WHEN PLANNING DEPARTMENTS LIE

May 9 letter to WA State Senate candidate Eamonn Collins:

Dear WA State Senate candidate Collins,

The Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requires specific questions be asked of land use developers by cities and counties. When land use development applicants or planning departments lie, in theory, the state departments of ecology, health, and auditor hold them accountable. In reality, they do nothing of the sort, leaving it to citizens to fight both municipal and developer attorneys who are breaking the law. 

The consequence can be seen throughout the Salish Sea region, where unlawful developments are now undermining decades of salmon recovery efforts by Northwest tribes. To expedite these developments--now destroying the Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas in east and west Blaine that moderate flooding and provide drinking water to all Blaine and Birch Bay residents--Blaine City Council plans to adopt amendments to the Blaine Municipal Code on Monday, May 11 that would impose a $5,000 fee to challenge environmental decisions by the Blaine planning director. 

In Whatcom Watch this month is a Water Planning Matters article about the Blaine Hearing Examiner removing climate science from the public record, as well as WA Department of Ecology wetland and aquifer maps that conflict with those of the City of Blaine. You can also read about arsenic contamination of Blaine's public water supply.

We need your leadership to correct this SEPA planning travesty that threatens Birch Bay Village with flooding, and all 17,000 Blaine and Birch Bay consumers of Blaine's public water system. You need to mobilize the State Health director to intervene now, not later when the aquifer is deforested and bulldozed, leading to a public health crisis.