February 27, 2012
Contacts:
Kerry McHugh, Washington Environmental Council, 206.631.2605, kerry@wecprotects.org
Robin Stanton, The Nature Conservancy, 206.436.6274, rstanton@tnc.org
Bruce Wishart, People For Puget Sound, 360.223.2033, wishart.bruce@comcast.net
WA Legislature Attacks Clean Water Protections
Proposed weakening of rules would allow polluted runoff to continue flowing into Washington waterways.
OLYMPIA – Attacks on clean water protections continue in the Washington Legislature. Late Friday, February 24th, HB 2801 was introduced in the State House, sponsored by Rep. Sam Hunt (D-22). This bill, specifically section 104, would weaken the implementation of municipal stormwater permits, one of our state’s biggest opportunities to set a course to clean up Puget Sound and other waterways around Washington. The environmental community is united in opposing this legislation.
HB 2801 follows a series of attacks on clean water rules in the state Legislature. The bill would make implementation of clean water rules voluntary, instead of required by law. Several earlier bills proposed either weakening or delaying the draft permit and a proposed amendment to SB 6406 containing similar terms has been floated. Last week, the House Democrats’ proposed budget included provisions specifically calling for the delay of the stormwater permits.
“These important clean water protections are needed to prevent the flood of toxic runoff from polluting our water,” said Mo McBroom, Policy Director for Washington Environmental Council. “Our current approach is not working – these updates are needed to protect Puget Sound and prevent a bigger clean-up bill for Washington taxpayers down the road.”
The Department of Ecology’s draft municipal stormwater permits are necessary to comply with the Clean Water Act and have the potential to be a big step forward to yield significant results in our state’s effort to restore Puget Sound to health by 2020. The draft permits include innovative building practices, such as rain gardens and permeable pavement, to prevent and filter polluted runoff, which is the single largest source of toxic pollution entering the Sound.
“When stormwater is the single largest source of toxic pollution entering the Sound,” said Bruce Wishart, lobbyist for People For Puget Sound, “it is no time to take a step backward.”
“Our waterways are under siege from polluted runoff,’ said Bill Robinson, Washington state government relations director for The Nature Conservancy. “We need to move forward to protect Puget Sound using the best technology and techniques available, not hamstring needed updates.”
The attacks on clean water rules are part of greater assault on environmental protections this legislative session.
]]>Contact:
Sian Wu, 206-701-4734, sian@resource-media.org
Kerry McHugh, 206-631-2605, Kerry@wecprotects.org
End of Public Comment Period Marks New Phase in State’s Clean Water Action
Diversity of interests express support for strong permits
OLYMPIA – The public comment period is officially over for Department of Ecology’s draft stormwater permits. These permits represent the biggest opportunity to address the single largest source of toxic pollution to Puget Sound. Feb. 3 marked the end of a period of workshops, hearings, comments and letter submissions. Next, Department of Ecology will be reviewing and internally debating the desired changes proposed, before issuing final permits in July, 2012.
Comments in support of strengthening the draft stormwater permits were submitted by a broad, diverse set of interests, including tribes, shellfish growers, green builders, fishing guides, business owners, scuba divers, Girl Scouts, community and conservation organizations.
“Getting this right from the start is hugely important to restoring and cleaning up Puget Sound,” said Tom Bancroft, executive director of nonprofit group People For Puget Sound. “State officials need to know that a huge number of people care about the Sound and want to stop the runoff that is responsible for degrading salmon runs, closing commercial shellfish beds and swimming beaches and causing sewage overflows.”
The permit process is an opportunity to give the green light to green building solutions already available and proven cost-effective. “Green infrastructure” or Low Impact Development (LID) uses techniques such as rain gardens, porous pavement and green roofs, which mimic the earth’s natural ability to absorb water and filter toxins out runoff, while preventing flooding and increasing community green space. EPA studies show that preventing toxic runoff at the source can be far cheaper and more effective than cleaning up pollution after it enters our lakes, rivers and Puget Sound.
“In its current form, the draft stormwater permits are a good start, but need significant changes in order to be truly effective,” said Chris Wilke, executive director of Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. “We hope the Department of Ecology will be responsive to the robust public feedback process and make changes reflective of the broad support for a strong permit.”
At the same time, as Department of Ecology conducts their permit update process, there have been several efforts by outside interests to weaken the permit. Specifically, numerous pieces of legislation aimed at delaying or undermining core environmental protections were introduced in the state legislature. The weakening of these protections would allow new development to skirt toxic stormwater pollution regulations, and eliminate key tools that promote low impact development and clean water.
The following were among the parties who submitted public comment in favor of strengthening the draft municipal stormwater permits:
"Protecting water quality from polluted runoff goes hand in hand with protecting salmon and their habitats, and is a key part of the overall salmon recovery effort. It also is essential to keeping our shellfish beds clean and safe to harvest. Municipal stormwater permits are important tools to address polluted runoff from urban areas. Without these important protections, salmon, shellfish and tribal treaty-reserved rights are placed at risk". - Billy Frank, Jr. Chairman Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (link to full letter)
“Stormwater regulations should not shy away from challenging the creativity of design teams. Good stormwater policy will challenge the design and building community to reach for solutions that provide greater resiliency, environmental protections, and smarter use of human spaces.” –Joel Sisolak, Cascadia Green Building Council (link to full letter)
“The rest of the nation is already moving towards mandatory LID standards, which have been found necessary to meet the Clean Water Act’s goals. While this permit requires the development of such programs at the local level, we believe the approach outlined has serious flaws.” –Zsofia Pastor, landscape designer, president of Sustainable Development Task Force of Snohomish County (link to full letter)
“Divers in the Northwest have seen firsthand the pipes as they spew forth the noxious pollutants into our underwater world to wreak havoc on the aquatic ecosystem with chemicals that do not belong there and are affecting the sea life that tries to thrive and survive there. The majority of divers here regard themselves as stewards of our watery playground and will always support efforts to preserve our most precious resource and inform the state government of any negative changes to it. That is why Washington SCUBA Alliance strongly supports strengthening the municipal stormwater permits.” –Jim Trask, Washington SCUBA Alliance
]]>
Rein Attemann, People For Puget Sound, (206) 334-6472, rattemann@pugetsound.org
Kerry McHugh, Washington Environmental Council, (206) 902-7555, kerry@wecprotects.org
Olympia, WA – Citizens will gather in Olympia on Wednesday, January 25th, as part of the 20th annual Environmental Lobby Day. Hosted by the Environmental Priorities Coalition, this day of action offers citizens the chance to meet with their legislators in support of environmental issues.
WHAT: 20th Annual Environmental Lobby Day
WHERE: United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave SE, Olympia
WHEN: Wed, January 25, 2012; 9:00 am 5:00 pm
FEATURED SPEAKERS: Tom Bancroft, People For Puget Sound; Christi Norman, Audubon Washington; Phil Anderson, Director, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; Brendon Cechovic, Washington Conservation Voters; Senator Sharon Nelson and Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, starting at 9:15 am
The 2012 Priorities are:
“Each year for the last 20 years, citizens have stood up for Washington’s land, air, and water – together we’ve achieved some landmark successes and worked to prevent rollbacks of our environmental protections,” said Rein Attemann, Advocacy Manager for People For Puget Sound, a Coalition member organization.
Last year Rep. Dave Upthegrove (33rd District) told lobby day attendees, “A citizen from our district who communicates an issue to us is more powerful than any paid lobbyist, because at the end of the day we represent you.”
More information about the event here.
More information about the Environmental Priorities here.
]]>Contact:
Jody Kennedy, Surfrider Foundation, cell (206) 940-6509
Katrina Rosen, Environment Washington, cell (206) 841-5141
Rein Atteman, People For Puget Sound, cell (206) 334-6472
Brady Montz, Sierra Club, cell (425) 891-5087
Sally Wolf, Zero Waste Seattle, cell (206) 579-0500
Bag ordinance passes: plastic bag ban, 5 cents on paper bags. goes into effect 7/1/12
Seattle. The Seattle City Council today unanimously passed the Seattle Bag Ordinance (Council Bill 11734). This vote was applauded by the coalition of environmental groups – Environment Washington, Surfrider Foundation, People For Puget Sound, Sierra Club, Zero Waste Seattle, and others – who have been working to develop grassroots support for the ordinance.
Special praise goes to Council Member Mike O’Brien for his leadership on the bag ordinance and the phone book opt-out ordinance last year.
“This ordinance to ban plastic bags is part of a larger Zero Waste initiative that also includes a ban on styrofoam, citywide residential organics composting, and providing our residents and businesses with a chance to stop unwanted yellow pages deliveries. These are all concrete steps towards reducing unnecessary waste in Seattle,” said O’Brien. “We are saving the city money and we are reducing impacts on the environment. Building towards our waste reduction goals are also a key part of our overall efforts to be a carbon neutral city by 2050.”
The Bag Ordinance passed by Seattle City Council bans thin single-use plastic bags at checkout stands. The ordinance includes a pass through fee of 5 cents for paper bags. .
The Seattle bag ordinance has the same requirements as the Bellingham ordinance passed in July. Edmonds and Mukilteo have banned plastic bags and did not include a 4 cent carry-through fee.
“We are pleased to see bag action in a number of Washington cities,” said Katrina Rosin, Environment Washington's Field Director. “There seems to be a growing momentum in Washington as well as along the west coast.”
The ordinance supports the City’s zero waste strategy and efforts to clean up Puget Sound and other essential waterways. “We are pleased that the city has shown leadership on foamed polystyrene, then phone books and bags,” said Sally Wolf of Zero Waste Seattle.
Brady Montz of the Sierra Club, Seattle Group continued, “Zero waste efforts like that on bags are adding up. We see these all contributing to the steps Seattle is taking to reduce our carbon footprint.”
“Tiny bit of plastics, including plastic bag film, are being found in all water samples taken in Puget Sound,” said Heather Trim, Policy Director of People For Puget Sound. “Reducing the use of single-use plastics, like bags, will make a difference for the health of wildlife in Puget Sound and out in the Pacific.”
Reduction of plastic bags is an international issue for the Surfrider Foundation which works to reduce plastic debris in the oceans. “Our members are out on the water,” said Jody Kennedy, Policy Manager with the Surfrider Foundation. “They see the plastic. This has motivated our members to help do beach cleanups almost every week throughout the year.”
Seattle’s ordinance was passed with support from Seattle’s recycling contractors--Allied Waste and Cedar Grove – as well as support from the Northwest Grocery Association. The American Chemistry Association and their affiliates were in opposition.
For more info:
Environment Washington: www.environmentwashington.org
People For Puget Sound: www.pugetsound.org
Surfrider Foundation: http://ww2.surfrider.org/seattle
Sierra Club, Seattle Group/Washington State Chapter: http://cascade.sierraclub.org
Zero Waste Seattle: www.zerowasteseattle.org
]]>Council President Richard Conlin
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O’Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen
Contact:
Josh Fogt, Councilmember O’Brien’s Office, 206-684-8800
Laura Lockard, Council Communications, 206-684-8159
Plastic bags proven to be major threat to health of Puget Sound and ocean marine life.
Seattle – Today Seattle City Council introduced Council Bill 117345, intended to help clean up Puget Sound and protect marine wildlife by banning single-use plastic bags. This legislation gives Seattle an opportunity to join Bellingham and Edmonds in Washington, as well as cities up and down the West Coast and more than 20 nations worldwide in efforts to curb the impact of single-use plastic bags on the environment.
Washingtonians use more than 2 billion single-use plastic bags each year. Seattle alone uses some 292 million plastic bags annually. A recent report by Environment Washington provides compelling evidence of the damage these bags cause to marine life.
“We all remember the beached grey whale found dead in West Seattle last year with 20 plastic bags in its stomach. The problem plastics pose for the Sound and ocean is pervasive and alarming,” said prime sponsor, Councilmember Mike O’Brien. “These bags provide minutes of use for us as consumers, but because they are not biodegradable are with us in the environment for hundreds of years.”
“We have learned so much more in the past few years about the harmful impacts of these plastic bags on our waters,” said Tom Bancroft, Executive Director of People for Puget Sound. “Studies show birds, sea turtles and other wildlife often mistake the plastic for food. Not only are tiny bits of plastic accumulating in the Sound and ocean, these plastics may be a pathway for toxic chemicals to get into wildlife. We owe it to future generations to curb our use of these bags now, before we do irreparable harm to Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean.”
In addition to a ban on plastic bags, the ordinance will promote reusable bags instead of simply switching to disposable paper bags. The law would require that retailers charge a five-cent pass through cost on each paper bag to consumers who do not bring reusable bags. The nickel serves as a reminder to consumers to bring reusable bags. Retailers would keep the nickel as a means for recovering costs of switching to paper bags.
“I said last year that Seattle needed bold, decisive action and that we needed an outright ban on plastic bags. It’s time for Seattle to demonstrate our environmental leadership and join the growing movement against these bags,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess.
“Using the Bellingham model is a smart approach that addresses concerns raised by Seattle voters when they voted down the 2008 ordinance. It addresses concerns about taxes by allowing grocers and retailers to keep the fee on paper bags to cover costs, and addresses concerns about impacts on low-income people by exempting those on assistance programs,” said Councilmember Nick Licata.
“This initiative is a logical next step in Seattle’s commitment to Zero Waste, a successful effort I spearheaded to increase our recycling rate and cap our total tonnage of garbage at 2006 levels,” said Council President Richard Conlin. “Promoting reusable materials is crucial to our Zero Waste goal. I’m confident that this approach to decreasing the use of disposable bags will be workable for consumers and retailers alike.”
The bill introduced by Councilmember O’Brien is co-sponsored by Council President Conlin and Councilmembers Bagshaw, Burgess, Clark, Godden, and Licata. Seattle’s bag ban would go live six months from passage of the ordinance. The ordinance is nearly identical to the Bellingham law that was passed in July 2011 and will go into effect in July 2012. For grocers and other retailers, consistency in the legislation across the region is seen as crucial for adapting their business models.
Seattle Public Utilities would be responsible for outreach and education with Seattle businesses to aide in the transition to the new law. The utilities’ solid waste division would also manage monitoring and enforcement once the ban goes into effect.
Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council’s website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.
]]>Contact:
Sian Wu, 206-374-7795 x102, sian@resource-media.org
Kerry McHugh, 206-631-2605, kerry@wecprotects.org
Bruce Wishart, 360-223-2033, wishart.bruce@gmail.com
Chris Wilke, 206-851-9483, chris@pugetsoundkeeper.org
PUGET SOUND HEALTH HINGES ON NEW STORMWATER PLAN
Current draft fails to deliver on green building solutions, contains developer loopholes
OLYMPIA, Wash. —Today the Department of Ecology issued its draft revisions of the stormwater permits for large and medium-sized cities. The stormwater permits sets standards for using green infrastructure (or Low Impact Development) solutions for new development and redevelopment projects in order to prevent stormwater pollution coming from streets and paved development. Collectively, these permits are the primary statewide regulatory tool to protect public waterways, including streams, lakes, rivers and marine waters from polluted runoff.
“These new permits are our biggest chance to make real progress in the restoration of Puget Sound,” said Chris Wilke, Executive Director of Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. “Unfortunately, the current drafts fail to deliver on proven solutions to reduce toxic runoff.”
In 2008, a state hearings board issued a landmark decision in favor of Puget Soundkeeper Alliance requiring that cities and counties around Puget Sound take more aggressive steps to reduce polluted runoff. Urban and suburban areas are required to have a stormwater permit under the federal Clean Water Act, because their storm sewers discharge polluted runoff into creeks, lakes, rivers and marine waters such as Puget Sound. This runoff is now the single largest source of toxic pollution entering Puget Sound, and plays a major role in destroying salmon runs, closing shellfish beds and swimming beaches and contributing to sewage overflows.
Green infrastructure technologies are engineered solutions that slow down and filter polluted runoff by mimicking the filtration provided by natural systems. These techniques have been shown to stop pollution effectively, and at a lower cost than traditional stormwater infrastructure.
“The state has been talking for a long time about how big this pollution problem is. Now is our chance to see some actual results,” said Bruce Wishart, speaking for People for Puget Sound. “We’d like to see developments adopt proven, commonsense building techniques, so we can clean up Puget Sound, reduce flooding risks, while at the same time supporting our green building industries. The current draft versions of the permits simply don’t get us there.”
"We know that when they're well-designed, LID strategies work. They slow runoff and improve the quality of water entering receiving bodies like Puget Sound. They also can provide beautiful amenities that increase property resale values,” said Joel Sisolak, outreach and advocacy director for the Cascadia Green Building Council.
One area of concern is the lack of clear parameters that would prevent a developer from paving over existing green space entirely. The coalition of advocates seeks a balanced ratio of green space to pavement, to prevent excessive polluted runoff from sites that impairs the health of public waterways. This fix would allow development to proceed while preserving effective natural filtration capabilities onsite.
Another opportunity for improvement is to minimize the amount of loopholes that allow developers to continue to use conventional polluting technologies when greener alternatives are available. For example, the new permit drafts allow multiple exemptions from green infrastructure requirements, making it easy for developers to opt out of needed clean water solutions.
Ecology has worked for more than two years with science and policy advisory groups on the municipal stormwater permit redrafting and issuing. People for Puget Sound and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance participated in those advisory groups.
The state has acknowledged that polluted runoff remains the single largest source of toxic pollution for Puget Sound and set a goal for cleaning up Puget Sound by 2020.
The Department of Ecology has started its public comment period to the draft permit, which will run until Feb. 3. Ecology will hold workshops and public hearings starting in December.
Members of the public may submit comments online at:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/stormwater/municipal/2012draftMUNIcom.html
]]>Sound and Vision is a film about the oceans, told through the stories of people working to clean up, protect, and restore Puget Sound and beyond. The film is set against the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster of 2010, the wake-up call that spurred a national conversation about the vulnerability of our oceans and shoreline. The film addresses the threats facing Puget Sound, examining oil spills, plastic trash, legacy pollution, and ongoing degradation in the form of polluted runoff and household toxins. Sound and Vision looks at ways that people can be involved in working for ocean health, ending with a call for the restoration of Puget Sound, the Gulf, and beyond.
People For Puget Sound made the commitment to fund the production of a major documentary feature as part of its 20th anniversary activities, and to make it available for wide distribution in late 2011 and into 2012 as part of its communications, education and fundraising programs. The goal of the film is to bring awareness to
In 2010, People For Puget Sound met with filmmaker Eric Becker to discuss the possibility of creating a feature-length documentary that looked back to the accomplishments of the organization over its 20-year history. Eric Becker came with impressive credentials, notably his work in filming and producing a short documentary about People For Puget Sound for Social Venture Partners. The film was well received by directors and staff at People For Puget Sound and demonstrated Eric’s technique and directing style.
People For Puget Sound works to protect and restore the health of our land and waters through education and action. They envision a clean and healthy Sound, and will accomplish this by: eliminating contamination of the Sound and Straits; halting the destruction of natural habitats and restoring those habitats to health; and sustaining the Sound and Straits as a healthy source of people’s livelihood, enjoyments and renewal. They work to accomplish their mission by: educating adults and youth in the science and values of a healthy Sound; involving communities and partners in shared responsibilities; and holding public officials accountable for carrying out commitments and enforcing laws and regulations.
Sound and Vision premieres on October 3rd at 7pm at the NW Film Forum’s Local Sightings Festival. Tickets are $10 and are now on sale at localsightings.nwfilmforum.org.
Press Contact: Julia Hughes, jhughes@pugetsound.org, 206-456-3791
]]>The original agreement, signed in 1999, allowed SSA Marine to construct an 8.2 million metric ton bulk commodity export facility at Cherry Point. That agreement imposed rigorous operating conditions to minimize the facility’s negative impacts on Puget Sound.
SSA Marine’s new proposal is for a terminal with the greatly expanded capacity of 54 million metric tons annually. This new proposal would significantly increase vessel traffic throughout Puget Sound. Unlike the earlier proposal, the new facility would be used almost exclusively to export coal to Asia, a commodity not covered by the company’s existing permit.
The parties attempted to modify the existing settlement agreement, but ultimately could not agree on a package of construction and operating criteria that would adequately protect the Cherry Point herring population from the impacts of the terminal structure and vessel traffic and loading. The 1999 agreement required SSA Marine to study the herring population and implement a wide range of measures to minimize the impacts of the facility; however, the company fulfilled only a fraction of these commitments over the last decade. As a result, the parties faced considerable uncertainty regarding the impacts that facility would have on herring and other aquatic resources.
“In the twelve years since our original agreement, SSA Marine has repeatedly failed to follow through on its obligations with respect to herring monitoring and evaluation,” said Dave Peeler, Director of Policy at People For Puget Sound. “This long history raised serious doubts about SSA Marine’s commitment to protecting Puget Sound under any new agreement.”
Looming over the negotiations was the prospect that SSA Marine’s new mega-terminal would serve primarily as a coal-export facility, loading the world’s largest ocean-going vessels with Powder River Basin coal bound for markets in Asia. The original permitting process did not address coal dust impacts, increased vessel traffic and terminal capacity, increased rail traffic from the coal trains, or coal’s impact on the global and regional climate.
“We are deeply concerned about the impacts of a coal-export facility at Cherry Point,” said Becky Kelley with Washington Environmental Council. “Coal exports from the proposed facility would negatively impact local communities across the State, harm Puget Sound, and increase climate pollution.”
“Whatcom County is known for its excellent quality of life – its clean air, water, and a community that cares about the health of its neighbors,” said Tanya Baumgart of the League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County. “We’re not willing to risk that legacy and the survival of Cherry Point herring on vague promises from SSA Marine that are unsupported by concrete plans or reliable science.”
“The new proposal is to build a massive coal-export facility right in the middle of sensitive habitat for Cherry Point herring,” said Steve Irving of North Cascades Audubon Society. “The herring population is in very bad shape, and this greatly expanded project threatens to push it to extinction.”
The parties to the 1999 agreement are SSA Marine, Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Whatcom County, and a coalition of public interest groups including League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County, North Cascades Audubon Society, People For Puget Sound, and Washington Environmental Council. The public interest groups were represented in the negotiations by Brian Gruber and Joshua Osborne-Klein of the law firm Ziontz, Chestnut, Varnell, Berley & Slonim.
See also: Five Good Reasons for No Deal at Cherry Point
Contacts:
Kerry McHugh, Washington Environmental Council, 206.631.2605, kerry@wecprotects.org
Mike Sato, People For Puget Sound, 206.229.2844,msato@pugetsound.org
Tanya Baumgart, League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County, 360.739.1427, PR@LWVbellinghamwhatcom.org
Steve Irving, North Cascades Audubon Society, 360.384.1618, shirvings@yahoo.com
Brian Gruber and Joshua Osborne-Klein, Ziontz, Chestnut, Varnell, Berley & Slonim. 206.448.1230, bgruber@zcvbs.com, joshok@zcvbs.com
--
Save Our Sound.
PEOPLE FOR PUGET SOUND. WE WORK WITH PEOPLE FOR A CLEAN AND HEALTHY SOUND. Join us as we celebrate twenty years of protecting and restoring Puget Sound. Join in the collective power of individual actions.
Many Voices, One Sound | OnePugetSound.org | PugetSound.org