Editor’s Note: This story was updated with comment from Whidbey Telecom. Last update at 1:47 pm 5/8/26.

POINT ROBERTS, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Lummi Nation is pushing for a telecoms company to stop further construction on ancient burial grounds in Point Roberts.

The nation filed a motion for an emergency injunction Thursday, May 7 after bringing the original suit to the U.S. District Court late last month.

Several documents filed Thursday state that the defendants assessed only a fraction of the damage caused by construction. The new motion claims that without a proper damage assessment from the defendants, damage to ancestral remains and cultural artifacts will continue.

My Bellingham Now previously reported on the original suit, in which Lummi said they issued multiple warnings and notices to Whidbey Telecom and Whatcom County among others.

The nation also submitted evidence of damage to human remains from recent activities and the county’s admission of fault for improperly issuing permits.

Court documents claim that the defendants actions go against 23 different federal case rulings as well as several statutes within the state.

When reached for comment, Whidbey Telecom CEO Donna Hilty offered the following statement:

“Whidbey Telecom is a homegrown company with deep roots in the island communities around the Puget Sound that it has served for more than 100 years.  We are proud of our reputation for caring, sustainable and ethical business practices as we work to bring high speed connections to underserved parts of our region.

Whidbey Telecom generally does not comment on pending litigation.  As it pertains to the lawsuit brought by the Lummi and related press releases, we look forward to addressing the allegations and correcting the record through the legal process.  We would like to clarify that the principal fiber optic project at issue has been paused for three years at the direction of permitting agencies, and it will remain on hold pending this litigation, guidance from governmental authorities, and other considerations.  In the meantime, Whidbey Telecom will continue to serve customers in Point Roberts to the best of its ability with existing infrastructure.”

Whatcom County would not comment on pending litigation.