Category Archives: Actions

Actions you can take to address the climate crisis

Support these climate-related bills now!

Consider sending a message SOON to our state legislators about these pending bills.

Sen. Kevin Van de Wege: kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Steve Tharinger: steve.tharinger@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Mike Chapman: mike.chapman@leg.wa.gov

Dear 24th District state legislators:

At today’s monthly general meeting, the members of Olympic Climate Action took a consensus position to support these bills, which will help to pave the way to a safer, more just, and more prosperous future:

HB 1144: Strengthening the carbon-reduction targets to match the Paris accord

HB 2995:Updating the Renewable Portfolio Standard

SB 6081: Solar Fairness Act, encouraging distributed generation

2SSB 6269: Oil Spill Prevention Act

We urge you to help secure the passage of these bills.

 

Stop Kinder Morgan: Kickoff March 10

Indigenous-led resistance to the Kinder Morgan tar-sands pipeline will begin March 10 in Vancouver.

From: Victoria Leistman-Sierra Club [mailto:victoria.leistman@sierraclub.org]

(NOTE: Victoria helped organize our local Pull Together events last August in Chimacum and Port Angeles, to raise funds for the fight vs Kinder Morgan.)

ON MARCH 10th, KWEKWECNEWTXW BEGINS
An Indigenous-led Mass Mobilization to Stop Kinder Morgan

As you know, oil giant Kinder Morgan has been pushing a tar sands pipeline that would threaten the land and waterways of dozens of communities and First Nations. The proposed project would make the Kinder Morgan pipeline bigger than Keystone XL, and increase tanker traffic through the Salish Sea by 700 percent.

As Kinder Morgan’s expected construction date inches closer and closer, it’s time to continue to stand with the Indigenous communities that have been protecting this land since time immemorial – and put a stop to this project for once and for all. We have been invited by Coast Salish members, spiritual leaders, and youth to join with them on the land and to use our presence to stop Kinder Morgan for good!

Join them on March 10

Spiritual leaders and members are launching a point of frontline resistance in the escalating struggle to stop Kinder Morgan. Called Kwekwecnewtxw, which means “a place to watch from”, it will be grounded in Coast Salish spirituality and culture.

On Saturday March 10th, they’ll kick things off with a mass mobilization supporting Kwekwecnewtxw in the Metro Vancouver area. They are calling on us to join this action and send a clear message to Prime Minister Trudeau that he does not have consent to build Kinder Morgan.

Will you join on March 10th in a historic stand to protect the inlet and say no Kinder Morgan?

The details are still being finalized so make sure you sign up so we can get you all the information you will need for the day!

Last year, we partnered with First Nations who need help with the legal actions they’ve filed in federal court to stop Kinder Morgan on the Pull Together effort. Together with organizations in British Columbia and Washington state, YOU helped us to organize events, and bring communities together to raise these funds. We were successful in raising that money, and now Washingtonians have another opportunity to show up on the 10th!

Kinder Morgan’s pipeline and tanker project poses unacceptable risks to our oceans and waterways, our climate, economies, and communities. If the project is allowed to move forward, it would threaten tribal rights, resident orcas, and salmon population.  It must never be built.

Join together with Coast Salish Water Protectors, allies and people from all walks of life as we challenge Kinder Morgan on the land together, in a powerful and creative non-violent action on March 10th.

See you in BC!

Victoria Leistman, Sierra Club
Organizing Representative – Dirty Fuels campaign

Bring: Make sure to bring your passport for when crossing the border. Dress for the weather and possible changes. Bring plenty of water, some snacks for the day, a hot drink in a thermos and anything else you think you might need to be prepared to be outside for a full day.

Carpool: Coordinate getting up there with other folks in your area via this carpool link:https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/h4j0ai

Note: Carpool transportation is at the sole risk of the participants.

More info

Tell BOEM we reject offshore drilling

From Sierra Club:

Our coasts are too precious to drill!

RSVP now to join Sierra Club on March 5 to tell BOEM we reject offshore drilling!

We’ve never seen anything like this. Last month, Trump unveiled a plan to hand 90% of America’s coasts over to Big Oil – that means offshore drilling from Maine to Louisiana, and from Alaska down through California.

Drilling off the coast of Washington is a ludicrous idea, putting our coastal communities’ way of life at risk. Community health and safety and precious wildlife like orca and salmon have no price tag. We cannot afford to roll the dice for the interests of Big Oil.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is holding public meetings in coastal states this month. This is our chance to show them how deeply unpopular and destructive this plan is.

RSVP to join us in Olympia on March 5!

What: BOEM Offshore drilling public meeting

When: Monday, March 5 from 1:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
1:30-2:00 Keynote Speakers
2:00-7:30 People’s Hearing
3:00-7:00 BOEM Open House 5:00-6:00 Dinner provided

Where:  Red Lion Olympia, 2300 Evergreen Park Dr SW, Olympia, WA 98502 (map)

Since the BOEM hearing won’t include oral public comments, we’re also having a People’s Hearing where testimony can be given, taken down by a stenographer, and submitted as official comments.

If you’re traveling to the meeting, we’ve reserved a discounted block of rooms at the Red Lion. Follow this link to reserve yours by March 1st.

Questions? Contact Victoria Leistman at victoria.leistman@sierraclub.org

RSVP and we’ll follow up with talking points and information about what to expect during the public meeting.

Even without a major disaster, offshore drilling is dirty and destructive. The combination of seismic blasts, increased traffic, and smaller spills would do irreparable damage to marine life and coastal communities.

This plan would also force offshore drilling on states that don’t want it. In fact, a bipartisan group of governors and coastal communities have explicitly asked Trump to leave their states out of his drilling plan – and he’s ignoring their wishes. Even the Department of Defense has warned that seismic testing and drilling could pose a threat to naval operations in the Atlantic.

The only people who want this plan are the oil executives who bankrolled Trump’s campaign and staffed his administration. We’ve beaten them before, and in 2018, we need to do it again.

Thanks for all you do to protect our coasts,

Victoria Leistman, Sierra Club
Organizing Representative
Dirty Fuels campaign

P.S. If you haven’t already submitted your comment to BOEM, please take a moment to share your thoughts and concerns about offshore drilling.

P.P.S Please share this with friends and family. The Trump administration needs to hear from as many people as possible.

Share this alert on Facebook

Share this alert on Twitter

Climate/Energy bills in the State Leg

OCA’s Executive Committee just sent these messages to our 24th District state legislators; we suggest you contact them as well, on this and other issues still pending in the Legislature:

Rep. Mike Chapman: mike.chapman@leg.wa.gov 360-786-7916

Rep. Steve Tharinger: steve.tharinger@leg.wa.gov 360-786-7904

Sen. Kevin Van de Wege: kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov 360-786-7646

  • 3SHB 1144: OCA commends the State House for passing this bill which would revise the current state-mandated reduction limits to reflect current science concerning the level and rate of reduction that will be necessary to avoid catastrophic climate disruption.
  • SB 6203: OCA would support this carbon-tax bill if the tax were put back at $20/ton and exemptions were removed from the Transalta coal plant and other non-“Energy Intensive Trade-Exposed” (EITE) industries. We neither support nor oppose the current, watered-down version of this bill.
  • HB 2839:  OCA supported the original bill, which gives the Utilities and Transportation Commission authority to assess economic impacts associated with incremental increases in carbon dioxide emissions within a calendar year.
    • However, we do NOT support the added provision requiring that qualified biomass energy be considered a non-emitting resource. First, there is no question that burning material containing carbon will emit greenhouse gases, and even if in the long run the process were carbon neutral (which it is not), we face a climate crisis that is very much going to take place in the short run, and we need to reduce emissions as much as we can, as quickly as we can. Some argue that biofuel is carbon friendly because it displaces the burning of coal in power plants; this comparison is unfair because it compares to the most carbon-intensive energy source there is, rather than cleaner-energy sources. But even so, it is flawed to call biomass burning emissions-neutral. See the following links:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/05/business/economy/next-renewable-energy-burning-forests-if-senators-get-their-way.html

Letter to the Senate on carbon neutrality of forest biomass | Woods Hole Research Center

EIA-biomass-effects-on-CPP-PFPI-Oct-2016.pdf

http://magazine.manomet.org/winter2012/biomass.htm

Clallam County considers climate action

At their work session on 2/12/18, the Board of Clallam County Commissioners discussed a resolution proposed by Commissioner Mark Ozias for Clallam County to take further steps to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Clallam County residents are urged to communicate with their Commissioners about this resolution. Public comment of a general nature is taken at the end of Tuesday weekly Commissioner meetings, which usually end in the late morning; or you can write to them at commissioners@co.clallam.wa.us.

Michael Clemens, who facilitates OCA’s Climate Action Planning committee, made this comment in support of the resolution at the regular Commissioners meeting on 2/13/18. If you’d like to join Michael’s committee, contact us.

Background: OCA presented these recommendations to the Clallam Commissioners on 5/1/17:

Clallam County should renew its commitment to climate action in several ways:

  1. Take steps to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change, as the Board of Commissioners committed to in Resolution 27 of 2016.
  2. Take steps to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, as described in the Board of Commissioners’ adopted Climate Action Plan of 2009, and broaden the approach to address the carbon footprint of the county as a whole, not simply County government.
  3. Include means for priority-setting, evaluation and adaptive management.
  4. Encourage cooperation among multiple players in the county, including cities, Port, PUD, College, tribes, as well as Jefferson County, perhaps using the North Olympic Development Council as a vehicle.
  5. Move forward via a combined effort of County government, other entities, and committed citizens.
  6. Look for innovative and integrated approaches to addressing climate change, by addressing community resiliency, public safety, energy, transportation, future infrastructure needs, economic development and other challenges together.

Legislators: enact a strong carbon tax

At our general membership meeting of 2/4/18, we agreed to send this letter to our state legislators urging action on a strong carbon tax. The time is now, and there is no time for half-measures or excuses. We urge individuals to write their own letters on this issue–your representatives need to hear from you!

Letter to 24th Dist. Leg. re carbon pricing 2018-02-04

Our legislators are facing many important issues, but frankly, none of these other issues will matter if we don’t get a handle on climate change. We need to change our current trajectory, strongly and swiftly, and with our federal government having abdicated responsibility for the future of human civilization, it’s up to the rest of us–states, Tribes, localities, businesses and individuals–to take matters into our own hands.
Please consider sending a letter of your own; your representatives need to hear from you!

Salish Sea lobby day Feb. 12

Salish Sea Protection – Lobby Day 2018

A day of action to protect The Salish Sea! Join Protectors of the Salish Sea and Students for the Salish Sea in a day of constituent conversations with decision makers about key issues threatening our Salish Sea and what it will take to let this beautiful region return to health. This session we are advocating:

  • Orca Whale protection policies
  • Against the Kinder-Morgan Pipeline
  • An immediate halt to work at the LNG facility being illegally constructed on Puyallup tidal flats until a proper EIS has been conducted
  • An immediate lease phase-out on all invasive Atlantic Salmon net-pens
  • Freeing the Snake River from the four lower dams
  • Respect forTreaties signed with Coast Salish Tribal Nations!

What: Salish Sea Protection – Lobby Day 2018
Date: Monday, February 12th, 2018
Register: salishsea.brownpapertickets.com/
Location: TBD
Carpool info: www.groupcarpool.com/t/5ups9x
Questions: chiara[at]studentsforthesalishsea.org

Let’s create a healthier Salish Sea together!

* S C H E D U L E *

8:30-10: Indigenous prayer with Protectors for the Salish Sea and briefing on Indigenous solidarity issues; followed by a briefing on up-to-date policy priorities list.

— During this portion each participant will receive a name tag, an itinerary for constituent meetings and folder with specific policy information —-

12:00 Students for the Salish Sea Kinder Morgan petition delivery to Jay Inslee!

10-4:15, meetings with Senators and Representatives!

If you register here we’ll schedule meetings with your representatives:
https://salishsea.brownpapertickets.com/

**Please let us know if this cost poses a barrier to you and we will do our best to accommodate.**

We’d like to arrange childcare for anyone coming with kids. Message us if this is your circumstance ♥