News

In May, a remote camera set up by Conservation Northwest photographed a pine marten in the forest along Hyak Creek, between two of the Snoqualmie Pass ski areas. Martens require wild country with deep forest and down woody debris – habitat that would suffer if the proposed ski area expansion between Hyak and Summit Central were approved. The wildlife corridors proposed at Snoqualmie Pass are important for the survival of pine martens and other wildlife in the central Cascades.

Wolverine Tracks Near Pass

In February, University of Washington students found a set of tracks in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness three miles west of Snoqualmie Pass that appears to be wolverine. At about the same time, Washington Dept of Wildlife biologists live-trapped a female wolverine in the Pasayten Wilderness. In recent years there have been other credible sightings in the Alpine Lakes area including one in upper Gold Creek. These are evidence that these wide ranging, yet elusive mammals still inhabit the Washington Cascades. But wolverines require wild country with little human disturbance. The wildlife corridors proposed at Snoqualmie Pass are important for their survival in the central Cascades. 

In April, the Forest Service released an environmental assessment on a new recreation management plan for the Little Naches River basin, northeast of Chinook Pass. The Forest Service acknowledged that 20 years of study have shown a dramatic increase in impact to resources from motorized use in the valley. The agency is struggling with the impacts of jeeps and motorbikes being driven through streams and meadows, and the historic Naches Pass Wagon Trail being turned into a series of mud holes.

While the preferred alternative (#2) would remove over 50 miles of unauthorized motorbike trails that have scarred the valley, it would build a similar amount of trail for ORVs. The proposal would build new trails for “quads” (the smaller 4-wheel drive machines that require trails wider than motorbikes) including 3 sets of “learner loops” near the river.

The cosmic research lab that was proposed to be built underneath a Cascade Mountain has received a new lease on life. The Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) will receive a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for further studies and design. NSF had dropped the Cascades site from consideration last October, but the University of Washington appealed and is now back in the race. Vertical shaft sites in South Dakota and Colorado are also being studied.

New Site Proposed

The previous proposal to tunnel under Cashmere Mountain (and Alpine Lakes Wilderness) in the Icicle Creek valley, was highly controversial. That site has been shelved, and a revised proposal would use an existing tunnel about 60 feet south of the currently operating Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tunnel under Stevens Pass. Known as the “pioneer tunnel,” it was dug to facilitate the excavation of the railroad tunnel in 1929. It is not the older Cascade Tunnel, which is farther north. The pioneer tunnel runs under the Stevens Pass ski area. The lab would use about half of the 5.3-mile tunnel, to get to a spot that is 3,400 feet deep in the granite rock – underneath Cowboy Mtn. The tunnel portal is at the railroad yard at Scenic. Excavated rock would be shipped out over the rails.

A dozen volunteers worked on a rainy day in May to eradicate invasive species near the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. The group pulled blackberries from an area that is being restored by King County. This year’s Checkerboard Service Outing is part of a valley-wide project sponsored by Mountains to Sound Greenway and MidFORC. Thanks to Harry Romberg for organizing the event.

On June 20th, the Washington Dept. of Transportation (WSDOT) announced its preferred alternative for the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project that would include the wildlife bridges recommended by biologists. If approved after the Final EIS next year, this would provide a high level of connectivity for many wildlife species, making it one of the best highway crossing facilities for wildlife in the country. The design includes a dozen higher and longer highway bridges and numerous large culverts, where animals can cross under the freeway. In addition, at two locations, overpasses exclusively for wildlife will be built. The design also provides for stream and wetland restoration.

By Jessica Eagle, Regional Conservation Organizer

Over the last six months, hundreds of our members participated in the statewide effort to collect signatures for Initiative 937, the Clean Energy Initiative. Thank you to all who participated! We could not have done it without you.

The fight for clean energy is not finished, however. With this year’s important election cycle ahead of us, we can not lose the momentum and determination we have created at a grassroots level. Energy concerns and the discussion around clean energy solutions will draw out tens of thousands of environmentally-friendly voters, if we can create a big enough buzz!

Yosemite! Grand Canyon! Yellowstone! Denali! Everglades! What do these names have in common? They are all national parks whose names are known by everyone, the true crown jewels of America. And being national parks, they’re all well protected, right?

Wrong! The present administration, attuned to maximizing commercial profits and minimizing the public values of our public lands, has other plans for your national parks.

The Interior Department proposal to rewrite the management policies for our parks would topple “conservation of resources unimpaired for the future” as the mission of our national parks. Under proposed new management policies, the Park Service could:

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.

It was another fabulous session in Olympia for the environment. While the federal government is working hard to weaken environmental laws, Washington State is working twice as hard to improve protections. This year’s successes make it two straight legislative sessions that the Legislature, and Governor Gregoire, showed extraordinary environmental leadership. The collective efforts will improve our air and water here at home and help make Washington a national leader in environmental protection.

One of the most exciting bills this year makes Washington the first state in the country to effectively ban phosphorus from automatic dishwashing detergent (House bill 2322). The ban takes effect statewide in 2008 in Whatcom, Clark, and Spokane Counties, where the problem is most acute, and in 2010 statewide.

Frank Luntz, best known as the pollster who vetted the language behind Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America", continues to craft language soft-pedaling Bush administration attacks on environmental protections. Usually Luntz’s briefing books are guarded from public scrutiny, but now and then one leaks to the press.  In a memo titled “The Environment: A Cleaner, Safer, Healthier America”, Luntz recommends a strategy for convincing Americans that the radical right is a friend of the environment.

You can find the entire Luntz memorandum at http://www.ewg.org/briefings/luntzmemo/.