Dear Safe Shippers, 

Our collective fight to protect Xwe’chi’eXen, Cherry Point from a proposed coal export terminal ended successfully in May 2016 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers upheld the Lummi Nation’s treaty-protected fishing rights. The terminal was blocked, Cherry Point was saved, treaty rights were honored, and the orca got another chance.

Since that time, we have seen many more export projects being considered for our region and we have taken persistent action against these threats. We know that what happens to any place at the edge of our shared Salish Sea, happens to our islands and the creatures who call the waters and shorelines their home. 

Cherry Point is one of those precious places still needing protection. An upcoming vote at a Whatcom County hearing on Tuesday, July 27 will decide its fate. The policy that the County Council is set to vote on will prevent new fossil fuel refineries and transshipment facilities at Cherry Point. It will impose significant constraints and trigger additional public review when existing fossil fuel facilities apply for permitting to expand or significantly modify their operations.

Please thank the Council for their past protection of Cherry Point and ask them to continue and strengthen it into the future.

For more information and a link to send a letter to Whatcom County Council, please see the Friends of the San Juans Action Network page:
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/your-voice-is-needed-a-landmark-opportunity-to-protect-the-salish-sea

Thank you, Safe Shippers!

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MORE INFO

Whatcom County Ordinance for the July 27 Hearing:
https://whatcom.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=9600038&GUID=CB8F4928-D7CE-4B19-B639-FC0437B300F5

Salish Current: ‘Unlikely partners’ compromise will halt new fossil-fuel development at Cherry Point’
https://salish-current.org/2021/01/13/unlikely-partners-compromise-will-halt-new-fossil-fuel-development-at-cherry-point/

Stand.earth: ‘Advisory: Whatcom County to usher in new era of fossil fuel industry policies to protect Salish Sea, restrict new projects’ https://www.stand.earth/latest/fossil-fuel-free/advisory-whatcom-county-usher-new-era-fossil-fuel-industry-policies-protect

RE Sources: ’The epicenter of Salish Sea Protection’ https://www.re-sources.org/2020/06/the-epicenter-of-salish-sea-protection/