THE Metal Pile at the Bellingham Waterfront...
Is this a working waterfront?
This was land saved for maritime jobs, recreation,
residents and the environment.
In June of 2022, the Port of Bellingham signed a 25 year lease with the Canadian corporation ABC Recycling.
Through loopholes in Port and City regulations, the monster piles break all promises for the planned working Waterfront.
No environmental review was ever done…
While residents are in support of a successful working waterfront. This is not a maritime based working waterfront.
The planned developing Waterfront, in partnership with the community and the city of Bellingham, is feet away from the monster piles.
Scrap piles are known to include more than just ferrous (iron and steel) metal. Heavy metals such as lead, zinc and copper have been found in storm water tests at the neighboring Shipping Terminal.
When the ship is in, the metal is loaded and trucked several thousand feet to the Shipping Terminal.
After crash landing onto the pavement, the scrap is loaded onto an ocean going vessel bound for India or Vietnam.
The work, and noise, continues until 3am, for up to 10 days straight.
Heavy Industrial activity has not been planned for at the Scrap Metal storage area, thus is not allowed. The Waterfront Comprehensive plan, says the area is slated for hundreds of light industrial, high wage jobs. Instead, the heavy industrial activity employs 6 local Full Time Equivalent Longshoreman, and a hand full of ABC employees.
Thousands of residents live in close proximity to the dust plumes and constant noise of scraping metal. These residents, a majority renters, low income families or students, are forced to stay awake for 10 days out of every 60 until the wee hours of the morning, for few community jobs, zero investment in the community, while all profits go back to Canada.
The State, the Port and the City have rules, regulations, land use codes, and a comprehensive plan to keep this type of activity from hurting the environment and resident's quality of life.
Everyone were forgotten, redefined, bypassed or a loophole was found.
Bellingham Municipal Code
- 20.04.030 – Land Use – A. It is the purpose of this title to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of Bellingham by coordinating and guiding both public and private development of land by means of a comprehensive land use plan which is, in part, carried out by the provisions of this title.
- 20.16.010 – Conditional Use – A. Certain uses because of their unusual size, infrequent occurrence, special requirements, possible safety hazards or detrimental effects on surrounding properties and other similar reasons, are classified as conditional uses.
- 7. Not create influences substantially detrimental to neighboring uses. “Influences” shall include, but not necessarily be limited to: noise, odor, smoke, light, electrical interference, and/or mechanical vibrations.
Port SEPA Resolution
- SECTION 1. PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY
Section 1.1 In broad terms, the SEPA requires the Port to consider environmental
impacts before making significant decisions, and to consider measures which could be
undertaken to avoid or reduce (“mitigate”) the environmental impacts of projects and non-project
proposals (collectively “proposal(s)”).
Land Use Choice
- Powers that be chose BMC 20.37.420 (E)(10) – Barge Loading Terminal. They argue that the land use was so close to other land uses currently in play, such as boulders, that no decision was needed, and the activity could commence without further review.
- NOTE: THE LAND USE IS TOTALY and COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
- Scrap Metal vs boulders/logs
- Scrap Metal
- Possibly dangerous/pollutant
- NAICS 423930 – Scrap Metal Recycling
- Item type – Scrap Metal
- Location – Log Pond storage
- Size – massive
- Shipping – Ocean going vessel
- Timeline – 25 years
- Boulders
- Benign
- NAICS 212311 – Quarried Rock
- Item type – Quarried Granite
- Location – Shipping Terminal
- Size – small
- Shipping – Barge
- Timeline – 5 years
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So far, this land use choice has stymied any and all State Environmental Protection Act opportunities to protect residents and the environment
All laws, regulations, promises, and plans by the City of Bellingham and the Port of Bellingham do not allow the Metal Pile to exist at the Bellingham Waterfront.
Few jobs, little investment, and zero profits benefit the community.