Just in: Washington Environmental Council reports that a bill that would have fast-tracked mega-projects from gravel mines to coal export facilities (SB 5805) in Washington appears derailed for now in the State Legislature after it failed to advance before a key cutoff today. SB 5805 would have changed a little-used provision of state law to expedite the review and permitting for projects of statewide significance. Currently, for a project to be designated as a project of statewide significance, it has to at least provide a net environmental benefit and be supported by the local city or county government. SB 5805 would have removed both of these requirements and allowed fast-track permitting for mega-projects like coal export facilities in Bellingham and Longview and the Pit-to-Pier gravel mine on Hood Canal.
Not a total defeat, and WEC and us will continue to monitor whether it’s negotiated back to life in some way or another. But this work was done with a lot of support from local people, and those in the wider Puget Sound community. Neither of our Representatives supported this bill moving to the House, and Senator Hargrove did not support it either.
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: bill, legislation, Pit To Pier, Puget Sound, sb5805 | Comments Off on Pit to Pier Bill (SB5805) Fast Track bill now appears dead
