BY PEPPER FISHER
Sequim – The City of Sequim is going ahead with this year’s fireworks display on the Fourth of July.
As we told you last month, there was concern that a nearby eagle’s nest might be too close to the planned display. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act provides legal guidelines for the protection of eagles within the US. There are recommendations specifically for fireworks, which include limiting fireworks to areas at least a half mile from an active nest. During last month’s City Council discussion on the matter, no one seemed to know for sure how far the eagle’s nest was from Carrie Blake Park, and whether it’s active.
Public Works Director Paul Bucich told the council on Monday of this week that the nest had been identified, and he showed drone footage that proved not only that it’s an active nest, but that it has two fledgling eaglets living in it. He presented a map showing that the nest was over half a mile away from the annual fireworks display. Then he went “one better”.
“So when it comes right down to it, push comes to shove, we’re just going to transition where the fireworks will let off. It’s still on our property. It’s going to be over half a mile away. We don’t need any formal action by the council, except if you decide that we just don’t want to do fireworks. It’s not something I’m proposing that we even think about for this year. We just suggesting we’re going to go ahead and do the fireworks further away. That negates the issue of proximity to the eagles. It seems like a pretty good solution for this year.”
Bucich added that they will continue to monitor the nest and its occupants right up to and beyond the Fourth of July to make sure they’re doing all right.
You can get a look at the video Bucich showed of the eagle’s nest by going to cityofsequim.gov, clicking on the agendas tab, then city council, then click on the video tab.
(Sequim Public Works photo shows distance between nest and planned fireworks site)