Transition Whatcom

02/10/2026

Get Social with Whatcom Environmental Council!

WEC invites you to join us Wednesday, February 25th from 3-5pm at Brandywine Kitchen, 1317 Commercial St. for our next social gathering, and an update (20 minutes + Q&A) on two major projects we are working on:

* Alta Gas Conditional Use Hearing at Cherry Point.
* Safer and less costly alternatives to the sewage incinerators at Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bellingham.

WEC will provide delicious light hors d’oeuvres from Brandywine’s menu, and a cash bar will be open throughout the event (non-alcoholic options are available). Come and bring your friends to catch up on our work in the community and shake off the winter blues.

Free parking across the street on the upper floors of the Parkade.

Please RSVP, so we don’t run out of sliders! Please send an Email to [email protected]​ to let us know you're planning to come!

01/28/2026

Commentary: A Canadian corporation deceives Whatcom County, putting coastal communities and fragile marine ecosystems at risk.

01/21/2026

WEC ADVOCACY LETTER

Draft Comprehensive Plan
January 20, 2026

TO: Whatcom County Planning Commission

In this letter our comments are limited to the issues that we believe are most significant. As stated in our previous comment letters on draft chapters of the Comprehensive Plan, the draft Plan does not comply with the Growth Management Act (GMA). The following items are addressed:
1. GMA Requirement of a Reduction in Per Capita Vehicle Miles traveled.
2. Open Space corridors between UGAs.
3. UGA Expansions Into Special Flood Hazard Areas and Agricultural Lands.
4. Urban and Community Forests in UGAs.
(photo of Samish Crest by Laurie Caskey-Schreiber)
https://0164f939-9076-4107-a45a-1f71fe9db344.usrfiles.com/ugd/0164f9_7f8c5f7a40ed40abab53b72d9af971fb.pdf

01/15/2026

Photo by John D'Onofrio: First Snow

12/13/2025

Send a message to learn more

12/02/2025

|LETTER TO THE WHATCOM COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION ON DRAFT LAND USE ELEMENT|
In this letter we comment on the draft Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan. The Land Use Map, as well as the policies in the Land Use Element, mut be consistent with all other elements of the Comprehensive Plan. Notably, the Climate Change and Resiliency element has important ramifications for the Land Use Element, and has not been provided.

* NOTE:
The Whatcom County Planning Commission will host a "special" meeting on December 4, 2025 at 6:00p.m regarding:

Public Hearing and Work Session:

The Urban Growth Area proposal for the City of Blaine, which would also change the Rural designation. This proposal would modify the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan as part of the periodic update required by the Growth Management Act. Associated modifications to the County zoning map will also be considered.

Work Sessions:

- The Urban Growth Area proposal for Birch Bay

- 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update - Chapter 2: Land Use

The meeting will take place at the Northwest Annex Portable Conference room at 5280 Northwest Dr. Bellingham, WA 98226.

12/02/2025

In this letter to the Whatcom County Council we provide some high level comments on things in the draft Comprehensive Plan Chapter 8 - Resource Lands that we think need to be corrected. First and foremost, we suggest the Goal 8F be reworded to make clear that water for farms is not being given a higher priority than tribal rights and the instream flow needs of threatened fish.
https://cbec2122-6eb4-4e4d-a31e-b445d22fdcf8.usrfiles.com/ugd/0164f9_6703f1b7adc3409bb8673284773efc7c.pdf

11/15/2025

Check out the short video below. Property within the city should be subject to local review and standards. When a property owner in Samish Heights can act within the law by finding a loophole and harvest 95% of timber (over 1,300 million board feet), and construct over one mile of roads in an area that was deemed to be wetlands and critical wildlife habitat, that is a problem!

History will repeat itself if the Bellingham Plan fails to ensure that forest practices in the city adhere to conserving tree canopy and protecting critical areas. The Bellingham Plan needs to include management to protect urban and community forests, including on private land.

When the Bellingham City Council is considering final changes to the Bellingham Plan this Monday, November 17th, please add policies to close this loophole and protect our urban forest canopy.

Send emails to: [email protected], [email protected].

Send a message to learn more

11/14/2025

Do you care about clean water, forest health, and outdoor recreation in the Lake Whatcom watershed?

The County and the City of Bellingham are working together to create a long-term plan that will protect water quality, improve forest health, and support responsible recreational access across more than 13,000 acres of forests that we collectively manage in the Lake Whatcom watershed.

You can review the draft plan documents here and take a survey to provide input: https://engagebellingham.org/lwfmp