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Judge grants partial preliminary injunction in favor of Lummi Nation

The lawsuit stemmed from claims of construction on ancestral burial grounds.

By Dianna Hawryluk July 16, 2026 2:06 pm

Large wooden totem pole sculpture with bold red, white, and black carvings, outdoors in a sunny park against a blue sky. — My Bellingham NowEmma ToscaniA carved bear statue with a cub on its back on the Lummi Reservation.

POINT ROBERTS, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A judge has ruled in favor of the Lummi Nation in an ongoing case against a telecommunications company.

The U.S. District Court judge partially granted a preliminary injunction in the lawsuit, which the Lummi Nation had filed earlier this year to stop construction on Point Roberts.

My Bellingham Now previously reported that Whidbey Telecom is accused of planning construction on Lummi burial grounds without consulting the tribe.

Under the preliminary injunction, Whidbey Telecom isn’t allowed to continue ground-disturbing work without at least 30 days’ notice to the Lummi Reservation.

The judge noted that Lummi officials still need to request a permit from Whatcom County to assess potential damage.

The county, which is also named in the lawsuit, added that it’s more than willing to expedite the permit review process.