Bellingham's wetland bank, 10 years in the making, sets a 2027 opening
Environment · BellinghamWhat happened: The City asked the Council on Oct. 5 to let the Mayor sign the agreement that creates the Bellingham Mitigation Bank, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Ecology, plus Whatcom County's approval (AB 25083). Signing sets up an opening in February or March 2027. The Council first directed staff to pursue a bank in September 2016.
Why it matters: Anyone whose project unavoidably fills a wetland or stream has to replace that function. In Washington most do it themselves, one site at a time. A bank lets them buy credits from a larger restored site the City runs instead. The City's proposal to regulators listed four sites totaling 607.6 acres, from Bear Creek east of I-5 to the SR 542 corridor. Building it is paid for by a County economic development grant, running it by credit sales; the City budgets $1.3M for 2026 and 2027. How many credits a project needs depends on buffer and mitigation rules like the County ones being rewritten this fall (the story).
What's next: signing the agreement, then credit sales at opening in early 2027.