2.12.96

TO: NW Straits Sanctuary Friends and Supporters
FR: Mike Sato, People For Puget Sound, (206)382-7007,
wk01931 at worldlink.com

We've learned that NOAA is planning to make a joint announcement with the
Governor's office sometime after Tuesday that they are no longer pursuing the
process to establish a NW Straits Marine Sanctuary.

We won't know the details until after a Tuesday mid-morning meeting with
NOAA, but we know that this announcement means there won't be public hearings
on the draft Environmental Impact Statement/Management Plan and will be a
fatal blow to the proposed sanctuary.

This is a bitter disappointment to many of you who have supported the concept
of a sanctuary and the public process the dEIS would have fulfilled. NOAA
and the State cutting and running is a victory for Wise Use and anti-
government groups who have opposed the concept from the start and the public
process.

We don't plan to make it easy for NOAA or the Governor's Office to cut and
run on this. I urge you to communicate to Senator Patty Murray and to
Governor Mike Lowry the following message:

"NOAA and the State have made a commitment to the people to issue a draft
Environmental Impact Statement and to hold public hearings on the proposed NW
Straits Marine Sanctuary. Please keep that commitment and allow people to
debate and discuss the merits of the proposal. Thank you."

Senator Murray and her aide Dan Evans are in the state this week. I suggest
you call her Seattle office at (206)553-5545; her email address in D.C. is
senator_murray at murray.senate.gov.

Governor Mike Lowry's phone number is (360)753-6780 and his email is
govlowry at govoffice.wa.gov. His Sanctuary staff person is Bob Nichols; his
phone number is (360)586-0826.

NOAA's Sanctuary director Jeff Benoit will be in Seattle this week. Leave him
your message at the Seattle headquarters, (206)526-4295. He will also be at
People For Puget Sound's Seattle office on Tuesday, 2/13, at 10:30 am. Call
me if you'd like to be there.

If you know others who would appreciate this alert, please forward this
message. Thanks. Mike Sato.