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
Click the graphic to view the October 06, 2016 letter from Pacific International Terminals (PIT) to the Planning Commission regarding their application for permits with Whatcom County as related to the proposed Cherry Point amendments to the Comprehensive Plan
November 2, 2016 Sandy Robson
Dear Whatcom County Planning Commission:
Please consider this an official comment on the 2016 docketed Cherry Point Amendments, identified presently by County Planning and Development Services (PDS) as: “Proposal – Council Resolution (initiated by Council under Resolution 2016- 027),” to the 2016 County Comprehensive Plan Update.
My comment will address the October 26, 2016, letter from Gateway Pacific Terminal (GPT) applicant Pacific International Terminals (PIT) VP Skip Sahlin, sent to the Whatcom County Planning Commission regarding the 2016 docketed Cherry Point Amendments to the County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 2 Land Use Cherry Point UGA, currently under review by the Planning Commission. Continue reading
Click on the graphic to view a transcript of Q&A between county executive officials and county council members on the GPT EIS preparation contract at the September 13, 2016 Whatcom County Council Finance and Administrative Services committee meeting
October 12, 2016 Sandy Robson
During the September 13, 2016 Whatcom County Council Finance and Administrative Services Committee meeting, County Deputy Executive Tyler Schroeder, gave a presentation to Council about proposed contract Amendment 5.1 to the June 2012 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) preparation contract for the Gateway Pacific Terminal (GPT) and interrelated Custer Spur Modification projects. Continue reading
August 14, 2016 Sandy Robson
If you are like the majority of Whatcom County residents who are opposed to the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal (GPT), AKA– “the coal terminal,” then you should care about who wins the 2016 election for Washington State Public Lands Commissioner. Continue reading
August 14, 2016 Paula Rotundi
August 12, 2016
Dear City Council Members,
It is my understanding from reading The Northern Light that you received a letter from BNSF Railway urging you to refrain from voting to outlaw shipments of oil and coal by rail because such a measure is “unenforceable under federal law and costly for taxpayers”. Before deciding that you must do as BNSF says, I ask that you please consider the following information: Continue reading
The county administration has not denied and closed out the GPT permit application file, as have the state and federal government, nor does it intend too. Incredulously, they believe they are precluded from doing so because SSA has “due process rights” to move forward with the EIS. Continue reading
August 7, 2016 Wendy Harris
The county ordinance which will enact the updated comp. plan fails to reference the Weimer amendments to the Cherry Point UGA. It is not discussed in the comp. plan itself. The amended resolution is not reflected on the county website. Continue reading
Earlier this week, Charles shared this post with us. The Cow Palace case indicated that farmers could be liable under federal law for discarding manure, which was ruled a solid waste. Continue reading
In most industries, when you break the laws and violate regulations, you get fined, you can loose your license or even go to jail. Not so for local farmers who actually get rewarded when found to be out of compliance with public health and safety laws. Continue reading
This same point was really driven home to me by Lummi Nation a couple of years ago when DOE issued its proposal for clean up of the Whatcom Waterway. In discussing the cost/benefit analysis, it started since the time of colonization. The Lummis were upset that to white people (us), history began only at the moment they arrived. Continue reading
noisy waters northwest 
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