22 hrs  October 5, 2015  Sandy Robson

Senator Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale) tells us how he really feels about tribal treaty rights, and misinforms the public while opining:

“Treaty Rights.”
“It’s complicated because we have to deal with treaty rights. One of the treaty tribe government’s position is that all the water belongs to them. Until the federal government gives it all to them they will not agree to any compromises on water rights here in Whatcom County. That’s not a healthy situation for moving forward. It’s unfortunate.”

The paragraph above is from Ericksen’s piece entitled, “Personally Speaking—Senator Ericksen Sounds Off,” in the Fall 2015 issue of Business Pulse Magazine, a Whatcom Business Alliance publication. He spouted off on many various topics such as Oil, GPT, Charter Review, Water, etc., including Treaty Rights as shown above that appears on the 4th page of his piece.  A link to the article in the Fall 2015, Business Pulse Magazine is: http://issuu.com/business-pulse/docs/businesspulse_fall_15/78

Besides being offensive, Senator Ericksen is misleading the public when he wrote what he did about the “treaty tribe government’s position” on treaty rights relating to water. What he wrote on that subject in his Business Pulse opinion piece above, seems to coincide timing-wise with the recent efforts of GPT/SSA Marine advocates to smear the Lummi Nation’s assertion of its treaty rights in its request to the Army Corps to deny the GPT permit.

If you’d like to let Doug Ericksen know what you think about his opinion on treaty rights, or any other subject he spouted off about, his contact information is:

PHONE:
(360) 786 – 7682
Toll-free hotline: (800) 562-6000
ADDRESS:
414 Legislative Bldg.
MAILING ADDRESS:
PO Box 40442, Olympia, WA 98504

Read Sandy’s post on her Facebook page here.

Here is a link to an August 22, 2015, Bellingham Herald Op-Ed, “Community Conversation: Collaborating to solve Whatcom’s water problems” written by Lummi Chariman Tim Ballew II: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/opinion/article31693898.html

Tim Ballew wrote in that piece: “Last fall we began working with our partners in an attempt to jumpstart this process and seek a negotiated settlement prior to the litigation. We began with discussions with the Nooksack Indian Tribe, and met with representatives from the Washington Department of Ecology, the Governor’s Office, Public Utility District No. 1 of Whatcom County, the agricultural community, Whatcom County, city of Bellingham, and the city of Lynden to present a settlement proposal concept that addresses instream flows, water quality, fish habitat, water supply and accountability of all water users.

“We are now moving into a phase where the concepts in the proposal will be fleshed out. We will work with our partners in the coming months to add details, identify points of agreement and disagreement, and identify and evaluate alternatives. This has been a long and thoughtful process, and our goal is to work with affected parties to reach a fair and sound settlement agreement that can be signed by July 2017. It’s a timeline that began many years ago with an engaged group of stakeholders and we’re grateful to those who have taken part in a productive conversation.”