HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Committee of the Whole September 13 20161
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4 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
5 Special Committee of the Whole
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7 September 13, 2016
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11 CALL TO ORDER
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13 Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 1:37 p.m. in the
14 Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
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17 ROLL CALL
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19 Present: Barbara Brenner, Ken Mann, Satpal Sidhu, Carl Weimer, Todd
20 Donovan, Rud Browne and Barry Buchanan.
21 Absent: None.
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24 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION
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26 1. DISCUSSION OF A PROPOSED INTERIM ORDINANCE IMPOSING A
27 MORATORIUM ON THE ACCEPTANCE AND PROCESSING OF
28 APPLICATIONS AND PERMITS FOR NEW OR EXPANDED FACILITIES IN
29 THE CHERRY POINT URBAN GROWTH AREA, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF
30 WHICH WOULD BE THE SHIPMENT OF UNREFINED FOSSIL FUELS NOT TO
31 BE PROCESSED AT CHERRY POINT (AB2016 -256A)
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33 Brenner moved to amend the fifth whereas statement, "Whereas, during the
34 Comprehensive Plan review process, the Whatcom County Council received hHndFeds of
35 many indiv public comments Fecluestin g the regarding this issue. In response, the
36 interim Comprehensive Plan is be amended to discourage unrefined fossil fuel
37 transshipment, transport, and transfer from Cherry Point and off the North American
38 continent to protect the health of Whatcom County's environment and residents, and;"
39 Hundreds of comments were also received in support. Many of the statements received
40 were from outside Whatcom County.
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42 The motion was seconded.
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44 Browne suggested a friendly amendment, "Whereas, during the
45 Comprehensive Plan review process, the Whatcom County Council received hundreds of
46 individual comments on fossil fuel transport and transfer from Cherry Point."
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48 Brenner accepted the friendly amendment for the first sentence only.
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50 Buchanan bifurcated the amendment to vote on each sentence in the
51 statement separately. The first vote is on Browne's friendly amendment to Brenner's
52 motion, "Whereas, during the Comprehensive Plan review process, the Whatcom County
Special Committee of the Whole, 9/13/2016, Page 1
I Council received hundreds of individual comments on fossil fuel transport and transfer
2 from Cherry Point."
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4 The motion carried by the following vote:
5 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
6 Nays: None (0)
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8 Brenner restated her motion to amend to create a second sentence in the
9 statement, "Whereas, during the Comprehensive Plan review process ... from Cherry
10 Point. In response, the interim Comprehensive Plan is be amended to discourage
11 unrefined fossil fuel transshipment, transport, and transfer from Cherry Point and off the
12 North American continent to protect the health of Whatcom County's environment and
13 residents, and;"
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15 The motion was seconded.
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17 Councilmembers discussed whether the County has authority to do anything
18 outside of Whatcom County and the purpose of Whereas statements.
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20 Brenner withdrew the motion..
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22 Brenner moved to amend Council packet page 319, the last Be It Further
23 Ordained statement, "Be it further ordained that for the purpose of this ordinance, the
24 definition of "unrefined fossil fuel" includes but is not linimted to all forms of crude oil
25 whether stabilized or not; raw bitumen, diluted bitumen, or syncrude and coal;
26 'natural ryas "- -in Iigtstd or —coal, ti� f Fr ate AF
27 cote;" Some of these products are byproducts of refining. They're not unrefined.
28 Natural gas is much cleaner than coal.
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30 The motion was seconded.
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32 The councilmembers discussed the natural gas that is exported versus natural
33 gas used within the county; bringing natural gas to Cherry Point to build a liquefaction
34 plant, which would then export liquid natural gas; the health and safety risks to the
35 ocean, and; prohibiting exports versus local restrictions in Whatcom County.
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37 Lynn Murphy, Puget Sound Energy, answered questions about their plans for
38 using natural gas that comes to their facilities to replace the coal source currently used
39 and how to amend the language to allow their use.
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41 Andrew Gamble, Petrogas, stated he supports the changes in the proposed
42 motion from Councilmember Brenner. He explained the differences between liquefied
43 petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas and how much LPG is shipped historically and
44 planned for the future. Allow all companies to shift from the use of coal to natural gas,
45 which is cleaner.
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47 The councilmembers discussed the difference in definitions of what is considered
48 "refined" and the volume of LPG train traffic to and through Whatcom County.
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50 The motion failed by the following vote:
51 Ayes: Brenner and Sidhu (2)
52 Nays: Mann, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (5)
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Special Committee of the Whole, 9/13/2016, Page 2
1 Browne moved to amend "Be It Further Ordained by the Whatcom County
2 Council that an interim moratorium... fossil fuels not be processed or consumed at Cherry
3 Point, unless the applications: ... 2. Are for building permits for remodels... not to be
4 processed or consumed at Cherry Point will result; or."
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6 The motion carried by the following vote:
7 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
8 Nays: None (0)
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10 Donovan moved to amend the last Be It Further Ordained statement on Council
11 packet page 319, "Be it further ordained that for the purpose of this ordinance the
12 definition of ... in liquid or gaseous formats excluding those that are the byproduct of
13 refinery processes in the Cherry Point UGA; and condensate...." Make it clear that
14 they're not saying that gasses coming out of the refinery process are covered by this
15 ordinance.
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17 Councilmembers discussed avoiding impacts to existing operations, applying the
18 moratorium only to new permits for new facilities, and how this ordinance goes beyond
19 just crude oil.
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21 The motion was seconded.
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23 The motion carried by the following vote:
24 Ayes: Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
25 Nays: Brenner (1)
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27 Browne moved to amend the fifth Whereas statement, "Whereas, during the
28 Comprehensive Plan review process ... to protect the health of Whatcom County's
29 environment, economy, and residents."
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31 The motion was seconded.
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33 The motion carried by the following vote:
34 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
35 Nays: None (0)
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37 Brenner moved to amend the last Whereas statement on Council packet page
38 317, "Whereas, multiple trains carrying crude oil from the Bakken formation... fatalities,
39 which is the reason it warrants improved regulation; and."
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41 The motion was seconded.
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43 The motion carried by the following vote:
44 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
45 Nays: None (0)
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47 Brenner referenced the second Whereas statement on Council packet page 318,
48 "Whereas, in the last two years, two trains carrying diluted bitumen (oil products derived
49 from tar sands and diluent) derailed and exploded en route to refineries in the United
50 States." This statement should be more specific about the accidents that occurred.
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52 Brenner moved to add a new Whereas statement, "Whereas this moratorium
53 applies to shipments off the North American continent."
Special Committee of the Whole, 9/13/2016, Page 3
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2 The motion was seconded.
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4 The councilmembers discussed whether they should prohibit shipping destinations
5 and how to avoid restrictions to interstate commerce.
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7 The motion failed by the following vote:
8 Ayes: Brenner and Sidhu (2)
9 Nays: Mann, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (5)
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11 Browne moved to recommend introduction as amended to the full Council.
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13 The motion was seconded.
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15 Brenner moved to amend:
16 • The ninth Whereas statement on Council packet page 318, "Whereas
17 expansion of existing facilities... fuels not be processed or consumed at
18 Cherry Point."
19 • The eiahth Whereas statement on Daae 317. "Whereas the Whatcom
20 County Council has requested... not to be processed or consumed at Cherry
21 Point."
22 . The seventh Whereas statement on page 318, "Whereas Title 20 currently
23 does not ... not to be processed or consumed at Cherry Point."
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25 The motion to amend was seconded.
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27 The motion to amend carried by the following vote:
28 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
29 Nays: None (0)
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31 Donovan moved to delete the second whereas statements on page 318,
32 "� nrvv efea5 n-W--
33 iced
34 States, and."
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36 The motion was seconded,
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38 The motion carried by the following vote:
39 Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (7)
40 Nays: None (0)
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42 Browne restated his motion to recommend Introduction as amended.
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44 The motion to recommend Introduction as amended carried by the following
45 vote:
46 Ayes: Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, Weimer and Donovan (6)
47 Nays: Brenner (1)
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50 OTHER BUSINESS
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52 There was no other business.
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Special Committee of the Whole, 9/13/2016, Page 4
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ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 2:53 p.m.
i '_p prcvcd these minutes on
Al
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Dann 6rw4 0bii -6 (--�ounc Clerk
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
February 7, 2017.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
i3a ry Buchanan, Council Chair
Special Committee of the Whole, 9/13/2016, Page 5