The Lone Star/Maury Island
Draft EIS Meeting!

This was the first harbinger of how many people were going to show up: I was a good fifteen minutes early, and I parked almost back at McFeeds on Cemetery Road!

More than 1,600 adults signed-up to register their attendance; there was also a whole bunch of kids, so there could have been, what? 2,000 people total in attendance?

Glad the Fire Marshall didn't come by!

Mr Kirk directs traffic at the back entrance to McMurray Middle School!

Heading in to Chautauqua Elementary's gym.

The meeting was originally scheduled for the Multipurpose Room - that would have been ludicrous; as it was the gym was absolutely packed!

Here we go! Carolyn Whalen, Assistant Director of DDES (Greg Kipp, the Director, did not attend)

Just a part of the crowd at the very start.

Soon the floors would be covered with sitters, and periodically the speakers would pause for a minute or two as more people packed in!

Sharon Nelson, director of Deep Impacts, leads off..

In the background, seated on the podium are Gordon Thompson and one other guy (who I should recognize but don't..) from DDES..

Craig Beles, former president, Vashon-Maury Island Community Council

Metro-King County Councilman Greg Nickels, after being presented with a binder containing (I believe..) Deep Impact's critique of the Draft EIS..

The guy at the right was from KIRO..

The first of many standing ovations for the speakers!

There was one air horn; after that the crowd was very well-mannered, but very loud and very unmistakable in its position on the whole matter!

This little girl was too cute!

The issue of the near shore, and the real lack of any significant mention of the near shore as a habitat in Lone Star's Draft EIS, was one consistent theme..

Carolyn Whalen of DDES taking notes.

In the background you can see people outside, peering in over the edge of the wall at the back entrance to the Chautauqua gym!

Another standing-O!

Politicians? Well, of course!

Here's Washington State Senator Mike Heavey..

Position: strongly opposed; he's involved in the arsenic study that's being done by the State..

Washington State Representative Dow Constantine..

Position: strongly opposed; gave an interesting personal rendition of his parent's involvement in stopping an ARCO refinery at what became a County Park (sorry: the name escapes me..)

And Metro-King County councilman Greg Nichols..

Nichols was challenged to specifically (and finally) state his position on the issue, and challenged to oppose the issue.

Nichols seemed to do so, but some have told me that if you listened closely to what he said, he was refreshingly vaugue! Hey! He's a politician!

Father Tryphon, of the Orthodox Monastery (great Coffee!)

Father Tryphon gave a moving presentation; he's bought the chain (inside joke)!

After a few speakers it was announced that some kids had to get home to bed (being a school night and all..) and the kids had a presentation to make!

OK: so we all know a bunch of adults talked; I was particularily impressed by the kids and the teens who signed-up, and waited, and got up and spoke in front of all these people! Very involved, very moving, very lucid!

This girl, I think, said she was ten..

This guy was maybe just out of high school, and got lots of smirks from many of the adults in the audience and on the podium because he had bright yellow hair!

The joke was on the adults: he was a very lucid and organized speaker who started out describing his own personal enjoyment of the madrone forest that will be trashed by the pit mine if it happens, and he ended up challenging us to remember that we can be effective about this issue only if we get involved!

Another well-informed young speaker!

Certainly one of the most creative and beautiful of the many signs!

I didn't catch her name; involved with Hands Around Maury Island; sang a simply wonderful song!

This may be Sharon Nelson's daughter..

Dave Warren, Executive Director of the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust..