Please help Protect Mud Bay Cliffs (PMBC) save Mud Bay and the surrounding area from a disastrous subdivision that's being proposed on the steep and unstable slopes above Bellingham's North Chuckanut Bay.

We are seeking donations of $25 to $100 from our more than 700 supporters who would be making their first contribution. Our funding goal is $30,000.

If you have yet to make a donation to PMBC, please know that Mud Bay isn’t just a place on a map — it’s one of the few natural areas in the city where people can watch great blue herons feeding in the marsh, paddle kayaks with the incoming tide, or enjoy a scenic walk along the shoreline.

But Mud Bay has reached a critical crossroads.

A proposed subdivision is threatening this sensitive estuary — as well as surrounding neighborhoods — putting wildlife, water quality, and citizens at risk. The developer and the City of Bellingham have turned a blind eye on these potential threats while failing to comply with laws designed to protect Mud Bay and the public.

Using the power of science and the legal process, PMBC has proven beyond any doubt that the subdivision threatens the ecology of Mud Bay’s estuarine wetlands and resource-rich mudflats. It is essential that an Environmental Impact Statement be prepared, but the city has failed to require an EIS.

Mounting this legal challenge to force an EIS has required immense resources. That’s why we’re making this final appeal for your support so we can continue to retain our experts to protect Mud Bay and hold the City of Bellingham and the developer accountable to federal, state and local regulations.

What We’re Doing

Thanks to hundreds of generous supporters who have already donated nearly $200,000, PMBC has won a host of key legal battles despite many obstacles thrown our way. Over the past several years, PMBC has:

• Engaged high-caliber environmental attorneys to challenge the developer’s false claims and the City’s unsupported and spurious decisions.

• Consulted with the best technical experts to identify and establish potential adverse impacts to salmon, shellfish, herons, and the public from the discharge of polluted stormwater generated by the subdivision and from blasting, clearing and grading unstable slopes. These experts have consistently refuted the developer’s claims that their poorly-conceived project poses no significant adverse impacts.

• Testified before the City’s Hearing Examiner in two public hearings to present objective evidence and demand that the law be followed, and not abandoned or circumvented for private profit.

Our Legal Battle Is Entering Its Final Phase

Your contribution, no matter how large or small, will go directly toward funding our experts and attorneys as they put the finishing touches our legal case.

Whether it’s $25, $50 or $100, every donation PMBC receives ensures we'll have the resources needed to stand up against deep-pocketed developers while holding the City accountable to its citizens.

Your Donation is Tax-Deductible

All funds gifted to PMBC are managed by our sponsoring 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Responsible Development, making your gift fully tax-deductible.

Your Impact Will Extend into the Future

This battle isn't simply about one subdivision, and it’s more than a local fight; it’s about whether the citizens of Bellingham can successfully hold powerful interests accountable to the environmental laws that protect us all. It’s also a litmus test for Bellingham’s future:

Will the City respect ecological limits?

Or will it sacrifice irreplaceable natural wonders for irresponsible development?

Your support can help navigate the right balance between growth and preservation of a unique resource.

Thank you for your support!

Relevant Links

PMBC's website

PMBC's article Mud Bay at a Crossroads