June 2, 2020 public hearing on moratorium regarding Cherry Point unrefined fossil fuel export projects / Letter to the Whatcom County Council

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Click the graphic to access the above Public Hearing Notice and any others for the week of June 2 on the Whatcom County website

May 27, 2020  Dena Jensen

Don’t forget that next week there is a virtual public hearing on the interim moratorium regarding Cherry Point. I just found out we are urged to register in advance if we want to attend and/or speak at the hearing. This is the link to the page that has information about that: http://www.whatcomcounty.us/3415/Virtual-Council-Public-Hearings

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Whatcom Business Alliance’s new ‘project’ to protect Cherry Point refineries’ ability to expand fossil fuel operations / Noisy Waters Northwest

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Screenshot of the ‘Whatcom Coalition for Economic Growth’ Facebook page

December 13, 2019  Dena Jensen

This month, folks may have been seeing sponsored Facebook ads for the Whatcom Coalition for Economic Growth. This is a fairly new “project” of the Whatcom Business Alliance that seems to be putting on a full court press during this time that the Whatcom County Planning Commission is reviewing the Cherry Point Amendments. This WBA effort is not unlike Cascade Natural Gas’s misinformation campaign regarding the Climate Action Plan Task Force.
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Tony Larson and the Business and Commerce Committee campaign against Cherry Point amendments / Noisy Waters Northwest

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November 14, 2019  Dena Jensen

It is surely fitting for protectors of Native American treaty rights and the Salish Sea to be enjoying a collective sigh of relief due to the defeat of Tony Larson’s 2019 campaign to become Whatcom County Executive.  The particular disaster of a man becoming County Executive, who had championed a proposed coal terminal project at Xwe’chi’eXen that was in opposition to the wishes and treaty rights of Lummi Nation, was averted. Continue reading

Port of Bellingham Commissioner candidate Bobby Briscoe receives censure from Whatcom Democrats E-Board / Noisy Waters Northwest

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Click the graphic of a photo of a smiling man with short gray hair, mustache and goatee in a dress shirt and sport coat, with text beneath the photo to access the Whatcom Democrats post, “E-Board censures Bobby Briscoe for comments made on the record at a Port meeting,” on their website

October 20, 2019  Dena Jensen

Port of Bellingham Commissioner Bobby Briscoe just received a censure from the Whatcom Democrats E-Board today based on a request from the Young Democrats of Whatcom County that they remove Bobby Briscoe’s certification as a Democrat. You can read complete information regarding the censure at this link: https://www.whatcomdemocrats.org/2019/10/20/e-board-censures-bobby-briscoe-for-comments-made-on-the-record-at-port-meeting/

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Whatcom County Planning Commission directs staff to consult with Cherry Point industries / Noisy Waters Northwest

Click the graphic of a simple drawing of a white furry creature with big black eyes drinking from a straw in a glass of bubbly liquid to access the audio recording of the 9/26/19 Whatcom County Planning Commission meeting

October 4, 2019 Dena Jensen

That cute little graphic at the top of this post is displayed on a link to the Whatcom County Planning Commission’s not-so-cute 9/26/19 work session regarding the Cherry Point Comprehensive Plan and code amendments. I listened the the whole 3 hour – close to 4 – meeting. It was alarming and disappointing for a number of reasons I described in a letter to the Commissioners that I will post here. 

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‘Because fossils fuels is on the rise – it’s not on the decline – it’s on the rise.’ – John Huntley, Mills Electric / Noisy Waters Northwest

September 11, 2019 Dena Jensen

The Whatcom County Planning Commission’s town hall meeting on Cherry Point Comprehensive Plan and code amendments is coming up tomorrow night, Thursday, 9/12, at 6:30 p.m. Be there early to sign up to speak! This is a step in the critical direction of avoiding climate collapse!

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On prohibiting additional fossil fuel refineries at Cherry Point / Facebook post, Sj Robson

July 18, 2019 Sandy Robson

In listening to part of the audio recording of the County Council Special Committee of the Whole (SCOTW) meeting held Tuesday, July 9, 2019, Council member Barbara Brenner made a motion to remove a proposed code amendment which would prohibit additional fossil fuel refineries at Cherry Point. Council member Satpal Sidhu seconded that motion, and then there was a discussion by the Council. The code amendment pertains to Whatcom County Code, and would be to address the County’s Comprehensive Plan policy specific to Cherry Point.

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Port Commissioners’ comments on Cherry Point amendment process and Climate Strike youths, at their 3/19/19 meeting / Letter to Port of Bellingham Commissioners

Click the graphic to access the full platform of the US Youths Climate Strikes

April 23, 2019 Dena Jensen

I sent off an email today to the Port of Bellingham Commissioners about statements they made at their March 19, 2019 Port Commission meeting about the Cherry Point amendment process of the Whatcom County Council and about the youths that participated in the Climate Strike in Bellingham on March 15, 2019.

I was discouraged and disappointed in the Commissioners’ rehashing of Whatcom-Business-Alliance-promoted, pro-Cherry-Point-Industry (at the expense of community members and the environment) talking points.

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December 4th Special Committee of the Whole: Cherry Point Industries got to have their say; other Cherry Point stakeholders did not / Noisy Waters Northwest

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December 6, 2018  Dena Jensen

Remember the discussion a few months back (I have one post on my blog from around May where this was discussed in a County Council committee meeting, and I think there have been others since) when there was a lot of pressure, especially from County Council Member Tyler Byrd, to let Cherry Point Industries give additional input over and above all the comments and letters they have presented to Council over the last couple years? Continue reading