Low-Impact Development
The Port of Bellingham is strongly committed to environmental stewardship in the waters and surrounding shorelines of
Whatcom County. Low-impact development (LID) technology is an alternative comprehensive approach to stormwater management that works with nature to manage stormwater as close to its source as possible using strategies such as environmentally sensitive rain gardens and pervious pavements. The Port evaluates stormwater best management practice (BMP) options and implements LID measures when appropriate.
Planning
To evaluate the potential for using LID approaches on contaminated areas of Bellingham’s central waterfront, the port hosted a planning session with designers, engineers, regulators, developers, and other key stakeholders to discuss current and emerging information on sustainable LID stormwater management strategies. An overview of the charrette findings has been published in a resource guide titled
Low-Impact Development for Stormwater on Waterfront Brownfield Sites.
Environmental Compliance
The Port of Bellingham's Environmental Compliance and Assessment Program (ECAP) is a tenant-focused program designed to minimize the environmental impacts of tenant activities and maintain regulatory compliance through education and compliance assessment.
Functions
ECAP is not an enforcement program; rather, ECAP team members work collaboratively with tenants to minimize environmental impacts in ways that also work with the tenant's business objectives. The ECAP program helps port tenants maintain compliance with increasingly complex stormwater regulations and consider the implementation of LID alternatives.