|
Our Wild Olympics, Photo by Peter F. Guerrero
|
|
Reminder: You're Invited...
...to our May Membership Meeting where our guest speaker, Marianne Edain from Whidbey Environmental Action Network, will discuss the status of military training in our parks.
Since 1913, the Washington State Parks system has preserved and maintained some of our most important natural habitats for all visitors and wildlife alike. Parklands are revered for their recreational, rehabilitating, and environmental benefits. They were never intended for covert military warfare training.
Despite overwhelming public opposition, the State Parks and Recreation Commission recently voted to allow the US Navy to conduct military training in up to 28 coastal Washington State Parks. Without warning, Navy trainees will land on shorelines, climb into uplands, and conduct covert military surveillance while interacting with unknowing park visitors. Simulated weapons will be used, potentially creating a very dangerous scenario in light of recent mass shootings in our country.
May 20, 7PM, RSVP required
|
|
|
|
Washington Takes Bold Steps to Reduce Carbon Emissions
The Holocene--the part of the Earth's history that we think of as our time--has been one of the most stable periods in our planet's long history. For 10,000 years (during which human civilization developed and flourished) the average global temperature did not vary up or down by more than 1 degree C...the Holocene was our Garden of Eden.
--David Attenborough--A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and A Vision for the Future
Suffice it to say, climate change promises to disrupt this long period of conditions favorable to all life, ourselves included. Reducing carbon and other greenhouse gasses is key to containing the harm already occurring due to our wanton burning of fossil fuels.
This past legislative session, Washington enacted The Climate Commitment Act, creating a cap-and-invest program that limits and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. It also creates one of the strongest environmental justice policies in the nation: Under the CCA, Washington's Department of Ecology will assess which communities are hardest hit by pollution and engage with them directly to determine whether pollution is decreasing over time -- and take action if it's not. All the while, we'll have a standing environmental justice advisory committee that gives members of frontline communities and tribes a voice in policy design and investment decisions.
Another big step forward for Washington this session was the passage of the Clean Fuel Standard, which reduces carbon emissions by expanding use of electric vehicles and lower-carbon fuels. In addition to giving people more choices at the pump, it will increase local demand for biofuels, creating new green jobs.
Thanks to all who lobbied for these laws and to our legislators and governor who provided the leadership needed to ensure their passage.
|
|
|
|
Governor Inslee Signs Legislation to Ban Destructive Seabed Mining
Introduced as SB 5145 by Senator Van De Wege, the reason and purpose for this legislation is best stated by the Senator himself:
It's great when we enact laws to correct or eliminate activities that are causing harm. What’s even better is when we can address a problem before it even becomes a problem. That’s the goal of my legislation to ban seabed mining, a growing industry that ravages natural habitat to extract minerals and deposits from the ocean floor. Simply put, seabed mining sucks up the ocean floor to capture metals, minerals and gemstones. This gouges the seabed, creating plumes of sediment that resettle in surrounding areas and can smother deep sea vents. The threat to marine life is obvious — locally we could see serious disruption to crabbing, fishing and shellfish.
|
|
|
|
Students Taking Environmental Action
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Students for Sustainability Supporting a Plastic Straw Ban, PDN Photo
Looking for ways to support students who are actively working for a better environment, The North Olympic Group hosted Port Townsend High School students Hailey Gallager, Melanie Bakin and Grace Wentzel and their advisor, Laura Tucker at last month's membership meeting. They were invited to talk about their club, Students for Sustainability, and how they are getting involved locally to help make Port Townsend a healthier place to live.
PTHS students shared with us the projects they have been involved in or currently working on now. Recently, they were successful in working with Port Townsend City Council to ban the use of plastic straws in the community and are now working on getting the City Council to pass an ordinance prohibiting the idling of vehicles, a source of air pollution. Students for Sustainability are also working on putting together a native plant garden at the high school and a plan for the reuse of utensils and plates in the school cafeteria.
We asked the students if they would be interested in participating on our executive committee and were delighted that they took us up on the offer. Sierra Club will be in contact with other high schools to see what environmental programs or clubs are taking place on their campuses. We look forward to meeting the students and supporting the next generation of environmental leaders.
|
|
Who Benefits from State Forest Lands
How to best manage our State trust lands is in the news with prior Commissioners arguing that the state's fiduciary responsibility must focus on climate change and future generations and the current Commissioner arguing for a status quo balance that also includes funding for schools and localities today. Our book group recently read Pulitzer Prize winner William Dietrich's The Final Forest: The Battle for the Last Great Trees of the Pacific Northwest , to explore how history can inform the current debate over who benefits from our state forest lands. First published in 1992 and updated two decades later, Dietrich's book deals with the Spotted Owl controversy but the arguments made then are the same today. In a recent Jefferson County Leader letter, State Senator Van De Wege argues that:
Reducing timber harvests on Department of Natural Resources trust lands would increase carbon emissions and environmental degradation by shifting timber harvesting to places that do not share our environmental standards and practices. Where is the gain from reducing local harvests if we then burn more fossil fuels to import and transport wood products from thousands of miles away?
But the timber industry today is highly automated and the small size of harvested, "plantation" timber no longer supports local mills. True enough, timber harvesting overseas may not be subject to the same environmental standards however, Dietrich notes, some 40 percent of trees cut in Washington State were neither milled nor used by Americans, but instead were sold overseas.
In 1970, DNR planned to cut trees every 110 years and accepted that one-third to one-fifth of the time the trees would be lost to fire, wind, insects or disease. Over time, timber harvest timelines in WA have been reduced to 60, then 40 years and less due to our insatiable demand for short term profits. It's time to take the long view once again if we are to protect our children and grandchildren from the devastating effects of climate change. And it's also time to examine Washington's regressive tax system that forces us to cut our forests to provide for basic government services.
Peter Guerrero, editor
|
|
Port Angeles Harbor Cleanup
The Western Harbor group of responsible parties has signed agreements to settle natural resource damage claims, with the money going towards environmental restoration projects. But what are Natural Resource Damages? When a person or organization discharges toxic substances into the environment, they have to pay for the cleanup. Washington's cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act, allows DNR to hold polluters liable not just for cleaning up the mess, but for restoring the environment they damaged. That's where the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process comes in.
|
What's in a Name: Olympic Park Advocates
After more than 70 years of environmental activism in defense of Olympic wildlands, Olympic Park Associates has changed its name to Olympic Park Advocates. It's still OPA, the same scrappy grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the wilderness and ecological integrity of the park and ecosystem. The new name better reflects the group's advocacy for Olympic wildlands as they face a cavalcade of threats.
Check out OPA's website by clicking below. Use their website "contact" link to request a free issue of Voice of the Wild Olympics. Become an advocate for Olympic National Park!
|
Clallam Updates its Shoreline Master Program
On March 29, 2021, the Department of Ecology (Ecology) approved, with changes, Clallam County’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP) comprehensive update. The comprehensive update replaces the existing SMP, including the goals, policies, regulations, shoreline environment designations, and administrative process and definitions. During its formal review process, Ecology conducted a public comment period and determined that some changes were required for the SMP to be consistent with Washingon's Shoreline Management Act Guidelines
To review Ecology’s documents related to the County SMP, please check Ecology’s website below: |
|
Illustration Credit: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Tim Knepp
|
|
Jefferson County Shoreline Master Program Review
Jefferson County and the Washington Department of Ecology are accepting comments on a periodic review of the County’s shoreline master program (SMP). The County has prepared draft SMP amendments to keep the SMP current with changes in state law, changes in other County plans and regulations, and other changed local circumstances. Public comments will be accepted from May 17, 2021 to June 16, 2021. A virtual Planning Commission public hearing with public testimony is set for June 16, 2021 at 5:30 pm here:
|
The North Olympic Group's website is updated to reflect current environmental issues and club events. Members are encouraged to periodically check it out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
