Addressing a statement by Whatcom County Council Member Brenner at 4/18/17 Council Meeting regarding exempt well report / Letter to Council Member Barbara Brenner, Dena Jensen

consumptive water use chart exempt wells doe

April 28, 2017  Dena Jensen

Below is a letter I sent to Whatcom County Council Member Barbara Brenner regarding a statement she made at the April 18, 2017 Whatcom County Council Meeting related to a Department of Ecology report on exempt wells.  The Council was voting that night on interim amendments to the Whatcom County Comprehensive plan pertaining to the Hirst decision. Continue reading

Doug Ericksen: On the door, or out the door? / Facebook post, Whatcom Hawk, Sj Robson

inside epa daily feed ericksen epa postion 041717

9:00am April 23, 2017  Sandy Robson

Most people had heard back in January, that State Senator Doug Ericksen, was appointed by the Trump Administration to a post at the EPA’s D.C. Headquarters, on January 21, 2017.

I was recently told by someone I know that Ericksen has an office at the EPA’s Region 10 Office, located in Seattle. The individual said they had visited the Region 10 Office in late March, and they had seen an office there with Doug Ericksen’s name on the door. Continue reading

Cherry Point Amendments and Critical Areas Ordinances need to reflect measures to protect orcas / Letter to Whatcom County Council, Dena Jensen

scientists shipping noise herald

April 15, 2016  Dena Jensen

Dear Whatcom County Council:

I am sending this email for you to earnestly consider during your review of the Cherry Point Amendments to Whatcom County’s Comprehensive Plan and the Critical Areas Ordinance. The information below is why it is critical that expanded vessel shipping going anywhere out of Cherry Point is, at this time particularly, unacceptable.  Thus, this is another reason it is critical that the County include the study in the Cherry Point Amendments that will help the County find legal ways to limit the export of unrefined fossil fuels, above current levels, out of Cherry Point. Continue reading

Planning Commission, With Help From Friends In Ag, Undermine Court Required Compliance With Hirst Decision / Facebook Post, Whatcom Hawk, Wendy Harris

personius impervious hirst 04052017

Click the graphic above to view the full April 5, 2017 Memorandum from Gary Davis,  Whatcom County Senior Planner, “Impervious Surface and Animal Husbandry Proposals”

4 hrs  April 9, 2017  Wendy Harris

While the county continues to seek state legislative fixes to the Hirst decision, and at all costs avoid its obligation to actually plan, the county is still under a court imposed obligation to come into compliance with the GMA, and protect rural water quality and quantity. (Yes, somehow with all the hysterical theatrics that surrounds this decision, it is easy to forget that it is, after all, a GMA compliance case). Continue reading

State senator Doug Ericksen’s EPA employment: An ethical and potential legal dilemma / Noisy Waters Northwest, Sandy Robson

Ericksen Emergency exit

Senator Ericksen positioned by the Emergency Exit.  Screenshot from October 10, 2014, YouTube video, Doug Ericksen – Seth Fleetwood Debate at the Northwest Business Club

April 4, 2017  Sandy Robson

After Washington state Senator Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale) has professed to news media multiple times that he did not know what his Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compensation/salary amount would be for his appointment to the agency in January, by the Trump Administration, it appears that he is either not telling the truth about that, or that he never looked at his employment letter from the EPA. Either case does not bode well for Senator Ericksen.  Continue reading

A toxic site in the vicinity of Cherry Point / Facebook post, Whatcom Hawk, Wendy Harris

treoil herald

2 hrs  April 4, 2017  Wendy Harris

I am surprised this story has not generated much interest. Wake up, everyone. Why have the county and the EPA waited 25 years to clean up a toxic site in the vicinity of Cherry Point, adjacent to the Custer Spur rail road line into BP? They are only now, in 2017, taking finally taking emergency action and acting as if the dangerous conditions on the site are a complete shock.  Continue reading