Currently the State of Washington and Whatcom County are considering an action plan that could have significant consequences for our area. The project is the Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point. To get more information, below are links to several articles, videos and websites to help explain the project and it's potential impacts.

The Council had originally planned to pass a resolution supporting the project. Fortunately, with many thanks to Re Sources, a petition drive suceeded in getting the resolution removed from the agenda; however, the battle is not over. Read the articles, watch the videos, attend events and talk to your neighbors. If you oppose the project and haven't signed the petitions either at the ReSources website or at any of the events, sign the regional petition here. The original ReSources petition with over 1300 signatures is closed.

More importanly, contact the County Council at (360) 676-6690 or council@whatcom.wa.us and let them know where you stand. Also be sure to contact your state representative and the governor as this is a state supported initiative.

Whatcom County State Representatives are as follows:

Senator Doug Ericksen Olympia Office: 414 Legislative Building PO Box 40442 Olympia, WA 98504-0442 (360) 786-7682 doug.ericksen@leg.wa.gov Rep. Vincent Buys 204 Modular Building D PO Box 40600 Olympia, WA 98504-0600 (360) 786-7854 vincent.buys@leg.wa.gov

Rep. Jason Overstreet 102 Modular Building A PO Box 40600 Olympia, WA 98504-0600 (360) 786-7980 jason.overstreet@leg.wa.gov

Washington Federal Representatives are as follows:

Representative Rick Larsen Bellingham Office: Bellingham Towers 119 N. Commercial Street, Suite 1350 Bellingham, WA 98225 (360) 786-7682 http://larsen.house.gov/ Sen. Maria Cantwell Northwest Washington 2930 Wetmore Avenue, Suite 9B Everett, WA 98201 Phone: 425-303-0114 http://cantwell.senate.gov/

Sen. Patty Murray Everett Office: 2930 Wetmore Avenue, Ste. 903 Everett, Washington 98201 Phone: (425) 259-6515 http://murray.senate.gov/public/

Washington State Government Leaders are as follows:

Govenor Christine Gregoire Website: http://www.governor.wa.gov Email: http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp Office of the Governor 416 14th Ave. SW Ste. 200 PO Box 40002 Olympia, WA 98504-0002 Phone: (360) 902-4111 Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark Website: http://www.dnr.wa.gov Email: cpl@dnr.wa.gov Department of Natural Resources 1111 Washington St. SE PO Box 47000 Olympia WA 98504-7000 Phone: (360) 902-1000 Department of Ecology Jeannie Summerhays Website: http://www.dnr.wa.gov Email: jsum461@ecy.wa.gov Northwest Regional Office: 1440 - 10th Street, Suite 102 Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360-715-5200

With the help of Resources, the Sierra Club, 350.org, Climate Solutions and numerous other organizations, this project is receiving national, even global attention. It will be very important, not only for Whatcom County but globally as well, that we pay very close attention to what happens here.

This page will be under constant updating and revisions, so keep checking back. If you have any additional information or planning your own events and want the advertised here, contact Deb Cruz at dwcruz@comcast.net.

Whatcom Planning Department Documents

For historical and current official documents and emails drafted concerning this project, check with the Whatcom County Planning and Development Services webpage (scroll to the bottom of the page).

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Permit Application (3/2012)

Pacific International Terminals, Inc. Major Project Pemit and Shoreline Develoment Permit, Supplemental Appications - Supplemental Information

For documents submitted by Whatcom Docs, see below:

• Appendix A: Pulmonary Impacts of Airborne Pollutants (including diesel particulate matter) (PDF, 152 KB)
  
• Download Appendix B: Health Impacts of Coal Dust (PDF, 94 KB)
  
• Download Appendix C: Cardiovascular Impacts of Airborne Pollutants (including particulate matter) (PDF, 86 KB)
  
• Download Appendix D: Health Impacts of Noise Pollution (PDF, 94 KB)
  
• Download Appendix E: Anticipated Impacts of Frequent Long Trains on Emergency Medical Service Response Times and Risk of Injuries at Crossings (PDF, 82 KB)

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Click here for detailed information

Community Conversation on Coal Trains on Whatcom Farmlands

These forums, featured at several rural Whatcom County granges, community halls, and schools during March and April, will focus on various risks to the communities along the alternate “Farmland-Coal Port Route” and will provide information on how residents can participate in the Environmental Impact Statement scoping process anticipated in June 2012.

This forum tour is organized by Safeguard the South Fork–a grass roots organization whose mission is public education for agricultural and environmental integrity in the Nooksack River watershed. SGSF is gathering input on the impacts of rail expansion through our county farmlands on public costs, including health, water, air quality, and effects on existing natural resource industries, such as agricultural crops and dairies.

SGSF brings together presenters from Whatcom Docs, SGSF, RESources, and Protect Whatcom, including physicians Dr. Jan Peter Dank and Dr. Frank James along with a team of regional analysts including Dr. Nicole Brown Tate who will discuss the impacts and options.

The “Farmland–Coal Port Route” is a contingency that has until recently escaped scrutiny. Despite Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s insistence to the contrary, SGSF analysts will outline the collaborative history involving regional planners, business and political elites who have been laying the groundwork for a countywide rail route and commerce corridor to the Gateway Pacific Coal Terminal.”

With the advent of a major political effort by Bellingham activists and the prospect of BNSF’s ballooning coal and freight traffic backing up on the single track south of Edgemore, the probability of a “coal chain” being rerouted from Mt. Vernon, looped from one side of Whatcom County to the other, is increasingly likely. SGSF’s “Community Conversation on Coal Trains Running Through Whatcom Farmlands” will provide county residents with information to reflect upon.

April 4, 2012
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Location: Ten Mile Grange, 6958 Hannegan Rd, Lynden
Cost: Free
Contact: safeguardthesouthfork.org or contact at info@safeguardthesouthfork.org


April 19, 2012
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Location: Acme Elementary School, 5200 Turkington Rd, Acme
Cost: Free
Contact: safeguardthesouthfork.org or contact at info@safeguardthesouthfork.org

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April 15, 2012 - Coal Terminal Organization Fair

Have questions about how to oppose the Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point project?

Want to know who is doing what about the GPT?

Join RE Sources and the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship as we present to you the organizations working on your behalf. Local organizations invovled in different projects concerning the GPT will be available to tell you how you can get involved! Some of the organizations include (but not limited to as other organizations may yet join us):

RE Sources
Coal Free Whatcom
Power Past Coal
Coal Free Bellingham
Protect Whatcom
Whatcom Docs
Coal Train Facts
Safeguard the South Fork

Time: 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Location: Acme Elementary School, 5200 Turkington Rd, Acme
Cost: Free
Contact: safeguardthesouthfork.org or contact at info@safeguardthesouthfork.org

SSA Disturbs Established Archeaological Site at Cherry Point

Washington State Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) has written to the Corps of Engineers and Whatcom Planning Department regarding the the damage to archealogical site 45WH1. DAHP requires permits to be issued in areas where desiganted site are established and SSA did not have the required permits. Also DAHP is concerned with Whatcom's intent to issue a Mitigated Determination of Significance (MDNS) which "does not contain any acknowledgement nor mitigation language regarding the damaged site although it focused on an area where 45WH1 is located." (DAPH letter dated October 5, 2011).

Chance to Respond to SSA's Violations

Interested persons have until Sept. 26 to comment on Whatcom County's latest regulatory action aimed at fixing the environmental damage caused by unauthorized road clearing work at SSA Marine's Cherry Point shipping terminal site. "'An aggrieved agency or person may appeal this determination to the Whatcom County Hearing Examiner.'" Comments may be sent to Schroeder at the county planning office, 5280 Northwest Drive, Bellingham WA 98226. Appeals can be filed at the planning office during the 10 days following the comment period, with a deadline of Oct. 6."(Bellingham Herald, 9/15/11, "Whatcom County orders SSA to repair road work at Cherry Point")

Whatcom Docs Submit Position Paper Calling For A Comprehensive Health Impact Assessment

A group of 160 area doctors have sumbitted a position paper regarding the health consquences of the terminal project. To read the the press release and access the position paper and see if your doctor signed the paper, see "Whatcom Docs Press Release" below in the article section. To review the position paper, you can also go to the Publications section of this site.

Support Chatter for the Terminal

For some infuriating chatter about Whatcom, Bellingham and the Terminal, check out this website at Trainorders.com http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2303506
Very educational.

Pacific International Terminals, Inc. is sited with Notices of Violations for Critical Areas Ordinance (Title 16.16) and Clearing Regulations (Title 2)

On July 16, 2011, Whatcom County Planning Department received notification that Gateway Pacific Terminal had begun land clearing activities in and around the site of the proposed terminal. Whatcom County Planning Department, since July 20th, has been notifiying GPT that the work conducted was in violation of their previously approved permits. GPT was in violation of their permits because of the lack of notification prior to beginning work on the site and that the work conducted went well beyond what had originally been approved, which also severly disturbed protected wetlands in the area. Whatcom Planning Council and WA Dept. of Ecology conducted a site inspection to ensure no State law were violated as well. GPT has denied any intentional wrongdoing and has state it will repair any damage.

On August 3, Whatcom Planning Department forwarded Whatcom County's Executive Pete Kremen a memorandum outlining the specifics of the violations, the fines and the required actions for restoration under the Land Disturbance Permit. (See the "Publications" section of the page for links to the orignial County documents and "News Articles" section for news stories.) Also see ReSources' A Crazy Coouple Weeks for Coal for additional articles and newscasts.

Washington Department of Ecology to Co-Lead With Whatcom County Council on the Terminal Project.

On July 15, 2011, Whatcom County Planning and Development Services officially requested the Washington Department of Ecology to co-lead "with Whatcom County for the SEPA Environment Impact Statement (EIS) associated with the Gateway Pacific Terminal Project." Whatcom County is currently working with the US Army Corp of Engineers in preparing the SEPA document.

The Washington Department of Ecology has officially agreed to co-lead stating "there are statewide and regional issues that should be disclosed and addressed during the scope and development of the Enivronmental Impact Statement."

For more information on Department of Ecology's role visit the Gateway Pacific SEPA Reivew webpage.

PDS requires new Substantial Development Permit

Recently both the Major and Substantial Development permits for the terminal project came under review. Project developers stated the permit applications simply needed to have revisions made. If they had been approved as revisions, project shoreline regulations of 1992 would have been required. If it was determined that the changes from the orignal permits were substantial, a new permit would be required. This would put the project subject to 2008 shoreline quidelines, with much tougher standards. (See "Key decision expected from Whatcom County this week on cargo terminal" article below")

An email received from the Whatcom Planning and Development Services, has required a new permit for the Substantical Development permit and has noticed project developers that the Major Development Permit is also incomplete.