On Again
Guemes Ferry Electrification: Project Resurfaces, Questions Remain
The Guemes Island Ferry Electrification Project is officially back on track. On June 25, 2025, the City of Anacortes—permitting agency for all dock modifications—issued a Notice of Application for a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit, opening a 30-day public comment period.
Skagit County is leading the project as both property owner and developer, with Ross Widner of Widner & Associates as its agent. Based on submitted environmental documents, the City plans to issue a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance (MDNS), concluding that “probable significant adverse environmental impacts are unlikely.”
But is that really the case?
Lithium-Ion Battery Concerns Ignored?
Central to the project is a powerful battery bank to be installed on the Anacortes dock. It will be trickle-charged by the local grid and used to rapidly recharge the all-electric ferry in just seven minutes per docking—a demand that far exceeds Puget Sound Energy's current capacity without impacting Anacortes' grid stability.
Yet, risks associated with lithium-ion battery fires are notably absent from the permit documentation.
These fires are difficult, often impossible, to extinguish. Recent examples include:
- Moss Landing Power Plant, a 300 MW battery facility, burned for days.
- Morning Midas, a car carrier with hundreds of electric vehicles, caught fire June 3, 2025, in the Gulf of Alaska. It burned for three weeks before sinking on June 23.
Despite this, the fire risk on the dock—and potential evacuation needs—remain unaddressed.
Fire Safety Claims Under Scrutiny
Project developers told the Anacortes Fire Chief that a water-based suppression system would suffice, and firefighters need only hook up a hose. Experts know this approach doesn’t work: lithium-ion fires are chemical, not conventional, and usually must burn out on their own.
In other cases, authorities have issued evacuation zones of up to half a mile due to toxic fumes released during combustion.
The public deserves to know: Why wasn’t this risk evaluated in the MDNS?
Impacts on Parking and Traffic
Residents also raised concerns about loss of parking and traffic flow:
- 25 parking spaces in the lower railroad lot will be eliminated.
- 4 of 7 ADA parking spots by the terminal are lost with the two drop off slots changed to ADA. There will no longer be drop-off slots at the terminal.
- A new toll booth will be placed where the school bus turnaround currently sits.
- A third holding lane will be added, but dock capacity will shrink to 17 vehicles, even though the ferry holds 22.
No firm plans show where ADA spaces will be relocated, or how vehicle processing will be handled without delaying departures.
Public Input Needed – Before July 25
Guemes Islanders were not consulted earlier in the planning process. Now’s the time to speak up.
Comment Deadline: 5:00 PM, July 25, 2025
Send written comments to:
📬 Grace Pollard, Senior Planner
City of Anacortes
P.O. Box 547, Anacortes, WA 98221
📌 The City has committed to holding a public hearing—but no date has been set.
Learn More
🗂 Full project plans:
https://ci-anacortes-wa.smartgovcommunity.com/Public/Home
Click Public Notices → Select file no. SDP-2024-0003
🔥 Battery fire risks:
https://stewardsofskagit.org