ENDING THE PAYMASTER RELATIONSHIP

In Part 2 of Vanishing Science, Vanishing Fairness at Whatcom Watch, author Geoffrey Baker illustrates how hearing examiner bias favoring developers and the municipalities in bed with developers is systematically corrupt in Washington state. How can hearing examiners be unbiased when they are being paid by the very municipalities they are supposed to supervise? 

Techniques used by hearing examiners to deliver favorable rulings for developers:

1) Procedural Manipulation--aka trickery and deception

2) Scope Narrowing--aka wearing blinders to evidence

3) Standard Inflation--deferential treatment of developers

4) Burden Shifting--lying about appellants submissions

5) Credibility Suppression--demeaning citizens who aren't engineers paid to say what developers want

6) Evidence Minimization--discrediting state and federal environmental concerns

7) Asymmetrical Scrutiny--appellants experts dismissed

What is especially interesting about this article are the sources used. 

Included are the Whatcom County Public Works Future Shorelines Project Story Map, the University of Washington Climate Impact Group Projected Changes in Extreme Precipitation, a book on how local planning bodies systematically favor developers, a book On Testimonial Injustice where lay participants are routinely discredited, and a legal precedent that lay testimony regarding observable environmental impacts constitutes substantial evidence and cannot be categorically disregarded simply because the speaker is not an engineer.

Mr. Baker recommends 

Removing the hearing examiner paymaster relationship, Segregating duties so permit issuers attempting to increase short term revenue aren't also the environmental decision makers on long term impacts, Applying best available science, Enforcing compliance with state laws, Mandating independent state wetland delineation, and Stopping public record stonewalling.