Council Member Weimer’s Cherry Point Comprehensive Plan amendments: important for health of environment and for safety of refinery workers / Letter to Whatcom County Planning Commission, Dena Jensen

wa-workers-advisor

October 24, 2016  Dena Jensen

Dear Whatcom County Planning Commission:

I have been reading through the comments posted on the Cherry Point Amendments page of the Whatcom County website.  In light of the comments made by Cherry Point refinery employees and contractors who emphasized their efforts to maintain safety as a priority in their workplace, I wanted to offer some additional information to consider that is not strongly represented yet in the comments to date. Continue reading

A way for Whatcom County to expire PIT’s permit application for the proposed GPT project / Facebook post, Sj Robson

2 hrs  October 19, 2016  Sandy Robson

At the September 13, 2016, County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee meeting, during discussion about the then-proposed contract Amendment No. 5.1 for the preparation of the EIS for the GPT project Whatcom County Deputy Executive Tyler Schroeder did not fully inform, County Council members on the subject of expiring Pacific International Terminals’ (PIT) local permit applications for the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal (GPT) project.  Continue reading

Cherry Point Amendments Alternative #1 does not meet criteria in SEPA Handbook / Letter to Whatcom County Planning and Development Services, Dena Jensen

October 16, 2016  Dena Jensen

Dear Whatcom County Planning and Development Services Director Ryan, Assistant Director Personious [sic], and Senior Planner Aamot:

I am writing regarding the information presented on your 2016 Docket, Cherry Point Amendments (PLN2016-00012) webpage at this link:  http://wa-whatcomcounty.civicplus.com/1612/2016-Docket.  I notice that one of the alternatives that is identified, Alternative # 1 – Council Member Alternative (proposed by an individual Council Member), does not meet the criteria listed in the SEPA handbook under 3.3.2 Identifying Alternativeswhich is, as follows: Continue reading

Town hall meeting/SEPA Public Hearing for the Cherry Point amendment? / Facebook post, Whatcom Hawk, Wendy Harris

cherry-point-amendments

September 28, 2016  Wendy Harris

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. at the Whatcom County Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, the public is invited to submit written comments and/or attend the meeting to provide oral comments on a SEPA hearing, which is strangely enough being held in conjunction with a town hall meeting. I was irate to see the public not being provided information and documents that are typically available for public review before a SEPA hearing. Continue reading

Writing in support of the ordinance imposing an interim moratorium on fossil fuel facility expansion at Cherry Point / Letter to the Whatcom County Council, Dena Jensen

 

September 25, 2016  Dena Jensen

Dear Whatcom County Council:
I am writing in support of 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.”

Continue reading

Please approve an extension for the emergency moratorium to protect Cherry Point / Letter to Whatcom County Council, Dena Jensen

emergency-moratorium

Click the graphic to access the full copy of Ordinance 2016-031

September 18, 2016  Dena Jensen

Dear Whatcom County Council:

I have been trying to think if I have anything to say, now that you have already cast your votes to remain in a relationship with GPT proponents/consultants for another six months.

Here’s what I have and I deliver it in an effort to have it be helpful in future considerations and actions by the County Council: Continue reading

GPT EIS ramp-down activities to ensure that work is closed out in an orderly fashion and can be efficiently resumed at a future date / Letter to Whatcom County Council and Deputy County Executive Tyler Schroeder, Dena Jensen

attachment A language

Screen shot of language from “Attachment A: Scope of Work – Ramp Down Plan” found on page 14 of contract #201205028 (highlighting added)

GPT website language

Screen shot of language on Whatcom County Planning and Development’s Gateway Pacific Terminal Proposed Project webpage, Project Update section (highlighting added)

September 3, 2016  Dena Jensen

Subject: Request that the Project Update on the county’s GPT webpage be updated with more details

Dear Whatcom County Council and Deputy Whatcom County Executive Schroeder:

In my September 1, 2016 email to the Whatcom County Council, copied to Deputy County Executive Schroeder and County Executive Louws, regarding denying the contract extension for the preparation of the EIS for the GPT project the first two paragraphs read as follows: Continue reading

Requesting that the County Council deny the contract extension for the preparation of the EIS for the GPT project / Letter to the Whatcom County Council, Dena Jensen

usace determination gpt

May 9, 2016 United States Army Corps of Engineers Determination from their Memorandum for Record, Subject: Gateway Pacific Terminal Project and Lummi Nation’s Usual and Accustomed Treaty Fishing Rights at Cherry Point, Washington

September 1, 2016  Dena Jensen

Dear Whatcom County Council:

It is my understanding from an email sent by Deputy Whatcom County Executive Tyler Schroeder to a friend of mine, that the parties of the contract, which I assume is for the preparation of the EIS for the GPT project of which the parties include CH2M HILL and Whatcom County, have agreed between each other for the contract to be extended 180 days from the date of contract signature, or March 13, 2016, whichever occurs first, “to accomplish ramp-down contract activities to ensure that the work and the contract are closed out in an orderly fashion.”  Continue reading

Until 8/5/2016, County’s GPT webpage could have given public the impression the proposed project was no longer in play / Letter to Whatcom County Executive, Sandy Robson

 

gpt web page pre aug 6 2016

Screenshot photo of what Whatcom County’s GPT webpage looked like prior to August 5th when the information was finally updated after citizens’ requests

August 28, 2016  Sandy Robson

–If you are opposed to the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point you might want to check out my latest letter to Whatcom County. First is an excerpt from that letter that should give a very brief summary of what’s happening. My full letter with more details is shown below the excerpt. Continue reading

Council support requested RE: Call to Action from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota / Letter to the Whatcom County Council, Dena Jensen

water is life dena

August 28, 2016  Dena Jensen
Today at 5:34 PM

Dear Whatcom County Council:

First, please accept my sincere gratitude for your efforts, that will help serve to safeguard the lands, waters, life forms, and historic, cultural and spiritual resources at Cherry Point, in issuing your emergency moratorium on the acceptance and processing of applications and permits for new or expanded facilities in the Cherry Point Urban Growth Area, while the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan Amendments to Chapter 2 Land Use, Cherry Point UGA, proposed by Council Member Weimer are being reviewed by the Whatcom County Planning Commission.

I am also writing you today to make sure you are aware of a Call to Action from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota, who oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline. Continue reading