Whatcom County leaders will hear from the public on whether they should enroll the county in a state program that tries to balance the interests of farming and environmental protection.
The County Council on Tuesday, Jan. 10, will hold a hearing on whether the county should opt-in to what's being called the Voluntary Stewardship Program.
"It focuses on meeting quantifiable targets for a particular stream or watershed," county planner Peter Gill said, "rather than focusing on us requiring certain-sized buffers, and things like that."
Environmentalists say farming can harm water quality, such as by polluting streams with livestock manure, while farmers say strict regulations can inhibit agriculture, a major industry in the county.
Under the state program, the county would create a watershed group that would draft a plan with goal and strategies for protecting both farming and water quality. The plan would be approved or denied by the state Conservation Commission, rather than county leaders.
The watershed group would work with individual farmers, who would receive technical assistance to draft stewardship plans for their farms.
There also would be incentives, including government money to pay for work on individual farms called for in the plan. Examples of work could include installing fences, structures to handle stormwater and manage manure, and livestock-confinement areas.
The alternative is simply requiring large land buffers between the farm and water, Gill said.
The state estimates it would provide the county $100,000 to $150,000 a year to fund the program, although the money hasn't been budgeted. The county wouldn't be required to move forward with the program if the state didn't provide funding.
Farmers who decline to participate could still be subject to enforcement actions if they fail to protect sensitive environmental areas, according to the state.
Part of the idea for the program is having a neighbor-to-neighbor effort aimed at balancing the interests of agriculture and the environment, Gill said. Peer pressure could also play in role in encouraging participation, he said.
If Whatcom County decides not to join the state program, it would then rely on its current environmental laws. The law already lets landowners farm in and near wetlands if they are following an approved plan for their particular farm. By not joining, Whatcom County would still be subject to state requirements for updating the law in coming years.
The county also could join, but decide later to quit the program.
County planners are recommending either not enrolling, or only enrolling Drayton Harbor watershed, rather than most of the unincorporated county. More than 40 percent of Drayton Harbor watershed is farmland.
The county's deadline for deciding whether to join is Jan. 22, and Jan. 10 is the last regular council meeting before the deadline.
ATTEND THE HEARING
What: Whatcom County Council will hold a hearing on whether the county should enroll in a new state program aimed at balancing the interests of farming and environmental protection.
When: 7 p.m. Jan. 10
Where: County Council Chambers, 311 Grand Ave., Bellingham.
More information: Go to WhatcomCounty.us/council/agenda.jsp
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.