North Olympic Peninsula residents addressing human-made climate disruption. Washington State, U.S.A.
Actions you can take to address the climate crisis
A drilling rig as high as the Seattle skyline loomed into Port Angeles Harbor for a stay of two weeks before being towed to Seattle and then the Arctic. A quickly-organized demonstration was led by a coalition of groups from the Olympic Peninsula and the region. RainDagger Productions of Port Townsend, video documentary KING 5 TV KIRO 7 …
Continue reading "Protesters “un-welcome” Shell’s Arctic drill rig at Port Angeles Harbor"
In spite of Governor Inslee's attempt to pass a carbon cap-and-trade bill to limit carbon pollution and help fund our underfunded education system, it has become clear that no significant carbon-reduction legislation will be passed in this session of the Legislature, where even the Democratic-controlled State House will not put cap-and-trade on the floor. Once …
Continue reading "Support CarbonWA and WAmend initiatives for a healthy future"
OCA's comments to the Planning Commission on the draft SMP - Part One OCA's comments to the Planning Commission on the draft SMP - Part Two Clallam County is replete with coastal and inland waters, both marine and fresh. These waters, the stuff of life, are at the heart of our unique character and natural systems. Orcas, …
Continue reading "OCA COMMENTS TWICE ON CLALLAM COUNTY’S SHORELINE PLAN"
Three oil train disasters in 72 hours. Forest Ethics of Bellingham asks us to sign 3 petitions: Tell President Obama to protect firefighters from exploding oil trains! Tell BC Premier Clark to do a proper review of the Trans Mountain pipeline! Tell Congress: No more fiery oil-by-rail disasters in our back yards! All three petitions at …
Continue reading "Protect our communities from exploding oil trains"
OCA's comments to the Planning Commission on the draft SMP - Part One OCA's comments to the Planning Commission on the draft SMP - Part Two Clallam County is replete with coastal and inland waters, both marine and fresh. These waters, the stuff of life, are at the heart of our unique character and natural systems. Orcas, …
Continue reading "Comment on Clallam County’s Shorelines Plan by Feb. 27"
The goal is 300,000 signatures by December--can you help? Our friends at CarbonWA have eloquently made the case for a revenue-neutral carbon tax that would be offset by reductions in the Sales Tax and Business & Occupations Tax, along with a tax credit for the working poor. Led by Ph.D. economist Yoram Bauman and advised by …
Continue reading "Join the CarbonWA initiative signature drive"
OCA has joined 45 other organizations in a letter to Congress opposing Fast Track authority on the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. "Under negotiation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), for example, are rules that would grant foreign corporations the right to sue governments, in private tribunals, over …
Continue reading "OCA joins letter to Congress opposing Fast-Track and TPP"
Last month, OCA sent a letter to the Clallam County Department of Community Development noting a gap in the Department's analysis of threats in its proposed update to its Shoreline Master Program (SMP), required under the state Shoreline Management Act - namely, the lack of any reference to the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe's study of probable climate …
Continue reading "OCA notes gap in draft County shoreline plan"
Governor Inslee proposes plan to limit carbon emissions Declaring it “time for polluters to pay their fair share,” Gov. Jay Inslee just proposed a sweeping new cap-and-trade system that would cut carbon emissions while generating $1 billion a year for schools, transportation projects and low-income tax rebates. Our state is already feeling the impacts of global …
Continue reading "OCA ACTION ALERT: SUPPORT INSLEE CLIMATE PROPOSAL"
The true costs of fossil fuels must be recognized The Governor’s 2014 budget provided one-time funding for Ecology to conduct a Marine and Rail Oil Transportation Study. The objective of the study is to analyze the risks to public health and safety, and the environmental impacts associated with the transport of oil in Washington state. …
Continue reading "OCA sends letter to State re: oil transport"
Measure fails by bare filibuster-proof margin In the last hours of the debate over the Keystone XL pipeline bill in the U.S. Senate, a group of climate-activist organizations, including OCA, sent a letter urging opposition to KXL bill S2280. It's time to get over the paradigms, technologies, and excesses of the past, and to build …
Continue reading "OCA signs group letter opposing Keystone XL pipeline"
The recent election did not prove favorable to climate action in the Washington State Legislature. It is time for the people to bring the issue forward and do what our gridlocked legislative bodies won't do on their own. It is time for our state (and governments around the world) to turn the engines of capitalism in …
Continue reading "OCA endorses CarbonWA’s revenue-neutral carbon tax proposal"
Below are two action requests related to Tuesday’s election, which will influence the course for climate action (or inaction) at the federal level. From Environment America: If we don't do more in the next few days, politicians who deny the science behind climate change and want to dismantle EPA programs will win control of the U.S. …
Continue reading "Tuesday’s election will help determine our climate future"
OCA has signed on to a nationwide letter to state legislators initiated by the Natural Resources Defense Council, asking them to dis-affliate from any connections with the climate-change-denying American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), in spite of ALEC's feeble attempts to deny their denial.
Probably the most important thing you can do right now to protect us from climate chaos is to get involved in this year’s elections; OCA does not have an endorsement policy, but here are some ideas for your consideration: QUESTIONS AT CANDIDATE FORUMS: OCA member Brian Grad is organizing people willing to attend one or more …
Continue reading "Election 2014: Forward or backward on climate?"
Here is the letter that OCA wrote to the Clallam County Public Utility District (PUD) objecting to their letter to the Energy Northwest power suppliers' consortium opposing the idea of a carbon tax. This PUD position was taken without public input, and the letter was sent without public notice. It is a great disservice to …
Continue reading "OCA writes Clallam PUD objecting to their opposition to a carbon tax"
People's Climate March: solidarity actions across the Peninsula on Sept. 20-21 On the weekend of Sept. 20-21, people around the world will gather for what promises to be the biggest climate demonstration in history, centered upon the People's Climate March in New York City on Sept. 21, two days prior to a special climate summit …
Continue reading "People’s Climate March–solidarity actions across the Peninsula"
OCA is affiliated with the Citizens' Climate Lobby, a national organization lobbying for national carbon fee-and-dividend legislation. Here is an editorial from the Wenatchee World written by two fellow CCL members: Carbon tax commentary. OCA is communicating with U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer to urge him to co-sponsor carbon-tax legislation. We urge letters to Rep. Kilmer …
OCA hosted an event centered around the risks of oil transport in our local marine waters on July 11, 2014, featuring Clallam County Commissioner Mike Doherty and the film The Big Fix. Here is a slideshow from that program detailing the risks to our local marine waters and economy from proposals to expand oil export facilities in …
Olympic Climate Action helped develop this grant , "Planning for Climate Change on the North Olympic Peninsula Summary" and serves as a partner on it. We will encourage local elected bodies to implement the changes recommended in the report, which will be developed with reference to the best available science and in discussion with the …
Continue reading "Climate adaptation grant for North Olympic Peninsula"
A consortium led by the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council, including Olympic Climate Action in Clallam County and the Local 2020 Climate Action Group in east Jefferson County, has been awarded a $152,000 grant from the National Estuary Program's Watershed Protection & Restoration Fund, administered by the the WA State Dept. of Ecology. The project, pending finalization of …
It's time for Secretary of State Kerry and President Obama to stand up to oil companies and just say no. Submit your official public comments on the Keystone XL pipeline by March 7.
Take a stand against an industry whose cynicism and misinformation are wreaking havoc on the planet: move your investments out of fossil fuels. Join the pledge drive to make no new investments in the largest 200 fossil fuel companies, divest existing investments over the next 5 years, and reinvest in a healthy new economy. Or start a …
OCA comments on proposed oil-spill bills to WA State Legislature Here are the letters we sent; we urge you to write as well. Both legislators responded positively to our letters, so we're encouraged. 2014-02-03 Hargrove 2014-02-03 Tharinger
4-H-environment club flyer
Here are some things you can do in the community and as an individual.
Calling on President Obama to Reject Keystone XL; State Department Study Is Flawed As part of a national day of protests, Olympic Climate Action in Port Angeles and Fossil Fuel Action in Port Townsend conducted rallies on February 3, calling on President Obama to reject the controversial Keystone XL pipeline following the release of the State …
Continue reading "100 Demonstrate vs Keystone in Port Angeles & Port Townsend"
The EPA is asking for the public's input on new limits on carbon emissions -- add your name to show your support. About 40 percent of all carbon pollution in America comes from our power plants, but we don't have anything in place on a national level to regulate the amount of carbon they put into …
Continue reading "EPA wants feedback on power plant standards"
The biggest potential impact of our state on climate change is not from our own emissions but from the emissions we may facilitate elsewhere, for instance through proposed new coal-export terminals at Cherry Point and Longview. The Washington Department of Ecology has announced the dates of scoping for the Longview proposal, during which time it …
Washington State is working on a strategy to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions statewide, and your testimony is needed by Oct. 30: Background about the State Climate Workgroup and how to submit public comments Background info from Climate Solutions Testimony submitted by OCA
ClallamCounty has a Climate Action Plan for its own governmental operations which sets the following carbon-emissions reduction targets: 10% by 2012 20% by 2015 50% by 2030 80% by 2050 At this coming Monday’s County Commissioner work session (Courthouse, Board meeting room 160, 9 a.m.), the Commissioners will hear an update on progress related to this plan. …
Olympic Climate Action 