Dear HE Moss: At the Pacific Raceway hearing in Snoqualmie on August 16, 2018, I had a personal letter to give to you as testimony, as well as a copy of a letter dated December 24, 1985, from the Department of Planning and Community Development, King County, now known as DPER. Since the hearing was postponed, I didn’t submit anything, but I have been urged to do so. My family home on Soos Creek, adjoining Pacific Raceway on the south side has been been here since 1948, well before Pacific Raceway roared to life, July 4th, 1960. Our home was built in 1953. My mother would not be forced out of her home, nor off the property on Soos Creek they so loved. That’s why I have a letter from 1985, as well as files of other letters and documents that span six decades. This particular letter is relevant because it is a Determination of Significance and Scoping Notice, RE: File 85-27-C, regarding the racetrack’s application to “construct and operate an oval track”, which required 48,000 cubic yards of proposed excavated material. Signed by David Feltman, he states, “the proposal has been determined to be likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment.” “An environmental impact statement (EIS) is required under RCW 43.21C.020 (c). and will be prepared.” This 2-page letter addresses Earth, Air Quality, Noise, Land Use, Transportation in detail, and is directed to SEPA. Did we get an EIS? No. What happened to this directive? As with all the requests for Environmental Impact Studies, it too, was tossed aside. An EIS regarding the racetrack activities on this beautiful high plateau has never been done! And now, they will be “grading” One Million Cubic yards–again without an EIS?
If you were to stand on the racetrack bleachers or road course and face south, you can hear Soos Creek– a class one Chinook salmon recovery stream–gushing and bubbling below. This part of the creek runs through the middle of my property, but Soos Creek also is on three sides of this racetrack and eventually all waters will pass the Green River/Soos Creek Fish Hatchery now under a major renovation. This Pacific Raceway Expansion will have impacts. Once again it is being done in bits and pieces to find permits that “fit”, that allow this massive project to continue without a comprehensive, fair and professional EIS. One Million Cubic Yards! Please, SEPA needs to review this, and there must be an EIS. I will figure out how to send a copy of the 1985 letter to you, although I know it’s old and I’m sure the racetrack will deem it meaningless. It was so important to us and that’s why I wanted to share it and show that there were county people who cared about the environment. Thank you so much. Sandra R. Gaither