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Public comment urges task force to consider naturally occurring asbestos, landslide risks on Sumas Mountain
Summary
A written public comment read at the April 14 meeting warned the task force that clearcutting and quarry expansion on the west side of Sumas Mountain could expose naturally occurring asbestos and increase landslide risk; the comment urged the task force to consider these risks in planning.
A written public comment from Kathleen Greenbaum was read during the Whatcom County Forest Resilience Task Force meeting on April 14. Greenbaum warned the task force to “be mindful of the naturally occurring asbestos and landslide issues on the West Side Of Sumas Mountain,” and cited the interaction of clearcutting, climate-driven atmospheric rivers and landslide-prone parcels. The written comment also cited expansion of the Cypher Goodwin Quarry to the east as an example the commenter viewed as relevant.
The comment was submitted through the task force website and read aloud by staff during the public comment portion of the meeting. No formal action or staff response beyond acknowledging receipt was recorded in the meeting transcript.
Why it matters: exposure of naturally occurring asbestos and increased landslide risk can pose public health and environmental hazards and may intersect with forestry, land-use change and quarry operations that the Forest Resilience Plan seeks to address. Task force members did not take formal action on the comment at the meeting; the comment will be part of the record that task force staff and consultants incorporate into ongoing plan drafting if relevant.
