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| The Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from SR-Broadcasting (KRKO Radio 1380) |
| February 2005 The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) issued last week by the Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS) is being appealed today by Citizens to Preserve the Upper Snohomish River Valley. The FEIS was prepared as a tool for preparing a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the four to eight antenna towers south of Snohomish proposed by radio station KRKO. The appeal contends that the FEIS does not adequately identify and evaluate several significant aesthetic impacts of the towers. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), issued in December 2003, drew widespread response, largely critical, from County residents. The FEIS acknowledges those written responses, but for the most part dismisses them. Impacts on nearby Craven Farms, with 50,000 visitors per year, and the major County parks in the valley are erroneously evaluated, as are the visual impacts of many nearby view residences and the impact of the required aircraft warning lights. PDS must have an accurate FEIS before they can determine what conditions to place in a CUP. In 2000, S-R Broadcasting Company, owner of the radio station, applied for the CUP as part of a plan to increase transmitted power from 5,000 Watts to 50,000 Watts. The original applications called for tower heights well over 400 feet. Under protests from several citizen groups the tower configuration was subsequently reduced, in stages, to a single lighted tower 349 feet high with three to seven more unlighted towers just under 200 ft high. The additional towers are meant to accommodate an additional, as yet unidentified, station co-located station of unannounced frequency and radiated power as well as a smaller Everett station, KWYZ. Citizens to Preserve the Upper Snohomish River Valley (CPUSRV) is a non-profit citizen organization dedicated to comprehensive planning of growth with special attention to protection of wildlife and prevention of environmental degradation in the upper Snohomish River valley and elsewhere in the County. They, together with Pilchuck Audubon Society, and a third litigant who settled separately, contested the PDS initial determination of no significant environmental impact. Hearings with much citizen and expert testimony occurred during the first half of 2001, resulting in a finding of significant aesthetic impact which could not be mitigated. On reconsideration a second Hearing Examiner, appointed by County Council, concurred that this impact was substantial, and could not be made less so. The CUP was denied. A required Shoreline Management Permit was also denied at that time. When S-R Broadcasting appealed to County Council, the Council unanimously reversed the Hearing Examiners� findings. In early 2002 PDS was permitted to issue a CUP after preparing an accurate FEIS, limited to aesthetic impacts, and conditioning any permits on the findings of that statement. It is that FEIS, issued last week, which is being appealed. If, after a corrected FEIS is approved, a CUP is granted for these towers, S-R Broadcasting must still obtain a shoreline substantial development permit. This permit has not yet been applied for. |
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