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Whatcom County Council Committee of the Whole

WHA-CON-CTW-2026-03-24 March 24, 2026 Committee of the Whole Whatcom County
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The Whatcom County Council Committee of the Whole advanced four comprehensive plan chapters on March 24, with nuclear energy emerging as the most significant policy development of the session. After extensive deliberation with invited PUD Commissioner Eddie Urie, the council voted 7-0 to allow nuclear energy—both fusion and fission technologies—in county policy for the first time since a 1984 citizen initiative established Whatcom County as a nuclear-free zone. The nuclear policy shift represented a fundamental change in the county's approach to future energy planning. Council Member Ben Elenbaas argued that the county cannot continue banning traditional energy sources while mandating electric transition without considering nuclear options, stating the conversation was necessary given legislative pressure to move away from fossil fuels. The council's decision sets the stage for future code amendments that would need to reconcile the new comprehensive plan language with existing anti-nuclear ordinances. Beyond nuclear policy, the council tackled complex agricultural water rights issues, with Council Member Elenbaas pushing for language that would prioritize agricultural water use in economic planning. After considerable wordsmithing, the council approved policies acknowledging that access to water is "necessary for agriculture to remain the highest and best use of designated Agricultural Lands." This represents significant policy development as the county faces ongoing water adjudication. The session also featured detailed discussions on emerging off-grid infrastructure technologies, including composting toilets, rainwater catchment systems, and distributed renewable energy. Staff provided practical insights into existing permitting processes, revealing that while composting toilets are already permitted, gray water still requires traditional septic systems, creating financial barriers for off-grid development. Five formal votes were taken across the four chapter

**Chapter 6 Transportation (AB 2026-218):** - Approved 7-0 to continue review with amendments - Approved 7-0 to rename Coast Millennium Trail to Salish Coast Trail - Approved 5-2 to send to public hearing (Elenbaas and Stremler dissenting) - Added language to fund updates to the 2011 bicycle and pedestrian plan **Chapter 4 Capital Facilities (AB 2026-216):** - Approved 7-0 to continue review with amendments - Approved 7-0 to shift off-grid language from residential to public facilities development - Approved 5-2 to send to public hearing (Elenbaas and Stremler dissenting) **Chapter 5 Utilities (AB 2026-217):** - Approved 7-0 to continue review with amendments - Approved 7-0 to add "when the county has permitting responsibilities" to tribal consultation policy - App…

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**Nuclear Energy Framework:** The most substantial policy discussion centered on whether to allow nuclear energy development in Whatcom County. Commissioner Urie explained the fundamental differences between fusion and fission technologies, noting that fusion produces only helium as waste and cannot create runaway reactions like traditional fission plants. He described Microsoft's 2028 fusion project in Chelan County as potentially "world-changing" if successful. Council members grappled with whether to use specific "fusion" language or broader "nuclear" terminology, ultimately choosing nuclear to provide maximum flexibility for future technologies. The discussion revealed tension between energy transition mandates and practical power generation needs. **Agricultural Water Rights:** Council Member Elenbaas pushed for comprehensive plan language that would prioritize agricultural water use in county planning decisions. The discussion revealed deep concerns about the viability of agricultural lands without reliable water access, with Elenbaas noting that unirrigated farmland cannot generate enough revenue to pay property taxes. After extensive wordsmithing, t…
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**PUD Commissioner Eddie Urie** strongly supported updating county code for emerging energy technologies, arguing that clear rules prevent project conflicts seen in other counties. He emphasized the need to focus on siting and location impacts rather than technology preferences, and provided technical education on fusion versus fission differences. **Council Member Ben Elenbaas** consistently pushed for practical energy solutions, arguing that nuclear conversations are necessary given legislative pressure to eliminate fossil fuels. He advocated for comprehensive rather than technology-specific language to provide maximum future flexibility. **Council Member Jon Scanlon** focused on limiting county responsibilities, particularly regarding tribal consultation and permitting authority. He consistently sought to clarify when the county would have actual …
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**Eddie Urie, on nuclear fusion technology:** "If that plan in Chelan works in 2028, you're going to be seeing waves — it completely changes all elements of energy globally." **Ben Elenbaas, on energy planning reality:** "We can't outlaw and abolish and ban all of the energy sources other than electric and not have the conversation of nuclear. It's just we don't get enough sunshine to, you know, be completely solar." **Ben Elenbaas, on agricultural water access:** "The land that I have water…
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**Code Amendment Process:** Nuclear energy policies will require amendments to the 1984 nuclear-free zone ordinance, which legal counsel confirmed would need council action before any nuclear projects could be permitted. **Water Adjudication Review:** Chapter 5 (Utilities) and portions of Chapter 7 (Economic Development) remain open for additional amendments during an April cross-chapter review of adjudication-related policies. **Public Hearings:** Transportation and Capital Facilities chapters advance to public hearing following council introduction, expected in upcomi…

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**Nuclear Energy Policy:** Whatcom County moved from a nuclear-free zone established in 1984 to comprehensive plan policies explicitly supporting nuclear energy development, representing the most significant energy policy shift in four decades. **Agricultural Water Priority:** The county adopted its first comprehensive plan language explicitly acknowledging water access as necessary for agricultural viability, providing policy framework for future water allocation decisions during adjudication. **Tribal Consultation Requirements:** New policies require consultation with treaty rights holders on resource-intensive energy projects, expanding bey…
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# Whatcom County Tackles Nuclear Power and Comprehensive Plan Updates in Marathon Session ## Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Committee of the Whole convened Tuesday afternoon at the County Courthouse for what would become a three-hour deep dive into some of the county's most complex policy challenges. Chair Kaylee Galloway called the hybrid meeting to order at 1:05 PM with six council members present and one expected shortly. The agenda centered on comprehensive plan updates, but the session would be dominated by an extended debate over nuclear energy policy that revealed fundamental tensions about how to balance environmental goals with energy needs. The meeting tackled updates from the 2026 state legislative session and reviewed four comprehensive plan chapters covering transportation, capital facilities, utilities, and economic development. What began as routine policy review transformed into substantive discussions about off-grid housing development, fusion versus fission energy sources, and the economics of agricultural water rights. ## State Legislative Session Delivers Mixed Results Jed Holmes from the county executive's office provided an overview of outcomes from the recently concluded state legislative session, delivering both good news and concerning cuts for local programs. The county secured "the biggest win perhaps of all" with $13 million in flood response funding for public works projects damaged in December's emergency, plus additional millions for risk assessment and debris removal. "We received the money we were looking for for adjudication costs related to court staffing levels and some of their plans for that," Holmes reported, noting this would provide "significant impact on how the courts are able to handle the cases, the claims that are coming in." However, cuts to behavioral health and social services programs raised concerns. The Whatcom County Behavioral Health Co-response team faced a 30% reduction, law enforcement diversion programs were cut by 30%, and the Recovery Navigator program lost 10% of its funding. "These cuts, they would start taking place start July 1st for that upcoming fi…
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Environmental Government Operations AB 2026 037 AB 2026 216 AB 2026 217 AB 2026 218 AB 2026 231 Health Department Lummi Nation Microsoft Planning Commission Public Works Pud Whatcom County Barry Buchanan Ben Elenbaas Eddie Urie Elizabeth Boyle Gary Sticka Haley Christensen Jed Holmes Jessica Rienstra Jon Scanlon Kaylee Galloway Kimberly Tulene Mark Stremler Agricultural Policy Bicycle Pedestrian Planning Composting Toilets Comprehensive Plan Energy Policy Fission Energy Fusion Energy Geothermal Energy Nuclear Energy Off Grid Infrastructure Rainwater Catchment Transportation Policy Tribal Consultation Water Adjudication Water Rights