Bad news in west bay!!!!!!

[Gilbert]

is placement area no. 63 the area we are talking about where the grass is at?

[WestEndAngler]

Grass all over the n shoreline I'm more concerned with the oyster reefs.

[JimG]

Your pressure is working! I just got a call from the GLO. He said there have been many calls on this today. He explained:

The placement areas (in this case 62&63) were designated 50 years ago. The dredge company is just doing what they always do. But, they have contacted the dredge supervisor, and he is visiting the site today to see if there is a way to mitigate the damage. I was also given a number at the COE, (he said they have been inundated by calls too), and I called and left a message.

The fellow at the GLO was kind enough to listen to my description of this beautiful place and commended us on our action and concern. KEEP UP THE PRESSURE!

Jim

[Lori77563]

Also areas 62 & 61. Looks like they could close Mecoms cut and the Jones Lake cut.

[WestEndAngler]

Got a response from Blackburn. He sent a concerned e-mail to his contact at ACOE. This should help. Still some options to get this stopped...

[corndog]

WOW is all I can say. I hope we can stop this or see that it is done in a way that is best for West Bay. Kinda of a slipper slope if the ecos get too involved. Next thing we will be banned from motorized watercraft on the north shore. Hope we can keep this in house and work it out. Keep calling!!

[Gater]

Got a response from Blackburn. He sent a concerned e-mail to his contact at ACOE. This should help. Still some options to get this stopped...

Don't think we are going to stop it. As mentioned on the other site, we are dealing with federal permits and contracts.
It would cost millions to change what they are doing. The best we can hope for is that keep the pipe moving and limit the discharge to one area or maybe even move it back up on the spoil some. We did get some attention and if anything hopefully this will change the way they look at permits in the future.

Gater

[Swells]

Gater I think you're right. If they would blow the spoils away from the grassy areas that should help a lot. The poor dredger is just doing his job and needs a place to dump the sediment - and I think the Corps can make it work just fine. The booster pump on a dredge like that should be able to go about 2 miles easy, know what I'm saying?

Within about 5 years or so we'll probably have to address a new environmental impact statement or similar, which should be a good battle when we get there. The one for the LLM ended up in some fireworks, I can that that!

[WestEndAngler]

Stop discharge into bay and move onto land to build spoil is what I was saying.

[WestEndAngler]

There is a short mention in the Reel Report today and I know Capt JK said he'd be following up with more detail last night. I sent him a pretty lengthy e-mail with all my information & all of Gater's.

[shallowist]

Hey guys, thanks for all the input and support!! I Know that Captain Trim is hard at work on this and really makes me proud of the fishing community to see all of this effort. My schedule absolutely sucks right now, and knowing that I would need a lot of help, I felt that it would e beneficial to post this information. Keep up the great work.

Hope we can get this resolved before they cover all of the grass!

Also, everyone please keep it clean when contacting the various agencies. A well spoken voice will carry a great deal more weight than an ignorant one. Ask them questions and refer to facts. Don’t try to tell these people what their job or responsibilities are. All we can really do here is ask for some help.

[WestEndAngler]

Don't think we are going to stop it. As mentioned on the other site, we are dealing with federal permits and contracts.
It would cost millions to change what they are doing. The best we can hope for is that keep the pipe moving and limit the discharge to one area or maybe even move it back up on the spoil some. We did get some attention and if anything hopefully this will change the way they look at permits in the future.

Gater

Well.... I guess you can stop it by filing an injunction but that = $$ + legal battle

[Robalo]

Actually, I experienced an injuction on an oil well in Giddings-it was quite simple. The landowner (an attorney in oil biz-fairly famous for the Austin Chalk starting in 1977) owned a ranch and The Superior Oil Company staked a well near his pond. He cited that since the pond was "wet" it may be in fact "Wetlands" as defined under the CFR, then cited that his pond contained "Florida Fighting Bass" and possibly "Snail Darters" (endangered species that stopped the T.V.A. from building a dam) and the local judge enjoined Superior. Was a 2 page affidavit he filed with his Motion requesting Injunctive Relief. I do not believe he was required to file a bond either, so perhaps if Mr. Blackburn could file a simple version in Galveston County citing Sea Turtle nesting area, Manatee Nursery Grounds, Kemp's Ridley Turtle mating area, possibility of Snail Darters, Houston Toad habitat, all in a similar manner to Mr. Pat Holloway's injunction request granted in Lee County Texas, maybe he could easily and cost effectively enjoin the COE? Just an idea-I've seen a lot of BS filed and acted on when all parties knew it was pure, unadulterated BS, but the Law is the Law!!

[Gater]

Well.... I guess you can stop it by filing an injunction but that = $$ + legal battle

Sometimes these things are hard to change before the permit is issued. I am hoping best case scenario is that the Corp, GLO
and the Dredging Company looks at what we are talking about and can find a way to tweak the way they are discharging the material either by pulling the outlet back up on the spoils futher or maybe even extending it out into the bay past the grass.
Whatever happens, great job by all in getting the attention of the ones that can make a little difference.

Gater

[Jhua]

Like the way you think!

Actually, I experienced an injuction on an oil well in Giddings-it was quite simple. The landowner (an attorney in oil biz-fairly famous for the Austin Chalk starting in 1977) owned a ranch and The Superior Oil Company staked a well near his pond. He cited that since the pond was "wet" it may be in fact "Wetlands" as defined under the CFR, then cited that his pond contained "Florida Fighting Bass" and possibly "Snail Darters" (endangered species that stopped the T.V.A. from building a dam) and the local judge enjoined Superior. Was a 2 page affidavit he filed with his Motion requesting Injunctive Relief. I do not believe he was required to file a bond either, so perhaps if Mr. Blackburn could file a simple version in Galveston County citing Sea Turtle nesting area, Manatee Nursery Grounds, Kemp's Ridley Turtle mating area, possibility of Snail Darters, Houston Toad habitat, all in a similar manner to Mr. Pat Holloway's injunction request granted in Lee County Texas, maybe he could easily and cost effectively enjoin the COE? Just an idea-I've seen a lot of BS filed and acted on when all parties knew it was pure, unadulterated BS, but the Law is the Law!!