Hugo, died from perpetually bashing his head against the side of the tank that he and Lolita shared. The Friday Harbor Film Festival plans to showcase “A Day in the Life of Lolita” as its own separate event, as it's too late to enter a film in the festival, which is only a few
weeks away. “This is an important film and we want to showcase it in Friday Harbor,” said Film Festival Director Lynn Danaher. In April 2013, the National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, accepted a petition to consider whether Lolita, a member of L-pod, should be included under the Endangered Species Act list-
ing of the southern resident killer whales. NOAA is expected to make its final sometime near the end of January. “I think it’s a pretty sure thing that she will come under federal protection,” Garrett said. “Then we will have someone to communicate with.” As it stands, Lolita is private property and as such belongs to Miami Seaquarium. NOAA has received thousands of public comments about the petition and the plight of Lolita, the last southern resident orca living in captivity. Comments range from support for including Lolita in the ESA, to those that consider including her (which could aid in her return to the Salish Sea) harmful to her health and that of the other residents. If Lolita is deemed part of the southern resident endangered
SEE LOLITA, PAGE 3
properties. The upgrade costs a one-time fee of $3,000. EWUA’s base rate is $45 for 5,000 gallons for each “equivalent residential unit” or ERU per month. The upgrade will now require a single family home with a guest house to be signed up for a 1.5 ERU, costing $67.40 per month for 7,500 gallons. If more than the allotted “gallons per month” allowed are used with the base rate, then the charge is $20 per 1,000 gallons. If you have property with two residences that was built in the 1970s or before then your property is grandfathered in and you do not have to pay the $3,000 charge, but you will have to pay a monthly bill to reflect 1.5 ERUs. Kamin said the initiative may be more cost effective for some home owners with two residences as they now have access to 7,500 gallons and are less likely to use more water and be charged the surplus usage fee. Liddle, on the other hand, is not sure that there will be any cost benefits. “Those in the lowest usage category with a guest house can expect a $200 bill every three months
SEE WATER, PAGE 6
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