Category: Stories/News

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Wildfire Urgency Unites Congress. The ‘Fix Our Forests’ Act Does Not.

 House hearing exposed sharp divisions over whether loosening environmental laws and expanding logging will protect communities from catastrophic fires. Scientists urged a shift toward investing in fire-resilient homes and landscapes. Image by Enrique from Pixabay Lawmakers from both parties agreed at a congressional hearing Tuesday that the federal government must act to address the growing threat of catastrophic …

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Climate ‘Superfund’ Bills Spread Nationwide, Despite Legal Battles

The laws aim to force oil companies to help pay for damage from global warming. Industry is gearing up for state-by-state battles. Image by Chris "CJ" Johnson from Pixabay Climate “superfund” bills, based on the principle that oil companies should pay costs associated with climate change, are gaining ground in state legislatures around the country. But it’s unclear …

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Climate action group is guiding reduction goals

Reduced emissions require reduced transportation footprint Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay The Jefferson County Climate Action Committee is working to keep the county and the city of Port Townsend aligned with international and state-level goals. The committee (CAC), a joint county and city group, is composed of 15 members from the county, city, the Jefferson County PUD, …

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A logging bill masquerading as wildfire protection

Despite its name, the Fix Our Forests Act would fast-track logging, weaken environmental safeguards, and do little to protect communities from wildfire or climate harm. Image by JamesDeMers from Pixabay By James Hansen and Dan Galpern for the Boston Globe Updated January 29, 2026 James Hansen, formerly director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, directs the …

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Federal Judge Nixes Rule That Enabled Clearcutting in the Name of Taming Wildfires

The Forest Service didn’t make a “reasoned decision” in exempting timber harvests from environmental review. Photo by BiggiBe -- Pixabay After thousands of acres were logged without any environmental impact statement on Forest Service land in Oregon, a lawsuit was filed to stop the use of CE-6, a categorical exclusion to reduce wildfire danger intended …

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Slowing the Spread of Urban Fires Starts Right Outside the Home

A year after the LA wildfires, growing research is revealing just howessential the outdoor spaces between homes can be. Image by xiSerge from Pixabay After the California wildfires the rebuilding process could benefit from the research being done that shows houses are safer when the spaces between them are free of flammable material. Read the article by Linda …

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How Trump’s First Year Reshaped U.S. Energy and Climate Policy

The sweeping changes have affected everything from coal plant retirements to international diplomacy over shipping emissions. Image by Angela from Pixabay In his first year back in office, President Trump has rapidly reshaped America’s climate and energy landscape. His administration dismantled a wide range of climate and pollution regulations, began to overhaul how the federal government responds to …

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Fix Our Forests in Name Only

A new piece of bipartisan legislation would erode safeguards meant to protect trees By Will Solomon Image by Jim Drinkwine from Pixabay A new bill moving through Congress promises a major overhaul in the way federal officials manage public lands in the United States. Lawmakers have framed the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA), passed by the …

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NYC comptroller’s push to drop BlackRock creates test for Mamdani

By Pixabay BlackRock, Inc. is the world's largest asset management company and a leading provider of financial technology, managing over $12.5 trillion in assets as of late 2025. The company is headquartered in New York City and serves a diverse range of clients, including institutions, governments, and individual investors, in over 100 countries.  Nov 26 (by Ross …

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Trump Vowed Fewer Regulations and Lots More Oil. He’s Delivered on One.

Image by Dawn Sinclair from Pixabay The president’s energy strategy is projected to generate more pollution, but so far production has not risen significantly and price drops have been modest, analysts say.Since President Trump took office, oil production is up, but largely because of improved efficiency, and it has not translated into more jobs for either the industry …

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Making change for marmots

Lawsuit Aims to Help Olympic Marmots Image by John Gussman Olympic marmots — large, round-bodied squirrels who live almost entirely inside Olympic National Park in Washington state — are threatened by climate change and coyote predation. So in May 2024 the Center for Biological Diversity, (CBD) petitioned for their Endangered Species Act protection, and this …

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New report and toolkit on threat of wood pellet industry and expansion

Image by Hans from Pixabay Dear Climate Forests Colleagues, Today, the Rachel Carson Council is releasing our fourth major report on the perils of industrial wood pellet production and its threats to mature and biodiverse forests. I've included our toolkit, including an advocacy fact sheet, and our short documentary below for anyone interested in checking it out and/or …

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Farewell to Bob Lynette

OCA founding board member dies at 88 Engineer, entrepreneur, social activist, visionary, and environmental hero Bob Lynette died on September 30 in the company of his loved ones. On top of a jet-propelled career in aerospace and wind energy, Bob combined a love of the outdoors--he could still outhike most folks into his 80s--with a …

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Clallam Commissioners adopt Climate Vulnerability report

Major concerns are drought and wildfire Clallam County's Climate Vulnerability Assessment is part of a larger Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan which identifies and quantifies the natural and human-caused hazards that threaten Clallam County, along with ways to reduce these risks. Diane Harvey, Clallam's Special Projects Manager, says about this plan: "Comparing 2019 to today, something …

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Federal clean-energy incentives end soon; state & local go on

Here's an explainer In a time when our federal government seems determined to go the way of the dinosaur, the bright truth of the sun continues to shine, and renewable energy is outstripping fossil fuels in virtually every undistorted market. Here's an explainer of the incentives available right now; federal incentives are going away thanks …

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“Sun Day” will celebrate green consumer technologies

Sunday, September 21, Port Angeles City Pier, 12-4 pm Exhibitors invited; many rebates will expire this year Image by Rosy / Bad Homburg / Germany from Pixabay As part of a nationally-organized Sun Day celebration, Olympic Climate Action will host “Sun Day: A Celebration of Renewable Energy” on Sunday, September 21, from 12-4 pm at Port Angeles City …

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Clear-Cutting Triggers 18x More Floods, for 40+ Years

A decades-long UBC study reveals that clear-cutting doesn’t just increase flooding — it can multiply extreme events up to 18 times and make them more than twice as large. Clear-Cutting Linked to Surge in Catastrophic Floods Image by Thomas from Pixabay Clear-cutting can dramatically intensify flood risks, making the most severe events up to 18 times more frequent …

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We need a stronger Roadless Rule, codified in law

Image by Simon from Pixabay OCA just signed onto a letter to Congress to urge the Department of Agriculture to immediately preserve the "Roadless Rule" (35 CFR, Part 294) and update the policy to enact permanent Protection of these 58.2 million acres of priceless and irreplaceable ecosystems. A reformed Roadless Rule needs to end all forms of logging, …

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US Policies are a Race-to-the Bottom for Nations Trying to End Forest Losses by 2030

Google Earth Image of the “checkerboard” pattern of alternating private lands (with clearcuts) and BLM lands (US federal land; remaining green areas between clearcuts) in southern Oregon. Onshore logging does nothing to solve domestic forest losses or global deforestation. "Rapid loss of the natural world is in no one’s best interest. Increasing domestic logging is …

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Court to BLM: Leave old growth alone!

Debunks cutting old trees for fire protection Image by Daniela from Pixabay MEDFORD, OR — Medford, Ore., – Yesterday, Federal District Court Judge Ann Aiken ruled that the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) “Integrated Vegetation Management” (IVM) logging program illegally authorized the destruction of old-growth forest stands located within Late Successional Reserves. With this ruling, the court agreed that “gap creation” and …

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OCA signs on to NGO Letter Against HR 471, ‘Fix Our Forests’ Act

NGO Letter Against HR 471, 'Fix Our Forests' Act Deadline: Wednesday, January 22nd at 12pm PT Dear Members of Congress and President-Elect Trump: While the wildfires in Los Angeles were raging, killing at least 25 people and destroying more than 17,000 structures, leaders of the Congressional Western Caucus, Representatives LaMalfa (R-CA), Westerman (R-AR), and McClain …

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Commissioner of Public Lands race centers on how to manage forests in the face of climate change

A DNR mature forest remains alongside the Olympic Adventure Trail near the Elwha River in Port Angeles. The agency spared 69 acres of a timber sale called "Power Plant," after protests from a coalition of groups advocating for preservation of so-called legacy forests. The state will use funds from the natural climate solutions account provided …

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OCA Signs onto Letter Urging Biden to Protect Older Federal Forests from Logging

Dear President Biden, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, and U.S. Forest Service Chief Moore, We the undersigned organizations write to express our deep concern with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Forest Services’ proposed Amendment to Land Management Plans to Address Old-Growth Forests Across the National Forest System. In compliance with the President’s Executive Order …

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OCA joins the Washington Fair Trade Coalition

Critical Minerals Agreements Must Prioritize Labor, Environmental and Human Rights The U.S. government is considering entering into a number of possible Critical Minerals Agreements (CMAs) with other countries throughout the world. Please sign the petition below urging that any new CMAs prioritize labor, environmental and human rights throughout the supply chain. OCA joined the Washington …

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Act Now-No 2117 — A Bad Deal for Washington

What is Initiative 2117? According to a ballot summary provided by the Washington state legislature Initiative 2117, which will be on the ballot in November, would prohibit state agencies from imposing any type of carbon tax credit trading, including "cap and trade" or "cap and tax" programs, regardless of whether the resulting increased costs are imposed on fuel recipients …

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Four Ways Context Matters for Wildfire News Coverage

Reporters can help people see the forest, even when the trees are on fire. Incident Commander Rich Harvey answers questions about the Waldo Canyon Fire. Source: Michael Rieger/FEMA  Journalists play a vital role in interpreting the significance of wildfire events within a broader context. For example, over the past decade, following the available science, reporters …

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Risks of repealing the Climate Commitment Act

No on I-2117: "We can't afford this bad initiative" In the Evergreen State, we value clean air, healthy communities, and forward progress. That’s why we lead the nation in natural beauty, quality of life, and clean energy. Because of the Cap-and-Invest Climate Commitment Act, it’s no longer free to pollute in Washington. The state’s biggest polluters …

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Landscape Disturbance in Pacific Northwest National Parks

North Coast & Cascades Inventory and Monitoring Network The National Park Service’s North Coast & Cascades Inventory and Monitoring Network put together a StoryMap to help communicate Landscape Disturbance in Pacific Northwest National Parks. This is a great example of how NASA data, specifically from the Landsat Program, can be used to visualize change over time and enhance …

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Is Green Growth Possible?

We can do this...if we want... In this podcast, Ezra Klein interviews Hannah Ritchie, a Scottish data scientist and author of Not the End of the World, about sustainability in relation to climate change, energy, food and agriculture, biodiversity, air pollution, deforestation, and public health. Bottom line: we can now decouple our economies from heating …

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Conserve Water

Rain Barrels at Tammy's home. For info on storing rainwater during our increasingly dry season, contact Tammy Dziadek at tammydzi@yahoo.com. For hired help with water conservation via rainwater storage, I, Tammy Dziadek of Port Angeles, highly recommend Ryan Bates (RSB Builders, 360-912-1844, rybates@gmail.com). Ryan and his helper Steve created an efficient, effective rainwater collection system via …

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OCA signs on: Stop logging mature/old-growth fed forests!

TemperateSage -- Pixabay The OCA Board of Directors unanimously agreed to sign onto this petition, from The John Muir Project alongside a coalition of over 200 conservation, climate, and social justice organizations, as well as 200 leading scientists, urging President Joe Biden to issue an executive order halting logging inall mature and old-growth forests on …

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Clallam Commissioners ask DNR to participate in Natural Climate Solutions program

Recommend a parcel near Lake Sutherland On December 12, the Clallam County Commissioners sent a letter to DNR nominating a timber sale with mature forest as a priority parcel for conservation under the Natural Climate Solutions program of the Climate Commitment Act, becoming the eighth county wanting to participate in this program! Clallam County historically has been …

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WA State Building Code Council Votes to Protect Energy Codes

Ensures they are among the most climate & health friendly in the nation OLYMPIA, WA—The Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) voted today to adopt amendments to statewide energy codes for new residential and commercial buildings, ensuring that they are among the most climate and health-friendly in the nation and are insulated against gas industry …

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SALMON, CEDAR, ROCK AND RAIN

A love offering for the Olympic Peninsula Photo -- Art Wolf In Salmon, Cedar, Rock & Rain, Tim McNulty explores the Olympic Peninsula’s complex—and ongoing—story of development, conservation, restoration, and cultural heritage, while writers from the Lower Elwha Klallam, Jamestown S’Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam, and Makah Tribes, and Quinault Indian Nation share some of their …

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330,000 call on BLM to protect our older forests

In response to a public comment period on a proposed Conservation and Landscape Health rule, more than 330,000 members of the public and supporters of environmental advocacy groups, including Environment America, called on the Bureau of Land Management to protect mature and old-growth trees and forests managed by the agency.  “From the redwoods and Douglas …

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Washington Conservation Groups Call on Lands Commissioner Franz to Preserve our Remaining Mature Forests

Art by Shelly Gould As part of the Week of Action for PNW Forests and Climate happening June 24-July 2, the Washington State Lands Working Group releases an open letter from more than 25 organizations to Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, calling on her to: Publicly commit to bring forward a new policy and …

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Scientists: Preserve Large Trees and Mature/Old-Growth Forests to Help Stem the Biodiversity and Climate Crises

Scientists' letter to the federal government re: rulemaking on older forests "As scientists with expertise in forest ecosystems, climate change, and natural resources, we fully support global efforts to protect large trees and old forests (mature and old growth) from logging along with restoring logged forests as natural climate solutions¹. . . . There is …

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Coordinated Banner Action June 26th, 2023

As part of a coordinated regional action of the Pacific Northwest Forest Climate Alliance, OCA members held banners supporting protection of our older forests on Monday morning at the Black Diamond overpass over Hwy 101. Similar banners were dropped over I-5 from southern Oregon to the Canadian border. Activists across the state are calling upon the state Department of …

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OCA Members Protest DNR in Olympia for Clearcuts of Mature Forests

OCA members traveled to DNR Headquarters in Olympia Tuesday, joining others from the Washington State Lands Group of the Pacific Northwest Forest Climate Alliance, calling on Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz to halt cuts of the state’s older forests, our carbon workhorses, while a longer-range plan can be developed that incorporates the Natural Climate Solutions potential of these …

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Clallam County PUD endorses Snake River dam removal

The Board of Commissioners of Clallam County PUD #1, on April 10, became the first public utility district in the region to come out in favor of restoring a free-flowing lower Snake River. The utility serves citizen-owners on Washington State’s North Olympic Peninsula. The commissioners unanimously approved a resolution that minced no words. The resolution makes these key …

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Jerry Franklin tells it plain: We need our older forests!

The UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (SEFS) welcomed Dr. Jerry Franklin, SEFS Emeritus Professor, as the 2023 Sustaining Our World Speaker. Dr. Franklin spoke on “What the Old Forests Taught Us: Forest Stewardship in the 21st Century”, with Q&A following. Franklin's program description: A revolution in our understanding of forests – what they …

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Climate Commitment Act Funds Go to Washington State Forests in Historic Recognition that Forests Play a Central Role in Reducing Emissions

Laura Otýpková -- Pixabay April 24, 2023, Olympia, WA — State legislators in Olympia invested a landmark $83 million in forest conservation and ecological forest management practices to boost carbon sequestration on state lands. This funding marks the first time the state government will set aside timber acreage strictly for its carbon value, by designating it …

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Forest Service takes key step toward 1st national rule to protect mature, old-growth trees, forests

Announcement advances Biden’s 2022 Earth Day Executive Order The 42 Divide logging sale in the Roseburg, Oregon Bureau of Land Management district. Photo Credit: Hanna Anderson WASHINGTON, DC – According to reports, the U.S. Forest Service announced Thursday a pathway for protecting mature and old-growth trees and forests as part of a strategy to improve …

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Paul Stamets Supports Legacy Forests

Paul Stamets at Elwha River overlook "Our old growth forests are undervalued – we should not be deceived that short term gains in selling lumber accurately reflects the value of the intact biodiversity resident within these ancient stands. In particular, varieties of  Agarikon (Fomitopsis officinalis aka Laricifomes officinalis) are now known to have potent antiviral properties. But …

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New coastal risk assessment for Port Townsend

A North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council grant helped local communities advance their planning for addressing the impacts of climate change. The City of Port Townsend used the grant money to develop this sea level rise and coastal flooding risk assessment, an important first step in climate preparedness.

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$$ to improve your home, reduce your bills!

From OCA member Dave Large, here's a list of incentives for reducing home-related energy usage offered by the federal government, Washington State, the City of Port Angeles, and the Clallam County PUD. Incentives cover many aspects of a home, from simple to more complex, including insulation, windows, space heating and appliances, photovoltaic, solar hot water, …

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Clean energy incentives on the way, from the IRA!

From the American Solar Energy Society: The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is the largest climate bill inU.S. history. A main focus is tax credits and rebates for clean energy, electric vehicles, and efficiency updates. Below are some highlights of how this bill can benefit you and/or your business:

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Schumer-Manchin bill

Let’s toast to some success! However, here are critiques of the new bill from Rachel Fazio of the John Muir Project and Dominick DellaSala of the Wild Heritage Project, both sponsored by the Earth Island Institute: Eldergeek Dominick DellaSala <dominick@wild-heritage.org> wrote: it's missing mature forest protections - a major problem - it has tax credits for biomass - a …

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Port Angeles adopts Climate Resiliency Plan

Three years in the making, the Port Angeles Climate Resiliency Plan has been adopted and posted online. Next comes implementation of the Plan, including short-, medium-, and long-term priorities, cost estimates, ordinance language, etc. This phase will be facilitated by a grant project of the North Olympic Development Council. Kudos to Council and Planning Commission …

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Save Our wild Salmon

Greetings, As we head toward the holidays and the end of another year (gulp!), we wanted to share with you three recent stories/news that our team at SOS found inspiring. ONE: The first installment in a new two-part series from Lewiston Morning Tribune’s award-winning reporter Eric Barker. This series is exploring the circumstances today around …

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350 Seattle Newsletter

TACOMA LNG RESISTANCE We’re not going to sugarcoat it, November was a rough month for communities in Tacoma and allies along the Salish Sea working to protect their health, safety, and children’s futures from local fossil fuel expansion. The state Pollution Control Hearings Board ruled to uphold the controversial final project permit for Puget Sound …

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Local Cross-Governmental/Organizational Stewardship Group Sets Priorities for the 2022 Washington State Legislative Session

Thanks partially to OCA leadership, climate is a high priority for the Strait Ecosystem Recovery Network The second priority addressed (Items 3-4) focuses on climate change. OCA applauds the Strait ERN for taking seriously its role to steward the magnificent natural resources of the North Olympic Peninsula. https://olyclimate.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/straitern_2022wastatelegislativepriorities_final_2021nov19-.pdf

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USDA Forest Service Alaska Roadless Rule Repeal Update

Sincere apologies for the typo in the email address and in the link to the preferred method for providing comments. The preferred method for submitting comments is: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FS-2021-0007-0006. The errors are corrected below. ----------------------------------------The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is taking steps to repeal the 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule and restore protections …

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Draft 2021 Northwest Power Plan 

This September, the Draft 2021 Northwest Power Plan was released. The 2021 Northwest Power Plan, once finalized, will help determine how much clean energy and energy efficiency the Northwest will use by providing a blueprint for power system decisions throughout the region. It comes at a critical time, when the Northwest needs to replace the energy and capacity services …

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Grave concerns from scientists about Infrastructure Bills

A letter is circulating the Hill from well over 100 scientists urging them not to pass the BBB or BIF legislative packages unless the climate-harming logging provisions are removed from both. These two bills are the ones climate activists have been counting on to help promote climate solutions; the Reconciliation Bill (Biden's Build Back Better 3.5 Trillion) andthe Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill …

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The Increase in CO2/Heat is getting steeper

The link between co2 emissions and warming is indisputable. Scientists have understood this for almost 200 years.  Scientists have scientifically known for nearly 200 years that a trace gas like atmospheric carbon dioxide absorbs heat: Joseph Fourier 1824 - Remarques Générales Sur Les Températures Du Globe Terrestre Et Des Espaces Planétaires (General remarks on the temperatures …

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Conservation Northwest trying to Undo Established Precedent for Forest Management Benefits

Link to the Amicus Brief Lawyers for DNR and Hilary Franz have submitted an Amicus brief in the case brought by Conservation Northwest to change the beneficiaries of forest lands management in Washington State. The intent, or purpose, of the Conservation Northwest suit is not clearly disclosed in the Amicus brief, but the invalid arguments …

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WA State Alert on Systemic Risk of Climate Change

State of Washington DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONSDEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS P.O. Box 41200  l  Olympia, Washington 98504-1200Telephone (360) 902-8700 l  TDD (360) 664-8126  l  FAX (360) 586-5068  l  http://www.dfi.wa.gov July 7, 2021 TO:  Washington State Regulated Financial Institutions RE:  DFI Alert on Systemic Risk of Climate Change and Related Financial Risks Message from DFI Director Charlie …

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9 Years to ZERO newsletter

Accelerating Climate Impacts This past month has brought hellish reminders of the gravity of the climate emergency and the very real danger it brings. We’ve seen destructive heat waves in the Northwest, which cooked shellfish on the shore and is estimated to have killed more than a billion marine animals. Hundreds of people, including unhoused individuals, …

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Nationwide Permits issued for commercial shellfish aquaculture ruled Unlawful

Back in October, 2019 the Federal District Court found that the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) Nationwide Permits issued for commercial shellfish aquaculture unlawful. The Court ruling required shellfish operations to re-permit under Individual Permits but did allow planting through the 2020 season and harvesting through March 2022. The aquaculture industry group appealed the decision. …

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League of Conservation Voters Endorses Climate Agenda

This is the single biggest day for climate action in more than a decade.Today, President Biden signed a series of executive orders and memoranda that place climate justice at the center of the administration's agenda. These orders are just the start of the Biden-Harris administration's all-of-government approach to address the climate crisis and the interrelated …

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Addressing the climate crisis is a top, cross-cutting priority for President-elect Joe Biden

League of Conservation Voters The saying goes, "Personnel is policy." As President-elect Joe Biden continues to announce his choices for key leaders in the next administration, one point is clear: Addressing the climate crisis is a top, cross-cutting priority.On the campaign trail, Biden called for a whole-of-government approach to four interconnected issues: The economy, public …

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Commerce awards $9.8 million for electric vehicle charging

Commerce awards $9.8 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the state Projects prioritize communities underserved by EV infrastructure and those disproportionately impacted by climate change and pollution from transportation systems OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced $9.8 million in Electrification of Transportation Systems (ETS) grants for 14 projects in …

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Clallam County Commissioners to Work with the City of Port Angeles on Climate Plan

Clallam County Commissioner Work Session On November 23rd, the Monday Work Session for the Board of Clallam County Commissioners began their Discussion on Climate Change. Rich Meier stated "The logical first step is to conduct a greenhouse gas inventory to measure a baseline for decision making, and a yardstick of where we’re going for future …

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Port Angeles City Council Awards Contract to Begin Climate Action Plan Update

Port Angeles City Councilmembers Port Angeles City Council members at meeting on Zoom.Top row left: Mayor Kate Dexter | Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin | Deputy Mayor Navarra CarrBottom row left: Mike French | LaTrisha Suggs | Charlie McCaughan | Brendan Meyer-picture not available November 17, 2020, | Port Angeles Virtual City Council Meeting Full Recording of City …

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Post-Election Virtual Recap

Thank you for joining our Washington Environmental Council + Washington Conservation Voters Post-Election virtual gathering last week! We really enjoyed celebrating everyone’s accomplishments from this election cycle together, as well as learning about the political lay of the land and environmental priorities for 2021. If you weren’t able to make this event, we’re sorry we …

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