From Stark
Doug Ericksen, Republican state senator and nonpartisan candidate for Whatcom County Executive, has released a copy of a letter he sent to the Whatcom County Council on Feb. 21, 2011, endorsing the Gateway Pacific Terminal project at Cherry Point.
SSA Marine of Seattle wants to build the pier to ship coal and other bulk cargoes to Asia. The idea has triggered a wave of opposition based on concerns about global warming, coal dust and increased rail traffic through Bellingham.
Ericksen said he still supports the project “as long as SSA lives up to the commitments they are making.”
Here is the press release from Ericksen:
State Senator Doug Ericksen made public today a letter of support for the Gateway Pacific Terminal project at Cherry Point that he sent to the Whatcom County Council.
The letter was sent to the Whatcom County Council on February 21, 2011. The letter stresses the need for jobs in Whatcom County and also highlights Ericksen’s commitment to environmental protection of the region.
“After meeting with proponents of the Gateway Pacific Terminal and discussing their commitment to an environmentally sensitive project that protects the residents of Whatcom County, I wrote a letter of support for the project,” Ericksen said.
“I stand by my support of this project as long as SSA lives up the commitments that they are making. Working together we can maximize the long-term benefit to our community.” Ericksen said.
The text of the letter follows:
February 21, 2011
Whatcom County Council Members
Whatcom County Courthouse
311 Grand Avenue, Suite 105
Bellingham, WA 98225
To Whatcom County Council Members,
Sustainable long-term industrial development is important to the economic stability of Whatcom County.
The portions of Cherry Point in Whatcom County zoned for heavy industry can provide needed long-term jobs in our region, increase our industrial tax base, and improve the lives of the people living in the region.
It is important that we move forward with the current SSA proposal for responsible development of the Gateway Pacific Terminal Project.
I look forward to working with all interested parties to insure that this long-term economic engine for our region is balanced with our strong commitment to environmental protection and our need for infrastructure development that will increase local mobility.
My office and my staff are ready to provide assistance to participating entities.
Sincerely,
Senator Doug Ericksen
Republican Whip
42nd Legislative District
(End press release)
I see your ‘as long as SSA lives up to the commitments they are making.”
And raise you four acres of illegal land clearing and road building.
Erickson seemed weak at the knees already,
now he’s absolutely crippled himself with the same kind of naivete that gets any john in trouble believing his bargain date.
Seems strange Ericksen would claim he’s a non-partisan candidate, then sign his release as Republican Whip in our State Senate.
The office is supposed to be non-partisan, but this candidate certainly is not!
For all the talk about waiting until an EIS is complete, his repeated premature endorsements of the SSA Terminal does jump the gun on the wrong side of most public sentiment I’ve heard expressed.
And, what commitments does he think SSA has made? Their actions to date do not amount to much true commitment to anything other than jam this get-rich quick scheme down the public’s throat anyway they can.
The terminal may eventually become a reality in some form despite legitimate concerns, but Ericksen’s personal support for it won’t make it happen.
Instead, it will most likely just persuade voters to support his more capable and less partisan opponent, Jack Louws.
Given the choice we have, I strongly prefer Jack!
Strong leadership leading us towards progress and jobs! What do we get?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGqfGJds5fE&feature=related
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
Coal is progress!
Said the 17th Century coal miner to the 16th Century peat burner.
Coal is good jobs!
Said the 18th century miner to the 17th Century plantation slave.
Leaders will lead us into coal!
Said Pinkerton to the mine owner.
OK. That proves what they’ve been saying all along. Doug Ericksen; another damn Huxley graduate who’s gonna wreck Whatcom county.
The old saying goes “If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.”
Perhaps we can follow up on this notion with something like “When Doug lays down with polluters, the insurance industry and outside money interests , Whatcom County just looses.”
Ericksen is a right wing Republican with a solid track record of giving big business and special interests priority over the people he allegedly serves. His commitment to SSA is consistent with his record.
Move along, folks, nothing to see here, nothing new, more of the same….
“Rapid commercial development and deployment of clean coal technologies, particularly carbon capture and storage, will help position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race.”
President Barack Obama
AFY!!theheelotsheepdog!!!
So mutt, do you have a guarantee our coal is going to be used in the most modern facilities in China and Indonesia?
Erickson’s possible election is such a misstep in a cow pie for this county. The guy is no hat, no cap, and nothing but virtual cattle. His management style is kowtowing follower. We only have bad and worse choices this election. I’d like to find the morons who thought top two was a way to go. Turn out the lights, don’t bother to lock up, this county is lost to the new dark age.
I’m not going to comment on Erickson’s support for the coal terminal, except to say that his support most likely has more to do with the building and industry connections than to Goldman Sachs and SSA, because the only benefit of the coal terminal will be to the construction trades.
What I would like to discuss are all the articles that have been popping up about China wanting to renegotiate shipping contracts to reduce the cost of shipping.
We all know that most of the profit on the sub-bituminous coal is made on the shipping. That’s the reason that Goldman Sachs is involved. So, how would these proposed revisions to the shipping contracts affect the proposed coal terminal?
Because of this I will be voting to keep Senator Ericksen in Olympia.
http://www.findstorageusa.com/about_us.php