No Tribal Water Industry on Fox Island

Currently, the Nisqually Tribe of Indians is seeking acquisition of the former site of the U.S. Navy research facility on Fox Island through a fed to federal agency transfer process. The Tribe has proposed to relocate its $2.9 Million per year commercial water industry business, Nisqually Aquatic Technologies (NAT), to Fox Island.

The Tribe intends to return the Navy's barge to the site, and conduct industrial operations from the waters surrounding Fox Island. NAT conducts commercial and industrial operations including geoduck harvesting training, commercial scuba diving, salvage, pipeline repair, and other water industrial operations.

Pierce County land use ordinances strictly prohibit water industry in a "Shoreline Conservancy" and “Rural 10” zoning. If allowed to be transferred, the Tribe has the option to have the Bureau of Indian Affairs place the property into trust status. This would allow the use of the property to be unaffected by state and local land use ordinances designed to protect our environment, community goals, lifestyle, and property values.

In 2005, Congressman Norm Dicks acquired $17 Million in federal funding to remove the Navy's operation from Fox Island. He did this because of the incompatible and inappropriate nature of an industrial operation in a residential neighborhood and because of the negative environmental effects the offshore structures had on our shoreline. The U.S. Government must not allow the return of another incompatible, inappropriate, and environmentally damaging industrial activity to Fox Island's residentially zoned community.