Pratt for council | Letter

Many concerned citizens from San Juan County have submitted comment letters regarding the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal Project at Cherry Point, Wash., On Nov. 3, 2012, there was an important scoping hearing at the Friday Harbor High School for this project, and the turnout was over 400, as reported in the Journal.

January 29, 2013 7:35 pm

A key player in this process was then County Councilwoman Lovel Pratt. She worked to build a good working relationship with the Washington Department of Ecology, communicating with many emails and phone calls. She corresponded extensively with the Governor’s Office and she reached out to the three lead agencies, advocating that a scoping meeting be held in the San Juan Islands. She drafted the comment letters that were approved and submitted by the council.

Lovel has served on Washington’s Oil Spill Rules Advisory Committee. This committee develops new regulations regarding oil spills. This threat is real, given the thousands of ships that pass through the Salish Sea each year, and will only increase if the Gateway Terminal Project and other shipping projects are approved.

Lovel’s leadership has been evidenced in other public arenas. She was a member of the Planning Commission for ten years, serving as chairwoman twice. She served on county council and was chairwoman in 2011. She has also worked tirelessly to represent San Juan County in Olympia.

Why were the above facts important to us?

Because they are evidence that Lovel is committed to advocating and working to protect our environment. She is a proven leader who listens to people.

She realizes the importance of San Juan islanders coming together and clearly speaking to state and federal agencies, expressing the need to protect the islands which we all cherish. Her informed leadership was critical in the recent county council discussions on environmental issues related to the CAO.

We urge you to vote for Lovel Pratt for county council.

Leslie and Val Veirs

Friday Harbor