### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council's Public Works and Natural Resources Committee met on January 13, 2025, chaired by Council Member Hannah Stone with members Lisa Anderson and Jace Cotton. The committee reviewed three major items: revised permit fees for aquatic invasive species protection, acceptance of an $11.6 million environmental cleanup grant, and approval of tribal partnership funding for fish passage projects. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS):** Non-native species that can harm local water bodies, particularly zebra and quagga mussels that pose risks to drinking water infrastructure and can cost up to $100 million annually to manage. **Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA):** Washington State environmental law that requires cleanup of contaminated sites and provides grant funding for remediation projects. **Quagga Mussels:** Invasive freshwater mussels that attach to surfaces and can severely damage water infrastructure; recently detected in the Mid-Snake River, increasing risk to Washington waters. **Remedial Action Grant:** 50% matching grant from Washington State Department of Ecology for environmental cleanup projects at contaminated sites. **Fish Passage Barriers:** Human-made structures like culverts that prevent fish from swimming upstream to spawn, requiring removal or modification to restore natural habitat. **Environmental Remediation Fund:** Dedicated city funding source (Fund 136) used specifically for environmental cleanup projects, separate from the general fund. **Consent Decree:** Legal agreement between the city and state requiring specific environmental cleanup actions at contaminated sites. **Interagency Agreement (ILA):** Formal partnership agreement between government entities to share resources and responsibilities for specific projects. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hannah Stone | Committee Chair / Council Member | | Lisa Anderson | Committee Member / Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Committee Member / Council Member | | Joel Pfundt | Interim Public Works Co-Director | | Renee LaCroix | Assistant Public Works Director - Natural Resources | | Michael Parelskin | Natural Resources Field Manager | | Craig Mueller | Project Engineer | | Amy Kraham | Assistant City Attorney | ### Background Context Bellingham's water security and environmental protection face increasing challenges. The detection of quagga mussels in Idaho's Snake River system represents the first Pacific Northwest invasion of these destructive species, directly threatening Lake Whatcom - the drinking water source for over 100,000 people. This has prompted the city to strengthen its aquatic invasive species program with new fee structures and enhanced protection measures. Meanwhile, the city continues addressing legacy contamination from industrial activities. The R.G. Haley site cleanup represents one of several major environmental remediation projects in Bellingham Bay, with the ultimate goal of transforming contaminated waterfront into public park space. Simultaneously, the city is working to restore natural fish habitat through partnerships with tribal governments, recognizing that healthy ecosystems support both environmental and community wellbeing. ### What Happened — The Short Version The committee received an informational presentation on new aquatic invasive species permit fees, which will increase based on vessel complexity and origin to better reflect risk levels. Fees will rise most significantly for out-of-state boats, which pose the highest contamination risk. Committee members voted 3-0 to approve accepting an $11.6 million state grant for cleaning up the contaminated R.G. Haley site on the waterfront, which will eventually become a public park. They also voted 3-0 to approve a partnership with the Nooksack Indian Tribe that provides $300,000 in federal funding for preliminary design of fish passage barrier removal projects, with the city contributing an additional $90,000. ### What to Watch Next - Whatcom County will update their unified fee structure to match the city's new AIS permit fees within days - Automated gates will be installed at Bloedel Donovan boat launch by end of 2025 - R.G. Haley cleanup construction bidding expected in April 2025, with three-year construction timeline - Fish passage preliminary design work will identify specific culvert retrofit projects throughout the city - Lake Whatcom five-year work plan coming to full council at next meeting ---