Waterfront Wednesday News

Nov. 6, 2024

Fishing Vessel Alaskan Girl Perseveres after Fire

F/V Alaskan Girl in Bristol Bay, 2023. Photo: Brannon Finney

F/V Alaskan Girl, a local Bristol Bay fishing vessel, caught fire on Oct. 27th early in the morning. The Captain and crew are safe, and the vessel suffered damages - but both the vessel and the crew persevere and continue on with their season. Read the post from Captain Brannon Finney linked below:

Seafood Producer's Cooperative Mourns Passing
of Chairman Tad Fujioka

Tad Fujioka (left) in Alaska. Photo courtesy Seafood Producer's Cooperative

Coalition President Lange Solberg reached out Monday with news from Seafood Producer's Cooperative that the Chairman of the Board, Tad Fujioka, had passed away following a wilderness incident. "We are deeply saddened to hear of Tad Fujioka’s passing in Sitka. Tad was a friend, husband, and father, and a kind, brilliant, and passionate seafood industry and community leader. Tad was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Seafood Producers Cooperative and a troller. News of his death has deeply impacted the community of Sitka and has rippled far and wide, including to many in our working waterfront community here in Whatcom County. Several of our members and friends fished alongside, worked with, and knew Tad and his impact," Solberg said in the email.  

You can read more about Tad’s life at www.salmonstate.org/salmon-stories/tad-fujioka. A Go Fund Me donation site was set up to assist Tad’s family. After surpassing the goal by the generosity of the community, the family has decided to dedicate the funds to the new "Tad Fujioka Scholarship Fund" that will support young fishermen or community members who are seeking scholarship funds for higher education. The page can be found at bit.ly/4e5SqNf. The Coalition expresses our condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Fujioka.

Initiatives Affecting Maritime Funding Fail/Pass

WA State Ferries are dependent upon Climate Commitment Act monies to fund the upcoming next generation of ferry fleet vessels.
Photo: WA State Tourism

Tuesday's election has been tallied and an initiative that would have negatively affected funding for maritime infrastructure projects, including several at the Port of Bellingham and the Washington State Ferries, has failed to pass.

I-2117, repealing Washington's Climate Commitment Act (CCA), is currently tracking to fail with over 60% of the vote tallied. The measure would have repealed the program, which helps with $200 million in funding to the State Ferry system, along with $2.8 million for the Port of Bellingham to modernize the shipping terminal and electrify the facility to provide shore power connections and power services to vessels.

If the CCA were repealed, the State Ferry system was planning to cut further services and costs to make up for the lost funding. The Port, having presented a 2025 budget that was already short due to the departure of Southwest Airlines and the construction at the shipping terminal, would have seen more projects pushed beyond the proposed budget to subsequent years.

To get a quick summary of this, and other initiatives results, see the article in Cascadia Daily News:

Navigator's Night with Community Boating Center

Join the Community Boating Center at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal for an evening filled with local food and drinks while hearing from staff and friends of the CBC.

Enjoy a variety of appetizers and drinks while you learn about the great year the CBC has had building community in and around the water. Hear the stories of the CBC from one of the founders, Deb Dempsey and Executive Director, Bryan Rust along with many community partners.

Be a part of the fundraising effort for Phase 2 of The Wheelhouse Campaign with a generous $25,000 match from a local donor. For every dollar pledged during Navigator’s Night, another dollar will be donated up to $25,000 making your donation go twice as far.

Bring a friend or three and celebrate the CBC!

Agenda for the Navigator's Night"

- 5:00pm | Drinks and Appetizers

- 6:00pm | Program and Fundraiser

- 8:00pm | Thank You and Good Night

Working Waterfront Bills to Watch

King Tides at Gate 5 of Squalicum Harbor. Rising sea levels could cause tidal shifts to damage infrastructure. Photo: Deb Granger

The 118th Congress has seen several bills and proposals over the last year pertaining to our working waterfronts and infrastructure. They range from rural development programs to tax-credits for climate mitigation. See a short breakdown on the bills we're currently watching and advocating for with our federal representatives and senators via the links below:

Working Waterfronts Act of 2024
Current Status: Introduced 2/8/2024 ; referred to the Committee on Finance and awaiting further action.
Sponsors: Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-AK ; Sen. Susan Collins, R-ME
Bill Summary: Bill would establish programs to support marine kinetic & tidal energy projects, research into alternative fuels for fishing vessels, rural community processing and cold storage, and infrastructure investments for working waterfronts. It would invest funding into maritime workforce development, fishing industry safety, and growth of the blue economy, as well as Support research into ocean acidification, coastal carbon, and marine invasive species. This bill could make funding available to a variety of projects in Whatcom County in each of these areas.

Working Waterfront Disaster Mitigation Tax Credit Act
Current Status: Introduced 10/1/2024; referred to the House Committee on Ways & Means and awaiting further action.
Sponsors: Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-ME-1; Rep. Gregory Murphy, R-NC-3
Bill Summary: The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for hazard mitigation projects in connection with certain working waterfront property. The credit would provide working waterfronts with a 30% tax credit on up to $1 million in mitigation expenses, adjusted for inflation annually. Depending on hazards to waterfront areas in Whatcom County, this bill could provide tax credits to waterfront businesses. Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA.)

Working Waterfront Preservation Act
Current Status: Introduced 11/1/2023; referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and awaiting further action.
Sponsors: Sen. Susan Collins, R-ME; Sen. Jack Reed, D-RI; Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-AK; Sen. Chris Murphy, D-CT
Bill Summary: The bill would establish a “working waterfront access protection” grant program. Eligible projects could make improvements to working waterfront property (docks, wharfs, related facilities) owned by eligible entities (State government, unit of local government, nonprofit, or participant in commercial/recreational fishing or aquaculture; Tribes are not listed as eligible). This bill could offer funding for infrastructure or other waterfront access projects in Whatcom County that would support the maritime industry.

Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act
Current Status: Introduced 12/6/2023; referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources and awaiting further action.
Sponsors: Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-ME-1, with 22 cosponsors (5 Rs + 17 Ds).
Bill Summary: The bill would amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to establish a working waterfronts Task Force and working waterfronts grant program and preservation loan fund. The Task Force would identify critical needs for working waterfronts, assess their economic and cultural importance, and consider threats to their continued growth and viability. The grant program and loan fund would provide funding options for waterfront preservation and improvement projects, with the goal of supporting coastal communities grappling with the climate crisis and preserving the character of coastal communities by protecting jobs, commercial activities, and public waterfront access. A prior version of this bill passed the House in 2019.

Port Receives $1.5 Million for Clean Ports Grant

The downtown waterfront sector. Photo: Port of Bellingham

The Port of Bellingham has received $1.5 million in funding from the U.S EPA for the Clean Ports Climate and Air Quality Planning Program grant. This will provide additional data to prioritize climate-related investments and to help Port customers better understand the alternatives in green technology, and grant funding opportunities. It will also support the ongoing Shipping Terminal modernization project, that will accompany other federal funding secured for cleaning up the area.

To read more about the new grant award, follow the link to the Port's official press-release below:

Commercial Fishermen Struggle with Low Prices

Long-liner docked in Squalicum Harbor. Photo: Dan Tucker

Commercial fishermen this year are still struggling from glut of supply in the market, as well as many other factors, that have lowered the prices and payouts of their catch. The Salish Current explores the topic in a recent article linked below:

At the corner of Roeder Ave and C St, 701/801 Roeder Avenue plot consists of 1.91 acres, highlighted in yellow. 

The Port of Bellingham has published official requests for proposals on the 701/801 Roeder Avenue property. The request was published yesterday. Potential projects need to have all questions submitted by January 24th, with a final submission deadline of February 21, 2025.

To read the proposal details, follow the link below:

Bellingham's working waterfront. Photo: Steve Hardin

Citizens of Whatcom County are hereby notified pursuant to the laws of the State of Washington; the 2025 Preliminary Strategic Budget of the Port of Bellingham is prepared, on file, and available to view online, and was posted Monday, October 21, 2024.

The public is invited to attend presentations and hearings and provide public comment on the proposed budget including a 2025 proposed property tax levy on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 4:00 p.m., 1801 Roeder Avenue, Bellingham. This is the 2nd of two hearings, the first happening just yesterday evening, during which public comments referenced the ADA-accessible dock project in Fairhaven and other concerns. The Port, amid high turnout for public comment, promised to look into adding the ADA-accessible docks back into the 2026 budget, aligning with when permitting on the project may be likely to happen.

2025 Strategic budget is scheduled to be formally adopted by the Port Commission Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. - Written comments accepted through 5:00 p.m., Monday, November, 18, 2024.

The Port welcomes people with disabilities to participate in all public meetings. For assistance with special needs, please call the Port at 360-676-2500 at least four days in advance.

View the draft budget below: