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CHAPTER 14. VOLCANO <br />14-6 <br />14.6. FUTURE TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT <br />All future development within the planning area will be susceptible to the potential impacts from volcanic <br />eruptions within the region. While this potential impact on the built environment is not considered to be <br />significant, the economic impact on industries that rely on machinery and equipment such as agriculture or <br />civil engineering projects could be significant. Since the extent and location of this hazard is difficult to <br />gauge because it is dependent upon many variables, the ability to institute land use recommendations based <br />on potential impacts of this hazard is limited. While the impacts of volcanic hazards are sufficient to warrant <br />risk assessment for emergency management purposes, the impacts are not considered to be sufficient to <br />dictate land use decisions. <br />14.7. SCENARIO <br />Any eruption of Washington’s five Cascade Range volcanoes would likely produce significant amounts of <br />ash fall that could impact the planning area. This impact is totally dependent upon the prevailing wind <br />direction during and after the event. No one in the planning area would likely be injured or killed from these <br />events, but businesses and non-essential government would be closed until the cloud passes. People and <br />animals without shelter would be affected. Structures would be safe, but private property left out in the <br />open, such as farm equipment, might be damaged by the fine ash dust. Clean-up from such an event could <br />be costly, depending upon the magnitude of the event. <br />14.8. ISSUES <br />Since volcanic episodes have been fairly predictable in the recent past, there is not much concern about loss <br />of life, but there is concern about loss of property and infrastructure and severe environmental impacts. <br />