PRESS RELEASE

August 28, 2024

Contact

Jenn Rogers, Communications Manager

jrogers@co.skagit.wa.us

360-416-1309

The Board of Skagit County Commissioners has issued the following statement regarding the Goldeneye battery energy storage system project (BESS) east of Sedro-Woolley.

“After careful consideration of the application materials provided by Goldfinch Energy Storage and comments from the community, we must oppose the Goldeneye BESS project, proposed at a location in unincorporated Skagit County just east of Sedro-Woolley. The energy storage system threatens decades of collaborative local-tribal work and many millions of public dollars spent to restore Hansen Creek, home to four species of Pacific salmon, steelhead trout, and other wildlife. The Goldeneye BESS proposal would also convert Skagit farmland for industrial development, undermining our community’s long-term protection of Skagit Valley’s farmland and farming economy. Goldfinch Energy Storage has failed to adequately explore alternative sites for this project, instead proposing a location in a sensitive natural resource area for both agriculture and salmon, including Endangered Species Act-listed chinook. We strongly encourage the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council to reject this proposal. It is contrary to Skagit County’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted County code, and our community’s intergenerational commitment to protect the Skagit’s floodplain for farming and fisheries.”

The Board of Skagit County Commissioners will continue to advocate on our community’s behalf as the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) and the Governor consider the Goldeneye BESS project.  

In addition, the Board of County Commissioners will be evaluating whether major utility developments should be sited on Skagit farmland in general. Currently, Skagit County Code requires major utility developments on farmland (properties zoned Ag-NRL) obtain a Hearing Examiner Special Use Permit, which involves an open record hearing after significant public notice. The Hearing Examiner Special Use Permit also requires the applicant conduct a vigorous alternative site analysis to ensure no project site other than Skagit farmland would be suitable.   

Background on the Goldfinch Energy Storage Proposal

Goldfinch Energy Storage has applied to the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) to develop a battery energy storage system (BESS) project in unincorporated Skagit County just east of Sedro-Woolley on Minkler Road. The project involves land on both sides of Hansen Creek, as well as a plan to tunnel under the creek.

The Goldeneye BESS project would consist of energy storage buildings containing racks of lithium-ion batteries and other electrical and communication equipment. The project site parcels are zoned Agriculture-Natural Resource Lands (Ag-NRL) and Rural Reserve (RRv).

The EFSEC process supersedes Skagit County’s authority to evaluate projects based on the County’s land use, environmental, and development regulations. EFSEC will make a recommendation to the Governor. The Governor makes the final decision.   

In early 2023, Goldfinch Energy Storage requested Skagit County Planning & Development Services issue an administrative official interpretation (AOI), determining whether the proposed Goldeneye BESS project would be defined as a “major utility development” or “major regional utility development.” AOI 2023-01 was issued on February 1, 2023, and declared the proposed project to be a “major utility development” because it was determined the project lacked regionality as the energy stored would ostensibly only be used to supplement power grid needs within Skagit County, the project is of relatively small scale, and the project would not have large impacts compared to other major regional utility developments. Since then, Goldfinch Energy Storage has used AOI 2023-01 to argue the proposed Goldeneye project is allegedly consistent with Skagit County land use regulation. 

In considering the AOI, Skagit County Planning & Development Services staff did not evaluate whether the proposed project was consistent with Skagit County land use regulation. The Board of County Commissioners does not believe the proposed Goldeneye project is consistent with Skagit County’s land use code, plans and regulations and AOI 2023-01 does not constitute Skagit County’s consent or approval of the Goldeneye project. 

To find more information on the application by Goldfinch Energy Storage to EFSEC, or to sign up for project updates, please visit the EFSEC website.  

    Skagit County is currently updating our Comprehensive Plan. We are reaching out to our public for input on what they would like Skagit County to look like in the next 20 years. A survey was done asking for input and additional input will be taken over the next 12 months. 

Housing, Climate Change, reducing miles travelled, Shoreline regulations and zoning regulations are some of the things covered in the Comprehensive Plan.

Here is the link to the Skagit County Comprehensive Plan.

Skagit County Comprehensive Plan

We have a lot of pressure on our Agricultural Lands in Skagit County. We are not making anymore ag ground. For these reasons we are starting a process to better understand how we can work together to achieve the best outcomes in our delta area. 

Skagit/Samish Delta Integrated Plan

Skagit County has reached out to the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, The Swinomish Indian Tribe, The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, The Skagit Dike Partnership and the Skagit Drainage &Irrigation Districts Consortium to invite them to participate in a transparent and deliberate planning process for the Skagit/Samish Delta to address questions of habitat enhancement, sea level rise/climate change, farmland preservation and regulatory certainty 

Skagit County has protected our agricultural land from development over the past 50 years very successfully. The Farmland Legacy program has purchased development rights on over 15000 acres of farmland. By restricting what type of uses are allowed on the Ag land, it has kept the land value low for agricultural to continue. Continual requests are made by individuals to allow other nonagricultural soil dependent uses to be allowed, such as Restaurants or event centers.

We are positioned uniquely to remain productive with our marine climate as some areas of the world suffer from climate change, if we have farmland to grow our food.

    Working with our city partners 

In early 2022, Skagit County launched the North Star Project, a joint effort between Skagit County and the cities of Burlington, Mount Vernon, Anacortes, and Sedro-Woolley to better align resources and services to address the complex behavioral health and homelessness challenges in our community.  

The First Step Shelter in Burlington, Martha’s Place in Mount Vernon, Evaluation and Treatment Center, and the new Skagit STAR Center which is under construction in Sedro Woolley. Are all projects that are made possible by working with our city partners and our local Legislators. These projects are able to help Skagit County community members immediately in their time of need, locally.

“The Evaluation & Treatment Center will help ensure regional residents can get the support they need in moments of crisis,” said Skagit County Commissioner Ron Wesen.

    The relicensing on Seattle City Lights Dams on the Skagit River is a once in 50 year process.

We need more lake capacity behind the dams earlier, November 1st, rather than the current license requirement of December 1st each year. 

We are experiencing earlier heavy rain events in the fall. This earlier storage capacity allows the Dam operators to reduce the Skagit river peak flow at Mount Vernon. 

Puget Sound Energy at its Baker River dams has a catch and release truck system in Concrete for many years.The Salmon run has gone from around 100 to over 48,000 sockeye in the last 10 years.

Seattle City Light should do the same on their project.

We have a housing availability problem in Skagit Valley, one of the lowest vacancy rates (less than 1%) of any community in the state. It is estimated that we are about 3500 units short. 

Nobody wants urban sprawl to spread into our timber and agriculture lands. The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) is Washington state law that requires state and local governments to manage Washington's growth by identifying and protecting critical areas and natural resource lands, designating urban growth areas, preparing comprehensive plans (CCP’s) and implementing them through capital investments and development regulations. This approach to growth management is unique among states. The act (Chapter 36.70A RCW)[1] was adopted by the Legislature in 1990. The Growth Management Act (GMA) restricts where new housing may be built. It mandates a goal of 80% of the growth takes place in towns and cities and their urban growth areas. Only 20% of the growth is to take place in the unincorporated county. The Growth Management Act is reducing sprawl but at the same time it has reduced the number of units being built and has contributed to the cost of housing. 

Skagit County’s GMA Committee consists of a steering committee made up of the Mayors of the cities and towns and Skagit County Commissioners who are a part of this agreement who meet every other month. They are supported by the Technical Advisory Committee which are the planning directors of the towns and cities and three Skagit County planning staff. Each town, city and county follow their own Comprehensive Plans and zoning regulations. None of the towns, cities or county have any authority over each other. Skagit County is not able to tell a city they must increase the density of their local zoning but can do a lot to assist in their efforts. 

Skagit County along with the cities and towns agreed on County-Wide Planning Policies (CCP’s) back in 2002. https://skagitcounty.net/AuditorRecording/Documents/RecordedDocuments/2017/12/13/201712130068.pdf

The agreements' objective is to help the County and the Cities cooperate in efforts to provide visionary leadership on regional plans, policies and issues. It is the purpose of this Agreement to enhance the ability of the parties to improve the present health, safety, convenience and welfare of their citizens and to plan for the future development of the Cities and the County to the end that the governments achieve a county –wide pattern of community-building, land use, and conservation that reflects the environmental, economic, aesthetic, and social values of city and county residents.”

Housing is a complicated issue facing most communities in Washington State. The lack of work force housing in Skagit Valley is a community problem that can be solved by having a variety of different types of housing available and proper Zoning needs to allow this variety or it can’t be built. Local zoning codes and comprehensive plans are the tools local communities have to make changes.

As a member of the GMA steering committee, I have consistently advocated for a uniform inventory and reporting method for each jurisdiction. I strongly support that each jurisdiction report their available land to show the number of units available to be built within their current zoning so we have a county wide inventory of available growth potential. This alleviates confusion and misinformation between jurisdictions. My job as a Skagit County Commissioner is to continue to ask how are we doing in reducing our vacancy rate county wide and to find ways the County can assist in alleviating that shortage.  My goal is to support housing to keep Skagit County balanced for growth and at the same time preserving our delicate environment. 

  Water availability in Skagit County has continued to become a more difficult issue that restricts people’s rights to build and irrigate. What was once thought of as an unlimited resource has now become a difficult and increasing problem that takes a lot of study, science, engineering and proof before issuance of permit or allowing irrigation to commence. 

Most of Skagit County is limited on water because of the 2001 Skagit Instream flow rule. Piped water is available from Skagit PUD and Anacortes water system and many other small private water groups. Wells are allowed in certain areas based on Department of Ecology (DOE) studies. In addition, DOE has purchased several senior water rights from a Big Lake water association who abandoned their wells after PUD water was made available to the association. DOE has recently purchased a water right from Seattle City light from their Dam projects. With both of these purchases, DOE is finalizing the process for property owners to be able to use these water rights to put in a well for home use. DOE is drawing a map showing what properties are eligible.

Skagit County is required by the law to make sure water is legally available, and actually present, before issuance of building permits to anyone. 

This is local government’s responsibility. Nothing more and nothing less. 

Guemes Island is an example of an area that struggles with water availability issues. Guemes Island has a sole source aquifer. It is an Island, completely surrounded by salt water of Puget Sound. There is only so much water in an aquifer. Local Government’s job is to make sure the rules are applied fairly and equally to all property owners, not just the ones who built first. Skagit County requires flow restrictors on all wells on Guemes, to reduce the rate of withdraw from the aquifer. 

Water samples are required every year, to test for Chloride levels, to monitor if saltwater intrusion is occurring in existing wells.

I have listened to the residents of Guemes Island,  the Skagit County Prosecutors office and the Department of Ecology which is responsible for ground water in the state of Washington about these water issues to try to come up with the best solution for Guemes Island. There are limited solutions in which neighborly conversations over the fence, or on the ferry, are much more effective at getting community support on any issue. One solution for areas without eligible water is to install a Rain catchment system. These are allowed on the Island and trucked water is available if needed. Another approach is requiring meters with cell phone connections on every well on the Island. 

Data would be sent on a daily basis to monitor every well. 

The Skagit Instream rule did not have any new water rights available for Agriculture. The Agriculture community is working on solutions to get about 1% of the river flow for Agriculture use before the river enters Skagit Bay. Skagit County has worked hard to keep agriculture viable. We require 40 acre minimum lot size and our Comprehensive Plans say we want to keep Agriculture viable in our community. Water is required for most crops to be economical viability of Agriculture. 

As one can see, the solutions to water issues can be difficult to maneuver, expensive and hard to solve but as a Skagit County Commissioner I continue to work hard to push for a fair and equitable solution to get water to all citizens for their current needs and for future development.