So I’m a little late to the Gateway Pacific Terminal party for myriad reasons, both professional and personal, but here’s some of the latest news complied from various news sources. -JS


The Seattle-based shipping terminal company seeking to build a $600 terminal just south of Birch Bay has submitted the completed project permit applications to Whatcom County officials.

The permits came in on March 19, just before SSA Marine’s once-extended permit deadline. The applications are for the major project development permit and shoreline substantial development permit, both needed from Whatcom County.

Click here to download the whole application packet (it’s a 312 page PDF). SSA Marine asked for and received an application deadline extension last December. By county code, county planning staff must give permit applicants 90-day extensions if they ask for them.

In other Gateway Pacific Terminal news, more 800 people turned out to a informational meeting on the terminal’s environmental review process at Bellingham High School last night. The Bellingham Herald reports county, state and federal officials answered numerous questions from the audience and suggested a review of the specific human health impacts of the terminal could be included in the already massive environmental impact statement (EIS). Officials also discussed the possibility of extending the public comment period for the scoping process and the review of the draft EIS to longer than 60 days.

For another take on the meeting, visit the Get Whatcom Planning blog of Jean Melious, a local land-use attorney and Western Washington University professor. Melious makes the point that the comment period could be extended to longer than 60 days if both the applicant, SSA Marine, and the regulators agree to it.

Look for a full-size article on the recent Gateway Pacific Terminal developments in the Thursday, March 29, issue of The Northern Light.