Last week, Ryann Day, Mark Merkelbach and U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Xander Bullock of Westport Golf Links were afforded the opportunity to brief civic and business leaders on the status of the project at the Greater Grays Harbor, Inc. (GGHI) Business Forum Lunch.

During that briefing, the Westport Golf Links reps indicated that the public comment received in response to the commissioned Draft Environmental Impact Study was overwhelmingly positive.

However, a letter penned by Guy Capoeman, president of the Quinault Indian Nation (QIN), and addressed to Westport City Administrator Tom Cappa, outlined several concerns regarding the proposed golf course and associated development project.

The letter read, in part, “QIN is deeply concerned about the impacts of the Project, particularly as it relates to the destruction of critical habitat for fish and aquatic species, and its impacts to QIN’s treaty rights. QIN is also concerned by the city’s lack of consultation with QIN during the early planning phase, and to allow us additional time to provide comments, particularly on the mitigation component.”

In detail, Capoeman’s letter expressed issues including, but not limited to, threats to federal protected fisheries treaty rights, erosion and climate change, negative impacts to water resources, the protection of wetland ecosystems, and QIN’s access to and the exercise of its treaty rights.

The letter concluded: “The Quinault Indian Nation requests the city to take a hard look at the Project and its impacts stemming from the removal of critical areas, as well as impacts to QINs treaty resources. As it is written, the impacts of this Project will be substantially harmful. For that reason, QIN must oppose the Project for the reasons outlined (in the letter).”

Westport Golf Links CEO Day, the driving force behind the project, responded to the letter.

“Out of deep respect for the Quinault Indian Nation and its long-standing stewardship of Washington’s coastal lands, Westport Golf Links is actively engaging in direct communication with the Tribe to better understand and thoughtfully address the concerns raised in their DEIS comment,” Day said via email. “We believe this dialogue is essential and are committed to listening and responding in good faith.

“Because this conversation is ongoing, we feel it would be inappropriate to offer public comment at this time. We look forward to continuing this respectful exchange and believe it is vital to the shared future of this coastline.”

At the GGHI event, project manager Merkelbach said, “The comment period closed on June 9. There were over 1,200 comments submitted, 76% were in support of the project, 23% opposed the project and 1% had questions or concerns they wanted to be addressed.”

He also indicated that Westport Golf Links’ next steps included addressing issues raised during the public comment period of the DEIS.