Official public comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement of the WA State Department of Transportation for the expansion of Interstate 90 just east of Snoqualmie Pass. This petition asks for high wildlife standards in this design as laid out in Option A, as well as proper mitigation measures to purchase habitat immediately nearby the project area.
I ask that you include the effective wildlife standards in the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project in Washington State that are included in Option A. In addition to those standards, I ask that you acquire the protection of forest land as habitat to mitigate for the loss of forest and wetlands from the expansion.
The project to expand Interstate 90 in Washington State's Central Cascades is a great chance to improve the health of the waters and wildlife of the Cascades region. These lands are home to bull trout, salamanders, deer, elk, fox, frogs, and many more species. Millions of dollars have been spent by private citizens and Congress to protection tens of thousands of acres to purchase and protect habitat in this area. These protections help to maintain the critical wildlife corridors of the Cascades mountains connecting Canada to California. Now, we must build wildlife crossings over and under the freeway, and make the largest remaining barrier in the Central Cascades more permeable.
Crossing structures are a smart and effective way to make the roadway safer for people and wildlife. It is estimated that one million animals die on the roads of the United States each year. These structures and measures have been implemented in Europe, Canada, and elsewhere in the United States. The investment now will result in many benefits for years to come including reduced vehicle-animal accidents, healthier wildlife populations, and cleaner water in local creeks and the Yakima River.
The wildlife and waters of the Cascades are a gem that is valued nationally and internationally. Tourists visit these lands to see the wild northwest. Please design this project with high standards for wildlife and environmental mitigation.
Thank you.
