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WEDNESDAY, February 10, 2016 n VOL. 109, NO. 6 n 75¢
Lopez oil leak hazard
Agricultural Summit 2016 End of
marine grant
By Anna V. Smith
By Anna V. Smith
Journal reporter
Journal reporter
Concern over a property with contaminated soil has prompted residents to wonder if their water is safe. In response, a letter from the Fisherman Bay Water Association released Feb. 1 stated their wells are being tested for benzene, a known carcinogen, and have tested negative. Steve Cade, water quality manager of the association, said that public water systems are routinely checked for herbicides, pesticides, bacteria, lead, copper, radium and benzene. Customers had contacted the association with concerns because of ground contamination at the old Lopez Village Market from leaking fuel tanks which has still not been resolved since the tanks were removed six years ago. The building was the home of Lopez Village Market for years, before becoming Island Body and Fitness and is now Paper, Scissors on the Rock. The property sits in the heart of Lopez Village. The owners of the property began the process of removing the tanks in 2010 and signed up for Department of Ecology’s Voluntary Clean-Up Program in 2011, leaving the program in 2012 without finishing the cleanup, with some areas containing 633 times above the maximum approved amount of benzene and 43 times above the allowable level of total petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil, according to documents from the Department of
Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation has discontinued its marine mammal rehabilitation program for 2016 due to the loss of a federal grant. The program, which cares for stranded or injured harbor seal pups, has been a part of Wolf Hollow for the last 30 years. “It’s hard to think that we’ll have to turn them away this year,” said Wolf Hollow Executive Director Julie Duke. “That’s the hardest thing, especially for the staff that’s been caring for them for so long. Hopefully there won’t be a lot of pups that need care this year.” The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program from National Oceanic Atmospheric Association is meant specifically for marine mammal rehab and stranding networks, and comes with “stringent regulations and standards” that are “time
See OIL LEAK, Page 4
Sheep head to the barn at Mitchell Bay Farm on San Juan Island
Contributed photo/Mitchell Bay Farm
Educational event for farmers, foodies and community members By Courtney Oldwyn Journal reporter
The 2016 Agricultural Summit is this Friday and Saturday on San Juan Island. This informative event will bring together 200 regional farmers, chefs, advocates, and community members for two days of agriculture based education at different locations around Friday Harbor. “This is the only annual educational event that is entirely focused on agriculture in San Juan County and that brings together farmers from throughout the county, giving them a chance to network, learn new ideas, and share information,” said Peggy Bill, San Juan County Agricultural Resources Coordinator. “We hope to inspire, educate, and collaborate so we can work together to strengthen and grow our local food network.” Local farmer Bruce Gregory, who co-owns and operates Mitchell Bay Farm along with his wife Colleen Howe is also looking forward to the summit. “It’s a chance for not only local folks who are farming, but consumers of local foods to learn about some
exciting things happening in the agricultural world,” said Gregory. “The new science coming out has a profound effect on how we can and should manage our ag lands to be a part of the big picture of solutions to many of the world’s problems.” Not just an event for career farmers, the Agricultural Summit is open to all community members county wide. Part of the summit’s vision is to bring together local foodies, restauranteurs, advocates and others in the food industry. “We all need to work together,” said Bill. “The Agriculture Summit has just done such an amazing job this year. It’s really important that we support any scale agriculture and to inspire people to learn and grow. No community can survive without food growth and the San Juans have always put out huge amounts of food. There’s a sort of (farming) resurgence that’s happening and we need to support that,” said Lori Ann David, owner of San Juan Island’s Aurora Farms and a participant in the Taste of the San Juans. David will be serving her farm’s signature See SUMMIT, Page 3
See GRANT, Page 4
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