Port of Bellingham - Waterfront Redevelopment

Environmental Impact Statement

The New Whatcom Redevelopment (DEIS) was released on January 9, 2008 by the SEPA Responsible Official for the Port of Bellingham and the public comment period ended on March 10, 2008. The EIS is being designed to test the impacts of a change in zoning and land use in the waterfront area from industrial to a mix of business, commercial, residential and light industrial uses to support the community's vision. The change would also allow new opportunities for public parks and access to restored marine shorelines. During the public comment period, the Port held two public hearings and received dozens of written comments through the mail and email.

Click here to read all comments received during the public comment period
Click here for oral testimony received at two public hearings on February 20, 2008

Click here for the locations where you can view a hardcopy of the DEIS.

For CD copies of the DEIS, please contact Brenda Tate at (360) 676-2500.

Downloads (PDF files) are available of the New Whatcom Redevelopment DEIS:

Note: The file size is noted after each link. Some of the files are very large--for easier viewing, please request a CD copy of the DEIS.

Volume I - Fact Sheet & Table of Contents [0.6 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 1 (Summary) [0.3 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 2 (Description of Proposed Action[s] and Alternatives) [76 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 1 (Earth) [1.2 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 2 (Air Quality) [0.3 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 3 (Water Resources) [6.2 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 4 (Plants and Animals) [0.1 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 5 (Environmental Health) [8 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 6 (Noise) [0.3 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 7 (Land Use) [16 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 8 (Relationship to Plans and Policies) [0.2 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 9 (Population, Employment and Housing) [0.1 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 10 (Aesthetics/Light and Glare) [5.3 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 11 (Historic and Cultural Resources) [1.6 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 12 (Transportation) [1.1 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 13 (Public Services) [4.1 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 3 - Section 14 (Utilities) [0.1 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 4 (Distribution List) [<0.1 MB]
Volume I - Chapter 5 (References) [<0.1 MB]
Volume II - Appendices:

Appendix A (Summary of Comments to the Scope of the Environmental Impact Statement for the New Whatcom Redevelopment Project and Responses by the SEPA Responsible Official and List of Written Comment Letters) [0.4 MB]
Appendix B (Final Scoping Document) [4.5 MB]
Appendix C (New Whatcom Redevelopment Assumptions) [0.1 MB]
Appendix D (Earth Elements Technical Report) [3 MB]
Appendix E (Air Quality Technical Report) [0.5 MB]
Appendix F (Stormwater Technical Report) [9.4 MB]
Appendix G (Water Quality Technical Report) [4.1 MB]
Appendix H (Plants and Animals Technical Report) [2 MB]
Appendix I (Vessels and Wake Impacts) [2 MB]
Appendix J (Noise Quality Technical Report) [0.8 MB]
Appendix K (Aesthetics Technical Report) [5.6 MB]
Appendix L (Historic Property Resources Technical Report) [56.4 MB]
Appendix M (Cultural Resources Assessment) [30 MB] *due to size limitations, Appendix B of the Cultural Resources Assessment is not available for download
Appendix N (Transportation Discipline Report) [6.2 MB]
Appendix O (Utilities Technical Report) [10 MB]

If you experience difficulty downloading the above, please contact Brenda Tate at (360) 676-2500.

Final EIS Scoping Document

In July 2007, a final EIS scoping document was issued outlining the waterfront redevelopment proposal and elements of the environment, such as transportation, land uses, view corridors and other issues that should be studied to determine the potential impacts of the proposal. In addition, a summary of oral and written comments provided by private citizens, public agencies, and tribes on the draft scoping document and the response to these comments is also available.

Click here for the Final Scoping Document of the EIS for the New Whatcom Redevelopment Project

Click here for a Summary of Comments to the Scope of the EIS and Responses by the SEPA Responsible Official

Click here for all written comments received to the Scope of the EIS

Click here for oral testimony received at a public hearing on April 25, 2007

Click here for oral testimony received at a public hearing on May 2, 2007

Draft EIS Scoping Document

Click here for a Fact Sheet describing the EIS scoping process

New Whatcom Redevelopment Project EIS Draft Scoping Document (large file ~ 6MB) Note: the following sections have been separated for your convenience in downloading this document:

Text - Part 1
Text - Part 2
Figure 1 - Vicinity Map
Figure 2 - Site Map
Figure 3 - New Whatcom Redevelopment Areas
Figure 4 - Alternative 1 - Higher Density Alternative
Figure 5 - Alternative2 - Medium Density Alternative
Figure 6 - Alternative 3 - Lower Density Alternative
Figure 7 - No Action Alternative

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