As Lake Whatcom Management Program partners, the City of Bellingham, Whatcom County, and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District work together to develop a coordinated five year work plan to meet program goals for the protection of Lake Whatcom and its watershed. The 2020-2024 draft work plan is now available for public review and comment. Click here to download a copy.

The draft work plan will be reviewed and considered by the partner jurisdictions this month at these public meetings:

• Wednesday, Feb.12: Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District Board of Commissioners meeting, 6:30 p.m. at 1220 Lakeway Dr., Bellingham. Details at https://lwwsd.org/about-us/meetings/.

• Tuesday, Feb. 18: Whatcom County Council Water work session, 10:30 a.m., Garden Level Conference Room, 322 N. Commercial St., Bellingham. Details at https://www.whatcomcounty.us/268/County-Council.

• Monday, Feb. 24: City Council regular meeting, 7:00 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 210 Lottie St., Bellingham. Details at https://meetings.cob.org/.

The final work plan will be presented for approval at the Annual Lake Whatcom Management Program Joint Councils and Commission meeting on Wednesday, March 25. Details on this meeting will be posted at the www.lakewhatcom.whatcomcounty.org website in March.

Public comments on the draft work plan are welcome and can be submitted in writing by Monday, March 2 to the three decision-making bodies in a single email addressed to: ccmail@cob.org; council@co.whatcom.wa.us; general.inbox@lwwsd.org. Comments received by March 2 will be considered by the Lake Whatcom Management Program partners before the work plan is finalized.

For more information, contact Clare Fogelsong, environmental policy manager with the Bellingham Public Works Natural Resources division at (360) 778-7965 or cfogelsong@cob.org.