BELLINGHAM, Wash. — The dam removal project on the Middle Fork Nooksack River may have actually harmed the environment in a way.
While the removal of the dam did open up spawning habitat for salmon and continues to support orca populations, environmental regulators aren’t entirely happy with how the project went.
The state Department of Ecology fined the construction company that worked with the City of Bellingham on the project for failing to implement practices to prevent contamination from concrete construction waste from contaminating stormwater during the work.
The contractor, Walsh Construction Company, ultimately paid the penalty of $2,000 in October 2020.