QUESTION #5: In 2022 the US government mandated that all departments and agencies reduce the use of SUP’s (single use plastics) on Federal properties. This ban includes all concessionaires supplying items such as plastic beverage bottles, to go containers and plastic bags. This program is designed to reduce or eliminate the use of SUP’s by 2032. Many local communities are taking similar actions. Would you support a ban on SUP’s in San Juan County? How would you implement a similar ban?

I am proud to have been on San Juan County Council when we banned plastic bags and I would fully support the immediate ban on single-use plastic eating utensils because there are great eco-friendly alternatives that are affordable.  I would further support working with businesses on a staged rollout of the elimination of single use beverage containers. That said, I think we do have to take into the account the needs of businesses like grocery stores who may struggle more with the challenges of eliminating all plastic food or beverage containers. We want and need our grocery stores to survive and be sustainable. A longer term plan to eliminate plastic waste may be necessary to allow time for manufacturers and suppliers to produce alternatives for these stores.

Kari McVeigh: “Bellingham’s 2021 Single-Use Plastics Ordinance offers a model for San Juan County. It mandates the use of durable food service ware for on-site dining and bans most single-use plastic items for takeout or delivery, allowing businesses to provide reusable or compostable alternatives. However, unlike Bellingham, San Juan County lacks large-scale food waste composting, which is crucial for supporting compostable alternatives. Developing an organics recycling system is essential to successfully implementing a similar plastics reduction effort in the county. I would support the County’s solid waste program in both plastic reduction measures and large-scale composting opportunities.

In the meantime, our county can continue to promote the state-wide requirements in State Senate Bill 5022 (disposable service ware is provided only upon customer request) and State Senate Bill 5323 (bans plastic bags).”

Justin Paulsen: “The Federal Government has clearly indicated that the elimination of single-use plastics is a priority for the upcoming decade and is currently instituting policies to facilitate this work.  I support following this lead and taking steps to reduce single-use plastics from the San Juan County waste stream, with a targeted goal of elimination as soon as is feasible.

Instituting this work will take dedicated and progressive work on the part of our community.  Single use plastic packaging and materials are currently woven into our standard supply-chain, and reduction will require significant changes in producer and consumer processes.  The first step in creating this change should come from the government level, with focused attention on the materials and supplies that we use in our everyday operations.  As with any work that hinges on changing consumer habits – education, information and an incentives will all play a part in successfully achieving a net reduction.  By being proactive in this work, San Juan County will be able to track and work in tandem with broader policies at the State and Federal level which will ultimately be required to affect changes at the producer level.

Altering the level of plastic input to our waste stream has a positive net impact for our community both environmentally and economically and I support efforts and legislation to further that work.”

Stephanie O’day did not respond by the deadline.

QUESTION #4: ORS is an Orcas-only corporate entity that operates on contract with San Juan County. Can the county help us find ways to coordinate with Lopez and San Juan to operate more efficiently, cut costs, and improve recycling success?

Stephanie O’day: “Oh I would certainly hope so.”

Jonathan Welch: “If my previous answers are any indication, the simple answer is yes. 

I am certain that Orcas Recycling has a insightful perspective that should be addressed and distributed to other similar island operations. The county would be well suited for leading a round table conversation. A two or three day convention even. For OPALCO, farmers, and the other refuse contract holders within the County. 

To set the table for our collective futures. And, get as many as possible on the same page.” 

Rick Hughes: “Yes, I will help all three of the solid waste facilities to work together and help each other out.  I was in office when the solid waste contracts were agreed upon and I think all three are great options, which the more they can work together, the closer we will get to our goal of Renew, Reuse and Recycle.”

Kari McVeigh: “I believe so, for example, we need to implement large-scale composting in our county. This is going to take infrastructure, staffing, and equipment. Some of the biggest costs will be the equipment (grinders and screeners). The County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship/Solid Waste Program could facilitate the sharing between islands of some of this more expensive equipment, which could also include partnering on the maintenance and repairs. In addition, the County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship can also seek out and write grants to help build the organics recycling programs at all the waste facilities.” 

Justin Paulsen: “Each island in San Juan County has developed its own values and its own system for how to handle the recycling and solid waste needs of their island community.  I believe it is important for us, as a County, to honor the needs and desires of those communities.  Where possible, we should be sharing successes and San Juan County should be facilitating discussions between the various utilities to build on the work that each is doing.  I do believe that there are opportunities for us, as a county, to act cooperatively to serve the good of each individual island.”

Adrian Kilpatrick did not respond by the deadline.

QUESTION #3: Do you believe the county should ban the sale of certain “forever chemicals?”

Stephanie O’day: “need more information before answering this question.”  

Jonathan Welch: “Aren’t batteries in electric cars made from forever chemicals? Like fireworks, it’s often difficult to ban sales of certain items specifically for a county. However, one example of what could be; is the policy to prevent Styrofoam from filling our rubbish bins. A successful standard that most of Western Washington state has now complied with. We see with Hannah Heights, how the encroachment of PFAS can be extremely detrimental in our communities. And, the county should make policy on the handling of forever chemicals, where ever possible.”

Rick Hughes: “Depending on which chemicals are and what the use is,  I would do what’s possible to eliminate the use of “forever chemicals” and look for local or state funding to expand hazard waste roundups.”

Kari McVeigh: “Getting rid of “forever chemicals” such as PFAS is very important.  I am not sure if the County has authority to act by itself in this area, but the State does have legal authority to ban classes of chemicals in specific product areas (RCW 70A.350).  The Dept of Ecology has drafted an action plan, but lawmaking is slow since there are thousands of such chemicals in thousands of different products.  I believe as Council members we can represent the county in Olympia and press for acceleration of their removal.  One thing we need immediately is to ensure that the Legislature fully funds Ecology’s requests for funding to test, measure, and report on PFAS levels so that we can all operate with good information.” 

Justin Paulsen: “Unfortunately, San Juan County is experiencing a real-life example of how insidious and difficult the problem of PFAS chemicals can be with the recent poisoning of the well in the Hannah Heights neighborhood.  While I believe that there are some overt instances where we can make progress in banning and eliminating PFAS chemicals from our County, in order to eliminate them we will need to become vocal at the State and Federal level.  Currently PFAS chemicals appear as components of nearly every consumer item in our country.  I believe it is entirely appropriate for Council to join with other municipal and community organizations to lobby for the reduction and elimination of these chemicals where possible.”

Adrian Kilpatrick did not respond by the deadline.

QUESTION #2: Restaurant and food market waste, yard and homeowner waste, and byproducts from fire management on forest lands are all compostable and could become the inputs into community composting. Do you support the move toward community composting and away from burning?

Stephanie O’day: “Yes”

Jonathan Welch: “My favorite example of waste stuardship, was the tremendous effort by The Kitchen. A favorite local Asian style restaurant in the heart of Eastsound! The restaurant had refuse sorted into four bins. Recyclable metals. Recyclable paper goods. Compostable foods. And, “No Hope” garbage. I fully support setting such standards for comercial businesses within the County. The other portion of this question involves input from farmers. And, the designation of a community composting area large enough to facilitate it’s implementation. Which I also support.”

Rick Hughes: “I 100% support small and large scale composting.  I will do all in my authority to pass and support local regulations that will allow and help make the process easy for composting.  In addition, I will work with State Legislators and the Department of Ecology to help make large scale commercial composting possible in San Juan County.”

Kari McVeigh: “Yes, of course.  Anything we can do to create a more sustainable waste stream is something we need to support.  The County’s greenhouse gas emissions report (GHG Inventory) was eye opening in many ways, but it shows for example that 5% of our emissions come from moving solid waste to distant landfills (one is up to 350 miles away).  To the degree that compostable materials could be dealt with more locally, and to the degree we can discourage burning, we will reduce our emissions, our impact on the local environment, and be healthier for it”

Justin Paulsen: “As the owner of a small, family farm, composting is part of my daily operation.  Composting of food waste, yard vegetation and chipping of woody debris are profoundly preferred to burning and/or inputting those materials into the waste stream.  A move to community composting is an excellent opportunity for us to move our community further towards a zero-waste outcome.  I would enthusiastically support a program of this nature on each of the islands and believe that it is an investment that yields a positive net-return to our community.”

QUESTION #1: Siting decisions for wind and solar farms and emerging tidal power have and may continue to be controversial.  Do you believe the County Council should help to foster community conversations on land-based and marine siting for renewables with the goal of identifying degraded space, rooftops, airport corridors to avoid conflicts with priority open space, agriculture lands, and wildlife habitat.

Stephanie O’day: “Yes”

Jonathan Welch: “I strongly believe the county should be leading the way. Partnering with OPALCO. 

Each Island community deserves an open debate on spaces available, having correct zoning, and as acceptable to the Public as much as possible. The second aspect of these conversations, should be educational. Based on the added load that Puget Sound Energy will place on the grid by 2030, I strongly believe in independent energy for the San Juans.”

Rick Hughes: “Yes.  I think San Juan County and OPALCO are facing a long term issue on access to power and the county and OPALCO need to begin constructing renewable energy to have 50% of used power created on the islands.”

Kari McVeigh: “Absolutely, we should have open conversations about where to locate these projects.  We need a dialogue about what is needed for local resilience, where it is possible to put renewable projects with acceptable performance, and what concerns the community has.  But we also need to realize that our energy needs outstrip what is possible with rooftop solar and we need to work together as a community and determine how we can reach an acceptable compromise.  Reaching that compromise starts with making sure people’s voices are heard.”

Justin Paulsen: “It is absolutely the role of County Council to guide the discussion of establishing how our land use codes need to evolve to accommodate the need for renewable energy development.  Creating energy resiliency for our community will become more critical in the coming years and current development codes have failed to keep up with those increasing needs.  We are lucky to have OPALCO as a community partner that is leading the way by doing much of the heavy lifting for us.  It is through partnerships like this and through intentional and purposeful engagement with our community that we will be able to create a code and policy which will help us establish what is acceptable and proper siting for future renewable development.”