Project Updates
Air Quality Notice of Violation (NOV) at Post Point: The City of Bellingham received a Notice of Violation (NOV) from the Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA) in March 2024 regarding air emissions at the Post Point Resource Recovery Plant. The NOV was issued due to NWCAA concerns about plant compliance with air emissions permitting requirements and federal air quality regulations for sewage sludge incineration units.
The City is working with the NWCAA to address these concerns. Our efforts include: reviewing the applicability of the federal air quality regulations for sewage sludge incinerators; evaluating the need for additional permits related to maintenance work; and taking actions to reduce carbon monoxide emissions regardless of whether those reductions are needed to meet air emissions standards.
We are committed to operating the Post Point plant in compliance with all applicable air quality regulations. Learn more about Incineration at Post Point.
Mayor Proposes New Direction for Post Point Project: On August 29, 2022, Mayor Seth Fleetwood proposed to focus on upgrades that are more affordable, emphasize water quality and promote community-wide climate actions. Watch the meeting recording to hear his statement.
Bellingham City Council Discussion: On September 12, 2022, Bellingham City Council heard a staff presentation and held a discussion about the new direction for the upgrades at Post Point. Watch the meeting recording to hear the discussion and read the packet materials for an overview of the new proposal.
On September 26, 2022, the Council discussed the new direction for the project and unanimously approved three motions:
- Move that the City Council concurs with the Mayor’s decision to halt further work on biodigestion for waste solids handling at the Post Point sewage treatment plant.
- Move that the Administration bring forward any policies previously adopted by the City Council that may need to be amended to align with this new direction relative to the Resource Recovery project and that, as they relate to the City’s current Climate Action Plan, relevant action plans and policies affected by the Post Point decision be referred to the Council’s Climate Action Committee for review and possible modification to the Climate Action Plan and , if necessary, brought to the full Council for consideration and possible adoption.
- Move that the Administration actively pursue and develop work plans investigating future projects into alternative waste solid technologies and processes, including but not limited to thermal processes such as pyrolysis and gasification, for supplementing and/or replacing the current incineration equipment and processes.
Watch the meeting recording to hear the full discussion.
Additional Resources
- Archived Post Point Resource Recovery Project page including details of the proposal for biodigestion of waste solids that ultimately was halted by the Mayor and City Council.
