For Immediate Release
For More Information Contact
Fred Seeger, Port of Bellingham, 360-676-2500
Merle Jefferson, Lummi Nation, 360-410-1706
Both Governments Vote on Agreements August 4
[Bellingham, Wash.] The Lummi Nation and the Port of Bellingham have set the stage for an important new agreement in their long-standing cooperative partnership on Bellingham Bay. The Port and Tribe have been working together under a series of Bellingham Bay agreements since 1996. The latest step focuses on their shared interests in economic development and environmental stewardship, and establishes a structure for joint decision-making that will allow a number of important waterfront projects to move forward.
Click here for full text of agreements
Next week the Lummi Nation and the Port's Board of Commissioners will vote on a Framework Agreement that recognizes the common goals of both parties, the importance of their working relationship, and the shared principles that will be used to support federally recognized Tribal treaty interests and to help move priority Port projects from concept to reality.
The Port's Board of Commissioners will vote on these agreements at their regular meeting at 3 p.m., Aug. 4, the Lummi Indian Business Council will also vote on these agreements at their regular meeting at 1 p.m., Aug. 4.
"The Lummi Nation continues to work cooperatively with the Port of Bellingham to support projects that provide economic opportunities for all of Whatcom County, continue the Port and Lummi Nation commitment to environmental stewardship and fairly address the Lummi Nation's Tribal treaty interests," said Lummi Nation Chairman Henry Cagey. "When two governments work together, we can find solutions that can benefit everyone."
The Port and Lummi Nation also will vote on an Implementation Agreement that provides a compensation package to the Lummi Nation, which will address potential impacts to treaty fishing rights, and a combination of technical services and project support from the Tribe to the Port. This is the first in a series of Implementation Agreements that will eventually include 15 projects under the shared goal of "working cooperatively to implement the Bellingham Bay clean-up and economic redevelopment."
"We believe the Framework Agreement and the first Implementation Agreement demonstrate the next step in cooperation between the Port and the Lummi Nation," said Port Commission President Scott Walker. "While we have been building a stronger relationship over the past few years, we welcome the opportunity to truly work together on the waterfront and to see that work benefit all of Whatcom County by restoring the health of Bellingham Bay and moving forward with projects in Blaine and Bellingham that will support our local economy."
These proposed agreements recognize the Lummi Nation's treaty rights, including preservation of their rich cultural history, protection of the area's natural resources, tribal access to Usual and Accustomed Fishing Areas, and their shared interest in economic and educational opportunities in Whatcom County. Under the agreements, the Port would provide payments and cooperative opportunities to the Lummis to address project impacts to federally recognized Tribal treaty rights. In exchange the Lummi Nation will support projects in these treaty-defined areas.
The Port would provide a compensation package to the Lummi Nation highlighted by a $60,000 moorage credit to Lummi fishermen in 2009 and in 2010 and $50,000 to Lummi Natural Resources staff for technical support services to help develop natural resources mitigation strategies for future projects. The Port has also agreed to not use an agency-permitted clean dredge material open-water disposal site in Bellingham Bay. The Port will allocate the expense for this agreement amongst the 15 capital projects identified in the agreement since the obligation to address federally recognized Tribal treaty rights is a requirement of obtaining needed federal permits.
The Lummi Nation would also continue to support the NOAA Pacific Research Fleet project at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal, and not oppose three other high priority Port projects, including expansion of Fairhaven Shipyard operations, improvements to Blaine boat launching facilities, and planned maintenance dredging to support recreational and commercial operations in Squalicum Harbor. This agreement will significantly improve the Port's ability to work with the permitting agencies to bring these projects on-line sooner, and more quickly create much-needed economic development and job creation.
The Port and Lummi Nation have also identified steps that can be taken to improve tribal opportunities in Bellingham Bay. The Port has offered a position for a member of Lummi Nation on its Marina Advisory Committee, allowing the Tribe to participate in ongoing discussion regarding harbor planning and operations. And the Port would agree to support the Lummi Nation's efforts to work with NOAA on a variety of potential new contracts and research opportunities.
These agreements come forward after several years of discussions between the Port and Lummi Nation and they anticipate future agreements being created to address other waterfront, habitat and shoreline opportunities identified in a list of 15 specific projects.
The Port and the Lummi Nation have been working together on Bellingham waterfront issues and projects since the Bellingham Bay Cleanup project began in 1996. The Tribe also participated fully as a member of the Waterfront Futures Group, a community effort that began in 2002 and resulted in the creation of a vision for the waterfront redevelopment in 2004. When the Port acquired the former Georgia Pacific site in 2005, the Port and the Tribe entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, which was a commitment to seek out shared goals that would benefit the Port and the Lummi Nation.
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