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
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
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”
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
This “Residential Survey” of Bellingham residents is a quasi-yearly affair with this stated purpose: “… the Survey is to seek feedback from residents [bolding mine] about their experience as citizens of the city of Bellingham. Continue reading
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
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
March 29, 2017 Dena Jensen
Last week Whatcom County Council voted 6-1, Council Member Brenner opposed, to approve the “ordinance imposing an interim moratorium on the acceptance and processing of applications and permits for new or expanded facilities in the Cherry Point Urban Growth Area, the primary purpose of which would be the shipment of unrefined fossil fuels not to be processed at Cherry Point.” I wanted to write this week to thank them for approving the moratorium. Continue reading
March 26, 2017 Sandy Robson
The Whatcom Tea Party is ostensibly defunct. A March 12, 2017, email newsletter sent by the Whatcom Tea Party’s “Town Crier,” to the group’s email mailing list subscribers, stated in part:
“It is with some regret, but also the knowledge that it was a great catalyst, that the Whatcom Tea Party closed its doors effective January 27, 2017, so that we can continue to move forward with our new projects. The tea party lives on, but with new names and new organizations.
Click the graphic to view Mr. Garey’s public testimony, which begins at around the 01:00:40 mark on the video (the linked graphic should take you to that location on the video) at the March 21, 2017 Whatcom County Council Meeting.
March 24, 2017 Dena Jensen
Here is a transcript of the public comment offered by retired refinery worker Steve Garey, at the March 21, 2017, Whatcom County Public Hearing on “imposing an interim moratorium on the acceptance and processing of applications and permits for new or expanded facilities in the Cherry Point urban growth area the primary purpose of which would be the shipment of unrefined fossil fuels not to be processed at Cherry Point.” The interim ordinance was approved by the Whatcom County Council on the evening of the hearing, by a vote of 6-1, Council Member Brenner opposed. Continue reading
This is a lengthy post, but I wanted to tell the complete story of my experience in calling Senator Ericksen’s office on March 17th, and March 20th. My story is below:
-March 17th
As a constituent, I contacted Senator Doug Ericksen’s office at about 12:00 noon on Friday, March 17th, to ask about an amendment I heard that Senator Ericksen had proposed to HB 1001, which was scheduled for a Senate Energy, Environment, and Telecommunications Committee meeting on March 21st. Continue reading
noisy waters northwest 
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