[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6554783,"mediaKeyId","5019109-3e89cc23e08556d05514a13324b4e843","parentId",5019109,"title","WSU Skagit County Extension presents stormwater research, food‑waste prevention, nutrition and farm stress supports","audioSeconds",944,"startMs",1530000,"endMs",2474000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5019109-3e89cc23e08556d05514a13324b4e843&start=1530&end=2474","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5019109-3e89cc23e08556d05514a13324b4e843/thumbnail_1530000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6554783/Skagit-County/Washington/WSU-Skagit-County-Extension-presents-stormwater-research-foodwaste-prevention-nutrition-and-farm-stress-supports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554783-0defb8b254c362ae422f555d40c3b936/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068683&Signature=bj5Fqdv~cGjigFYLCooaj6p2NRoh7xj6XvOrmd0Y1EnY-VBtnK9p8t3oAtnYMRgxlJ3xyyCT3EXu3Y0Kp1Z4qeYQjkY~d1XWRS9i6ydPf~cPaTa-ru~EK4NviGPviulWuanI1O4KCetZrpCDlR9a6qqYXFUqoi0ak9Aarg-WkVH2UxOdY31Xz79jfZswMze-JL53hnUO8Hft-RGG49ubNT2dNLoQVyns7wxu2jHQXAyUgOzI4GHPGUBeYGgutlLa-2TRtuC1HjrKoBimf3O2kAbDsY2fj4lzNis6CgbdBi3XgW~omiYo92mSqEoJ7wGwvheIsKHD9MIGRhkiqRo5WQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Skagit County","date","2025-06-17T00:00:00Z","article","WSU Skagit County Extension staff and affiliated faculty gave the Skagit County Board of Commissioners an extended briefing on June 17 covering stormwater research, community health and nutrition programs, food‑waste prevention, and farm‑stress mental‑health services.

Ani Jayakaran, WSU faculty at the Puyallup Research and Extension Center, described ongoing stormwater work focused on pollutants including 6PPD‑quinone and on practical, scalable stormwater approaches. Jayakaran discussed “two‑stage ditches” for agricultural drainage, a local estimate of ditch mileage (about 380 miles of farm ditches and roughly 800 miles of roadside ditches in Skagit County), and small‑scale best management practice (BMP) research such as biochar amendments and permeable pavements. Jayakaran presented tree‑water‑use measurements from a multi‑year study (64 trees across four species) showing that trees can manage a large share of rainfall that falls on their canopies — the speaker reported figures near 60% for some species — and said the work was intended to produce numbers useful to incentivize developers to retain large trees.

Diane Smith, WSU Skagit County Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, summarized community programs under a “championing planetary health” umbrella, including a food‑waste prevention coalition, a newly piloted Washington Climate Stewards Certificate Program (six to eight sessions with online, in‑person and field components planned for fall), and a farm‑to‑community initiative involving a Peruvian “popping” bean being bred for quick cooking and potential inclusion in school and Head Start menus (the brief said a one‑quarter‑cup serving can meet a one‑ounce protein equivalent used for school snack criteria).

Sarah Gill, a registered nurse hired by WSU Extension for chronic disease prevention, outlined nutrition and cooking curricula the office will offer, including a six‑week Mediterranean‑style program (“Med Instead of Meds”), a four‑week Diabetes Cook‑Along, and a four‑week Dining with Diabetes series. Gill cited the county’s 2021 health survey figures (reported in the presentation) showing adult obesity at 35.8% and adolescent obesity at about 35% and described planned partnerships with senior centers, libraries, and community chefs to deliver classes.

Maddie Vanderkooy, coordinator for the Western Region Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Partnership (RASAP) based in the Skagit Extension office, described outreach and direct services for farmers, ranchers and agricultural professionals. Vanderkooy cited a historical suicide mortality rate discussed in the presentation (28.7 per 100,000 for farmers versus 15.3 per 100,000 across other industries), described RASAP partner services (Farm Aid resource hotline, AgriSafe 24/7 crisis support, National AgrAbility assistive technology), and noted program features including mini‑grants (up to $5,000), training such as COMET (a CBT‑based training for community members), mental health first aid and QPR, and a regional resource site (farmstress.us). Vanderkooy said RASAP funding was paused briefly earlier but that the program was funded through September 2026 and that staff use layered county, state and federal funding to manage pauses.

Commissioners asked about readiness to scale technologies and how research could move into regulation or pilot projects. Jayakaran said many of the techniques are “ready for prime time” but scaling and adoption require champions, policy adjustments and practical pilot testing. Commissioners praised Extension’s outreach and reinforcements that the Extension network gives the county access to statewide technical expertise.

The briefing included logistics and personnel updates (new staff hires and positions) and a note that Extension’s “Pizza for Producers” program has been recognized at state, regional and national levels.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Skagit County - Record of the Proceedings - Tuesday Session - Jun 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","WSU Skagit County Extension presented stormwater research, community climate programming, nutrition education and farm‑stress mental‑health services to the Skagit County Board of Commissioners on June 17.","taxTitle","Skagit County, Washington","taxId",5125,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6554788,"Skagit County commissioners deny appeal, affirm hearing examiner on NextEra battery storage project",483,3635000,4118000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5019109-3e89cc23e08556d05514a13324b4e843&start=3635&end=4118","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5019109-3e89cc23e08556d05514a13324b4e843/thumbnail_3635000.jpg","/articles/6554788/Skagit-County/Washington/Skagit-County-commissioners-deny-appeal-affirm-hearing-examiner-on-NextEra-battery-storage-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6554788-d57279b2916e09258e4c7579c1d648aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068683&Signature=K53Xk6m-SyQirdjVVH-0TfVO7eROEGC9dSaXCAm~F8CUoV0SWLyFL2nty78x~wiWuQYv9IV8K~XBV9ux9VwG-PqPc-OVQ5QlADiZQwmvbp5xctVJGiA-tzID-IAQjUxEGKWI30EBR9193fqx5q8mpBySZVvVHY6wzoF-tDH7awbJWzb~v3wNXFI-5P1~CPRnnG4aKDa5Usnk1tag7xcwXtpN7wYyOoQHtVuGpedjdJQbH8K7bBRDY94Z48zSA7c1XVWam0E8TmvYfQsqNqVvnvPUcmUI3fEWmKjfn76q6hWbR-QRAxHi-15vbbsQzcXvw2F1a1ukPcBoKT0AEaMR3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Skagit County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on June 17 to deny a closed‑record appeal by Stewards of Skagit and to affirm the Skagit County hearing examiner’s decision granting a special use permit to NextEra Energy Resources Development LLC for a battery energy storage facility in the Bayview Ridge Heavy Industrial area off Ovenell Road.

The resolution, read into the record by the board, found that on the closed record the board was “unable to conclude that the hearing examiner’s decision was clearly erroneous,” and therefore affirmed the hearing examiner’s findings and conclusions rather than remanding the matter for additional proceedings or adopting new findings.

The appeal concerned special use permit PL20-3408 for parcels cited in the record as part of the Bayview Ridge industrial zone. The county’s draft resolution cited applicable provisions of the Skagit County Code (SCC) regarding closed‑record appeals and burden of proof, including the standard that an appellant must show the hearing examiner’s decision was “clearly erroneous” (citing the rule as stated in the record and precedent cited in the resolution).

Commissioners discussed portions of the administrative record before the vote. One commissioner said the record — described during discussion as a multi‑thousand‑page closed record — included fire‑protection analysis, decommissioning plans and mitigation materials. The board’s legal counsel reported a detailed review of the record and concluded the hearing examiner had addressed the fire‑safety concerns raised during the appeal. The motion to adopt the resolution was moved and seconded; the commissioners voted in favor and the clerk was provided an original to sign. The motion carried 3 to 0.

Members of the public used the county’s public‑comment period to urge a different outcome. Bonnie Holmes, identified on the record as a Thurston County resident who said she had been affected by other battery energy storage systems in Washington, said the community “was not allowed to be engaged in this process” and raised concerns about public notice, proprietary documents and nondisclosure agreements. Joan Burns, a county resident, said she lives within five miles of the site and expressed concern for volunteer fire capacity and nearby schools. Celeste Frisbie of Cedar Woolley said residents who live closest to the site had limited notice and urged the commissioners to “take time for consideration of what’s at stake.” Additional commenters raised risks they associated with thermal runaway, chemical contamination and inadequate community outreach.

Under the closed‑record standard the board considered only materials in the administrative record and legal arguments presented in the appeal. The board’s resolution explicitly listed three statutory options for such appeals — deny and affirm the examiner, find the decision clearly erroneous and adopt its own findings, or remand — and explained why the board selected denial and affirmation based on the record.

The commissioners concluded the action was governed by existing land‑use code for the Bayview Ridge heavy industrial zone and that the hearing examiner’s review had included analysis of the concerns raised. The resolution denying the appeal was approved; the clerk indicated an original would be signed. The board adjourned the hearing and returned to other scheduled business.

Outcome and next steps: The board’s action affirms the special use permit approval on the closed record. The decision, as recorded, leaves potential legal remedies available to appellants under applicable law but does not itself create a further county hearing or remand.

","The Skagit County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on June 17 to deny an appeal by Stewards of Skagit and to affirm the hearing examiner’s approval of NextEra Energy’s special use permit for a battery energy storage facility in the Bayview Ridge heavy industrial area.","actionData","errors"]

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WSU Skagit County Extension presents stormwater research, food‑waste prevention, nutrition and farm stress supports

Skagit County commissioners deny appeal, affirm hearing examiner on NextEra battery storage project