Extreme Sports Park's EPA Fines
Donation protected
Dan and Kelie Morrison are the owners of Extreme Sports Park in Port Angeles,WA. The Morrisons, among other unnamed partners, purchased 113 acres of Heavy Industrial Land to build Extreme Sports Park.
Their first venture was to build a sprint boat track; with other sports added in the future. The Morrisons went to the City of Port Angeles and obtained the proper permits required to build the track. This process took three years and included wetland deliniations and the permits required by state and federal agencies.
Approximately one week before the first event that Extreme Sports Park was to host in 2011, a private liberal environmental group (known to Port Angeles businesses and residents as the Dry Creek Coalition) submitted a list of fabricated infractions to the Washington State Department of Ecology, and CELP : Citizens for Environment Law and Policy: a privately funded group of attorneys who attack homeowners and businesses began to attack the Morrisons while they were trying to deal with the DOE issues, and costing the Morrisons over $17,000 to prove their innocence. The DCC knew that this would automatically involve the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency because that is the way that the process works. The Army Corp of Engineers, due to the complaint to the State Depatment of Ecology, visited the track and walked around the parameter of the berms that were built for the fans. According to the GPS rods that these ACOE representatives carried around while they were walking, the toe of the ESP berm, in a few spots, crossed into the wetlands, which is a hayfield like the rest of the property. These fields can be plowed and harvested, and are only a wetland for 3 months out of the year. These wetlands have been hayfields for over 100 years and have been continually plowed and tilled because they are in an agricultural state. This process is legal.
Because the Morrisons are a small private excavating business, and have only been trying to bring revenue to their local economy, they have chosen to not fight the govenment, which would cost more than the worth of the property, and have decided to submit to the EPA and negotiate fines and restoration for remediation. The fines are based on how much it will cost to fix the issues, so if people think that $14,000 isn't alot, then think about how much it is going to cost to fix the track ($100,000 + ). (http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150725/NEWS/307259969/0/SEARCH for the full story)
These races bring people from all over the country to Port Angeles who spend money in local businesses and purchase goods and services on our peninsula. According to the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the amount of revenue these races bring to our community are approximatey $2,000,000 per event and ESP hosts at least 2 events per year. They want to offer more events and activities to bring more tourism, but after paying all of these fines and restoration costs, economically the numbers don't support expansion.
The Morrisons need help. They need their community to support these events at Extreme Sports Park. They need to get the restoration done before September 30th, and there is a lot to do.
Their first venture was to build a sprint boat track; with other sports added in the future. The Morrisons went to the City of Port Angeles and obtained the proper permits required to build the track. This process took three years and included wetland deliniations and the permits required by state and federal agencies.
Approximately one week before the first event that Extreme Sports Park was to host in 2011, a private liberal environmental group (known to Port Angeles businesses and residents as the Dry Creek Coalition) submitted a list of fabricated infractions to the Washington State Department of Ecology, and CELP : Citizens for Environment Law and Policy: a privately funded group of attorneys who attack homeowners and businesses began to attack the Morrisons while they were trying to deal with the DOE issues, and costing the Morrisons over $17,000 to prove their innocence. The DCC knew that this would automatically involve the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency because that is the way that the process works. The Army Corp of Engineers, due to the complaint to the State Depatment of Ecology, visited the track and walked around the parameter of the berms that were built for the fans. According to the GPS rods that these ACOE representatives carried around while they were walking, the toe of the ESP berm, in a few spots, crossed into the wetlands, which is a hayfield like the rest of the property. These fields can be plowed and harvested, and are only a wetland for 3 months out of the year. These wetlands have been hayfields for over 100 years and have been continually plowed and tilled because they are in an agricultural state. This process is legal.
Because the Morrisons are a small private excavating business, and have only been trying to bring revenue to their local economy, they have chosen to not fight the govenment, which would cost more than the worth of the property, and have decided to submit to the EPA and negotiate fines and restoration for remediation. The fines are based on how much it will cost to fix the issues, so if people think that $14,000 isn't alot, then think about how much it is going to cost to fix the track ($100,000 + ). (http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150725/NEWS/307259969/0/SEARCH for the full story)
These races bring people from all over the country to Port Angeles who spend money in local businesses and purchase goods and services on our peninsula. According to the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the amount of revenue these races bring to our community are approximatey $2,000,000 per event and ESP hosts at least 2 events per year. They want to offer more events and activities to bring more tourism, but after paying all of these fines and restoration costs, economically the numbers don't support expansion.
The Morrisons need help. They need their community to support these events at Extreme Sports Park. They need to get the restoration done before September 30th, and there is a lot to do.
Organizer and beneficiary
Melody Pozgay
Organizer
Port Angeles, WA
Kelie Morrison
Beneficiary