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DAY ONE | DAY TWO | DAY THREE | DAY FOUR | WRAP UP
--Larry Fahn, Sierra Club President
Friday's windup of my Pacific Northwest tour ended in a BIG way: Joining Washington Governor Christine Gregoire as she signed the landmark "Clean Car" bill; Greeting Sen. Patty Murray and dozens of Washington state policy makers at a fundraiser luncheon, where I could continue to bash the Bush "free trade" agenda; meeting with Rep. Jay Inslee on a series of environmental issues (esp. CAFTA); then learning that another of our Northwest Congressional targets, Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Portland, whose trade forum I had attended with the Steelworkers' Dave Foster earlier in the week, was coming out in opposition to the Central America Free Trade Agreement!
 As she signed the nation's second legislative package requiring cars and trucks to start reducing levels of greenhouse-gas emissions (California's Pavley bill was the first), embattled Governor Gregoire acknowledged and thanked me for being there, and for the work of the Sierra Club, and others in a strong Washington state environmental coalition for helping make the day's event possible, by working with the bill's authors, and helping shepherd it through the state House and Senate. Many of the state legislators, Democrats and Republicans alike, were there and praised the work of the Sierra Club, including our talented lobbyist in Olympia Craig Engelking, Seattle staffers Roger Singer, Kathleen Casey, and Angela Silva, and volunteers Holly Forrest, Peter North, Becky Stanley and Mike McGuinn, among others. The Club's INCA Committee had invested as well in media and mailings in support of this important effort. Washington's bill is linked to a similar initiative in Oregon, and our staff in Oregon (esp. Paul Shively and Erica Maharg) has learned directly from the Governor's office that Governor Kulongoski is committed to advancing Oregon's clean car rules via adminstrative order. This means that, with California, Oregon and Washington on board, almost 30 percent of all cars and trucks sold in the U.S. will be required to reduce CO2 and other harmful emissions in the next few years. Thanks to Sierra Club staff and volunteers in all three states.
After the press conference, which was held outdoors at the Marina Park in Kirkland, WA, I was interviewed by a series of TV and print press crews about the national significance of the Washington clean car bill signing, and also asked to respond to the news about the White House repeal of the Clinton era Roadless Rule. As more good news comes from the state of Washington, more bad news emanates from the other Washington. Typical.
The luncheon for Patty Murray was a spur-of-the-moment event for me, but a good opportunity to speak with Senator Murray, and several of her staff, as well as Congressional representatives, state legislators and their staff, and keynote speaker former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, about the importance of defeating CAFTA now. Congressman Inslee, one of our true environmental champions in the House, invited me for a late Friday afternoon visit on Bainbridge Island to talk about energy, forest protection, and trade, which was much appreciated. During our time together, Jay took a media call and did a radio interview on the Roadless Rule news from DC. His take on the announcement was identical to ours: That it represents a dangerous giveaway to timber-cutting interests, and threatened to open up some of our nation's most treasured wilderness areas to clear-cut logging. Although Inslee indicated that he was still hearing from both sides on the CAFTA debate (Microsoft is a major constituent and he has been a consistent free-trade advocate), he was disturbed about the lack of environmental and labor standards in the latest CAFTA Agreement.
The news that Earl Blumenauer had added his name to the growing list of CAFTA oppponents was encouraging, and another step to sending trade negotiators back to the drawing board so as to develop trade rules that protect the environment and workers as core features of the agreement. Anyone from the Portland area should give Rep. Blumenauer a call and offer a word of thanks. Washington folks should also thank Congressmen Baird, Smith and Larson.
Speaking of thanks, I wanted to express my deepest gratitude to Dave Foster of the Steelworkers, for his eloquent support of our CAFTA position, and for his willingness to spend the better part of a week on the road with the Sierra Club. It was a huge boost for the Club and for the Steelworkers, as we worked so well in furtherance of a common goal. Special thanks also need to go to Maurice Henderson, the Steelworkers media liaison, and their Seattle field rep Joel Hanson, who joined us for most of the trip, and did a superb job of working with the media, Congressional staff, town hall meeting sites, etc.
Our Associate Trade Rep Susan Knight was my trusty colleague for the past week, and worked day and night to keep everything together. She handled the transportation, lodging, photo ops, editorial board visits, blog editing, meeting schedule and interaction with chapter volunteers and staff. Her great photos can be seen along with my day-by-day travel blog. She was terrific.
Thanks also to our Town Hall meeting moderators Barbara Dudley in Oregon and Marina Skumanich in Washington. Those two ladies know more about trade issues than anyone I've met, and couldn't have been more helpful.
I will never forgot those folks and many others who made this one of the more eventful, memorable and productive trips of my presidency. Environmentalism is alive and well in the Pacific Northwest.
Photos: Susan Knight/Sierra Club collection; all rights reserved.
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