Resident raises safety concerns about proposed lithium battery facility near Padilla Bay

During the public comment period on Oct. 14, Ingrid Hinton told Skagit County commissioners she was concerned about safety and permitting for a proposed lithium battery facility she said is located about 0.25 miles from Padilla Bay and is near Viva Farms.

Hinton, who identified herself as speaking on behalf of EV Fire Safe materials she cited, described a separate April 2025 collision in Sacramento in which she said a high-speed electric vehicle crash scattered lithium-iron battery cells and released a vapor cloud during post-crash handling. She said four firefighters suffered inhalation injuries after brief exposure and, as of Sept. 28, 2025, remained unable to return to work.

Hinton told the commissioners the facility’s applicant had not provided complete emergency plans and had changed its fire designation without resubmitting permit materials, and she characterized those omissions as dishonest. She urged the county to require “fair and transparent” permitting and to ensure all safety processes are in place before issuing permits.

The county record at the meeting did not include a staff response or a formal agenda item tied to Hinton’s remarks. Hinton referenced the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and county permit processes when criticizing the application materials; the transcript records the applicant’s paperwork was alleged to be incomplete but does not show county staff validating that claim.

No formal action, referral or permit decision occurred during the Oct. 14 session; Hinton’s comments were made during the public comment period and were entered into the meeting record.