Turney, president of Fairhaven shipyard’s parent company Puglia Engineering, said the tribe sent a letter to the U.S. Corp of Engineers dropping its earlier objections to the drydock. This came as part of a negotiated deal the he agreed not to disclose. 

Tribal approval is required on many  (if not all) waterfront projects because the Lummis and other tribes have treaty-guaranteed rights to make a living harvesting salmon, crab and other marine resources. Any activity that may have a negative impact on such harvesting can result in tribal objections and the withholding of  federal permits for such activities. Objections were raised by the Lummis on November 10^th  to the lifting and servicing of the ferry by Fairhaven Shipyard. The Army Corps of Engineers then withheld the shipyard’s required federal permit for installation and operation of the drydock. 

On Friday, November 20, 2009, Turney ordered his crew to lift the Kennicott without the federal permit rather than risk financial penalties for late completion of the job. He is optimistic that the Corps will now issue him the permit he needs to continue moving forward with the project.* 

*Material gathered/quoted from The Bellingham Herald, November 25, 2009, Lummis, shipyard reach agreement on drydock work