Cascade Chapter -

Department of Natural Resources Begins Restoration and Trail Construction in Reiter Foothills Forest

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:38:10 +0000

Temporary closure goes into effect November 2

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be giving extra attention to state trust lands in the Reiter Foothills Forest in southeastern Snohomish County this fall, winter, and spring. DNR staff and volunteers will be restoring damaged habitat, beginning construction on new trail systems, and working to improve public safety. To accomplish these goals, DNR will temporarily close the Reiter Foothills area to everything but foot traffic beginning November 2. The closure will allow restoration work to proceed more effectively. At the same time, DNR will be working with volunteers to locate trails that are fun, challenging, and environmentally sustainable, with low maintenance.

Washington and Oregon Must Keep Moving Forward to a Clean Energy Future

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:46:54 +0000

Northwest Energy Plan Stalled - Press Statement August 13, 2009

On August 12th, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council unexpectedly reached a deadlock and failed to approve their draft Sixth Power Plan which will provide a 20-year electric energy blueprint for the Northwest. The Sixth Plan will provide a broad baseline of information which all utilities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana will use to measure their energy plans. Specifically, the plan will provide a five-year mandate of energy conservation targets for the Bonneville Power Administration’s utility customers. The Plan must provide for a 60-day comment period and public hearings in all four states before final approval in December of this year.

Roadless Forests Win in Court -- Decision Reinstates Most of National Rule Opposed by Bush, Timber Lobbyists

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:23:23 +0000

WASHINGTON -- The Wilderness Society and 19 other environmental organizations notched a huge victory today when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco affirmed protection for almost 40 million acres of wild national forests and grasslands from new road building, logging, and development. The decision puts an end to the Bush administration’s efforts to open these last great natural areas to development. Today’s ruling protects the majority of national forest roadless areas in the country.

No New Dams in Yakima River Basin

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:14:15 +0000

News Release: Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 Contact: David Ortman (Sierra Club): 206-354-2910 (mobile) deortman@msn.com

Sierra Club: No New Dams in Yakima River Basin Yakima - Today the Sierra Club issued a formal statement to state and federal officials that Sierra Club opposes new dams proposed for the Yakima River Basin as environmentally damaging and not cost effective. This was the second meeting of the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project 2009 Work Group.

"Sierra Club opposes expanding the dam at Bumping Lake adjacent to the William O. Douglas Wilderness," said David Ortman representing Sierra Club and a long time environmental advocate in the Pacific Northwest. "The Bureau of Reclamation dropped the Bumping Lake Enlargement from its December 2008 Yakima Water Storage Feasibility Final Report. This report also confirmed that the proposed Black Rock Dam and Wymer Dam are huge money losers for taxpayers. In the face of climate change, the future of water for irrigators is conservation, water markets, and improved efficiencies." Yakima River Basin's water future

DNR to Close Some ORV Trails in Reiter Foothills

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:22:18 +0000

From the Washington State Department of Natural Resources:

OLYMPIA – This weekend, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will begin closing some of the off-road vehicle (ORV) trails in Reiter Foothills. The measures are necessary to reduce the loss of fish habitat and to protect downstream health.

ORV riding will still be allowed in many areas, specifically in places that are being considered as potential riding areas under a recreation plan for Reiter due out this summer.

2000 Turn Out for EPA Rally!

Tue, 26 May 2009 23:45:05 +0000

Three weeks ago the EPA announced that it would hold two hearings on its endangerment finding, that global warming pollution is a threat to public health and welfare. The Sierra Club kicked into gear to demonstrate the outpouring of public support for fast, scientifically-based, and substantial actions on climate change. We turned to our volunteers, coalition partners and staff throughout the country to lead that effort.

A spirited crowd estimated at 2,000 people gathered outside an EPA hearing in Seattle today, urging the Obama Administration to take action on reducing global warming pollution. Hundreds of children and students joined members of the faith community, health officials, business leaders, environmental leaders, and elected officials to call upon the administration and congress to address the threat to public health posed by global warming pollution, support real solutions to global warming, create more green jobs and opportunity in the growing clean energy economy and end America’s dependence on dirty energy sources like coal. The rally was kicked off by Sierra Club staffer Kathleen Ridihalgh rallying dozens of kids on the stage in a chant -- "Act Now! End Coal!"

Endorsement Request 2009 Deadline: May 1

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:21:54 +0000

If you or your candidate would like to be considered for Sierra Club Cascade Chapter political endorsement, please let us know by May 1. If you know the leadership of your local Sierra Club group, you may contact them directly. Otherwise, you may notify the Cascade Chapter Political Chair, Scott Otterson

Senate Passes Bill Weakening State Renewable Energy Standards

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:46:36 +0000

SB 5840 undermines Washington’s clean-energy leadership

The Sierra Club is disappointed in the Washington State Senate’s Tuesday-night passage of a bill that would severely cut renewable energy standards set by public vote in 2006. To read the Press Release and for more information, click here.

Praise for Obama Plans On Fuel Economy

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:46:15 +0000

Washington, DC: In addition to today directing EPA to consider granting a waiver to California for its clean car law, President Obama also indicated that his administration will issue new fuel economy standards in the coming months that will go beyond what the Bush administration had started.

The Bush Administration did not issue a final rule for model year 2011-2015 vehicles under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, thereby providing a tremendous opportunity for President Obama and his Department of Transportation to issue the first mandated increases in fuel economy for cars in decades.

Sierra Club Calls for Transportation Plan With Less Global Warming

Wed, 16 May 2007 20:34:30 +0000

The only way to seriously reduce our vehicles' contribution to climate change is to reduce vehicle miles traveled

Letter to Shawn Bunney, Chair of Executive Board of the Regional Transportation Investment District and John Ladenburg, Sound Transit Board Chair:

The Sierra Club urges you to consider addressing the public's concerns over global warming, land-use and fiscal responsibility in the draft "Blueprint for Progress" roads package you are developing. As we've communicated in our prior comment letter*, we support a fully-funded Sound Transit 2 plan and a regional transportation road package that prioritizes "fix-it-first" highway spending and projects that improve roads for transit and HOV use.

Sierra Club Releases Vision of RTID Highway Building Plan

Mon, 14 May 2007 22:04:56 +0000

A reduced package prioritizes moving goods and people, making infrastructure safer and addressing global warming pollution

In a letter to the Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID) Board, the Sierra Club released an outline to illustrate how leaders could refocus the RTID funding package to address the serious issues of global warming, fiscal accountability and regional mobility. It highlights projects that enhance transit reliability on major highways, improve local grid mobility and prevent a ballooning of carbon dioxide pollution in the region.

“There’s still time for our public officials to ramp down the exuberant funding on highway spending in the draft package,” said Mike O’Brien, the Cascade Chapter Chair. “As gas prices soar, it is wrong to lock us into a highway-building program that doesn’t help our region’s mobility. We cannot sacrifice Sound Transit by weighting it down with an overreaching, fiscally irresponsible highway spending bill that digs the global warming hole deeper.”

Wild Sky Bill Introduced at Last!

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 23:50:45 +0000

After six years of bi-partisan efforts led by Democrats Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Rick Larsen, the Democrats’ re-taking of the Congress in Nov. 2006 was the breakthrough needed to get the Wild Sky Wilderness Bill moving through Congress. With Rep. Pombo (R-CA) out of office, finally Senator Patty Murray (for herself and Sen. Cantwell in the Senate) and Rep. Rick Larsen (for himself, Rep. Inslee, and Rep. Dicks in the House) were able to introduce “The Wild Sky Wilderness Act of 2007”! Although the Senate had passed the Senate version of the bill three times, Pombo had kept it blocked for years in his House Resources Committee. What a legacy for all who made it happen – 106,557 irreplaceable acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests for present and future generations to cherish and enjoy! It’s difficult to imagine a more gratifying piece of legislation for those responsible. A few features of the bill are these:

Be Cool—Protect Our Climate and Communities

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:32:47 +0000

by Aaron Robins, Energy Committee Chair and Jessica Eagle, Associate Regional Representative

We have made great strides in the global warming debate—from over 350 cities signing onto the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, to President Bush’s recognition of “global climate change” in his State of the Union Address, to GE and DuPont’s new commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 60-80% of current levels by 2050. The train is moving and the Cascade Chapter is driving our state towards clean, safer and smarter energy solutions.

Seattle and Sierra Club Lead on Climate Change

Wed, 24 May 2006 18:39:05 +0000

People outside Seattle probably have an image of software moguls, coffee, grunge and fish flipping through Pike Place Market. At the root of those easy stereotypes is the fact that Seattle is a city of innovation. It's hard to deny that, off in this rain-shrouded corner of the country, Seattle comes up with some pretty cool ideas.

Seattle has now broken into the national consciousness with the boldest idea of all. While national leaders twiddle their thumbs on global warming, Seattle and Mayor Greg Nickels have laid down a challenge: American cities will lead the way on solving global warming by committing to a smart, clean energy future.

Bankruptcy Loophole Costs Taxpayers Billions in Toxic Cleanup Costs

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 23:54:18 +0000

For Immediate Release: April 11, 2006

Contact: Craig Engelking, 360.561.7701

Report Shows Asarco Could Shed Up to $1Billion in Pollution Liabilities, Including $45 Million in Tacoma, by Declaring Chapter 11

TACOMA—The Sierra Club today commended Senator Cantwell for her efforts to close a loophole in the nation's bankruptcy laws that allow companies with significant pollution liabilities to evade cleanup costs. A special investigative report by the Sierra Club contends that one company, the American Smelting and Refining Company (Asarco), could legally shift $500 million to $1 billion in cleanup responsibilities to taxpayers by reorganizing under the federal Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Code.