Snohomish PUD No. 1 is in the process of obtaining a Shoreline Conditional Use Permit to lay out a new electrical lifeblood beneath the waters—this time stretching from the Port of Everett to Hat Island. The plan includes deploying horizontal directional drilling (HDD) techniques, a method that is touted for its minimal environmental disruption, unlike traditional trenching. The HDD will bore from Port of Everett property and resurface beyond where the tides climb, allowing for the power cable to rest unobtrusively on the seabed.
Community voices are essential in this endeavor, as the Office of Community, Planning, & Economic Development has opened the floor for public comments after declaring the application complete on April 30, 2025. Comments are invited until June 23, 2025, and can be submitted in writing to the office located at 2930 Wetmore Avenue, Suite 8-A, Everett, Washington, or voiced at the upcoming public hearing. This hearing will give residents the chance to speak directly to the City of Everett Hearing Examiner. Issued decisions on this project will be open to legal challenges under Chapter 36.70C RCW, should the public see fit.
As it stands, a date has been set for the public hearing regarding the proposal. Interested parties can mark their calendars for July 17, 2025, at 10AM. Residents wanting to find out more details, participate, or simply tune in can do so by visiting the City of Everett's official notice. A decision will be made after the hearing and can then be requested and appealed, based on the ruling of Snohomish County Superior Court.
