Rosario Resort Environmental Impact Statement

Because the recent article "Rosario's Master Plan Enters Final Changes" (Islands Sounder, September 21, 2005) did not cover the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) processes in depth, the San Juan County Community Development and Planning Department would like to clarify the EIS process.

The County must review and consider all of the comments received on the draft EIS before moving forward. An acceptable EIS must incorporate and address comments or outstanding issues about significant environmental impacts. Adding a level of mitigation approved by agency specialists in environmental concerns, which adequately addresses those impacts, is critical for approval of any EIS submitted to the department. Before the department can move forward with public hearings on land use decisions related to the Rosario Master Resort Plan, the EIS must be finalized. If it turns out that the environmental impacts have not been adequately analyzed addressed, Community Development and Planning (CD&P), as the lead agency, cannot issue the Final Environmental Impact Statement.

A supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement may be needed to address any outstanding issues. The Supplemental DEIS, once prepared, must also be circulated to agencies for review.

While CD&P recognizes the importance of the economic viability of the Rosario Resort to the entire community, it is at this stage of the EIS process that the department is responsible to make sure that potential environmental impacts from the proposed development are properly identified and that appropriate mitigation measures are also identified to assist in the permitting process, which is when the approved mitigation measures become part of the site preparation and construction of the Resort. Along the way to this end, there will be a meeting to take comments on the Draft EIS at the Discovery House at Rosario Resort on October 6, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

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