Settlement restores Whidbey Island wetlands

(OAK HARBOR)— Wetlands on Whidbey Island will be restored and $10,000 invested in wetland conservation in Island County under a settlement agreement between the Washington Department of Ecology and the property owners.

In Washington, wetlands are protected by state law and cannot be drained, filled or modified without prior authorization from Ecology, according to a news release from the agency. Wetlands play a critical role in recharging aquifers and filtering pollutants from runoff.

“Wetlands are incredibly important for protecting water quality, recharging groundwater, and providing habitat,” said Joenne McGerr, who manages Ecology’s Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program. “We’re pleased that we could resolve this case, fully restore this area, and support the conservation of wetlands in Island County.”

Drainage ditches dug through the wetlands have already been filled in, and a restoration plan for the southern acre of their property will restore wetland functions. Under the settlement, $10,000 will go to the nonprofit Whidbey Camano Land Trust to help restore and conserve wetlands on Whidbey Island.

When Ecology issued its 2024 penalty, Whiteman and Coury had been working to comply with the administrative order. Ecology staff visited the site on Sept. 25, 2024 –15 days after the penalty was issued – and confirmed the ditches had been backfilled. They also found the couple had planted grass seed and taken other actions to comply with the order.

While Whiteman and Coury appealed Ecology’s 2023 administrative order and 2024 penalty, both parties also entered mediation. The legal cases were settled on Oct. 16, 2025.

The settlement agreement resolves a 2024 penalty, originally for $120,000, and all lawsuits related to the case filed by the property owners, Christopher Whiteman and Victoria Coury.