PORT TOWNSEND — With a company representative defiantly saying Fred Hill Materials Inc. would not negotiate, Jefferson County commissioners on Monday rescinded their 60-day notice to terminate an environmental impact statement contract for the pit-to-pier project.

The commissioners’ unanimous action came after two of the three elected commissioners on Friday lifted the county’s suspension of county and consultant work on Fred Hill Materials’ the gravel project’s environmental impact statement.

The suspension was the result of Fred Hill Materials’ tardiness in paying funds to the county to cover staff work on the impact statement.

“It would seem like it would de-escalate things to rescind the 60-day [notice],” said County Commissioner David Sullivan, adding that county staff would have to work with Fred Hill Materials to ensure that a late payment would not happen again.