Recommended Actions for the Week of 20170515

Source: Re Sources for Sustainable Communities

Description:  The final public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan will be held on Tuesday, May 16, at 7pm in the Whatcom County Council Chambers.  Opponents of the amendments are organizing to show up in force.  If you can, please attend the hearing (wear red to show support!) and speak out in support of the final amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.  Either way, please be sure to email your support by 5/16.

Background:  

Though the Cherry Point coal terminal has been defeated, Cherry Point is on the map to become an export corridor for crude oil, tar sands bitumen, fracked gas and propane. Faced with proposals from multinational companies seeking to circumvent U.S. law, who may sue the county for rejecting permits and put taxpayers on the hook, Whatcom County urgently needs to make clear policies before new proposals are submitted. Until these policies are finalized, Whatcom County maintains a moratorium on permits for new developments to export unrefined fossil fuel through Cherry Point. Oil companies lobbied to lift the federal ban on crude oil export. With a drastic rise in oil from North Dakota and Alberta moving to Cherry Point by rail and pipeline, the refineries are positioned to use their shipping piers for exporting crude oil and tar sands. Crude oil export will bring simultaneously more bomb trains, more pipelines, and more tanker traffic through the Salish Sea, while undermining job security for local refinery workers. But we have legal tools to stop crude export through Washington before it begins on a mass scale. The first step is to pass amendments to Whatcom County’s Comprehensive Plan, an important growth management document which sets policies to direct zoning restrictions on permits for land and water use.

The final Comprehensive Plan amendments for Cherry Point would:

• Prevent piecemeal upgrades for oil exports by requiring “Magnuson Amendment” review of all permits that involve handling petroleum.
• Block any new proposals for shipping piers in the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve.
• Recognize Lummi Nation’s history and treaty-protected fishing rights.
• Complete a legal study by December 2017 to develop recommendations for legal ways the County may choose to limit the negative impacts from crude oil, coal. liquefied petroleum gases, and natural gas exports. New legislation will likely follow completion of the study.

Contact Information: If you plan to attend the hearing at 7pm, email Re Sources’ Clean Energy Program Manager or RSVP here. Wear red to show your support! Either way, email council@co.whatcom.wa.us the County Council and ask them to adopt the final Comprehensive Plan amendments for Cherry Point.

Additional Information:  Click through for more information on the County Council Comp Plan amendments for Cherry Point and the Magnuson Amendment.

Source: Keep Bellingham Families Working (edited)

Description: Read this background information for attending a Dignity Vigil or Dialog

Background: While the City of Bellingham adopted an ordinance intended to protect residents from immigration enforcement, the undocumented community is telling us that the adopted ordinance does not provide the protection we want for our neighbors.  Community to Community Development, Bellingham Racial Justice Coalition and Blue Group have hosted a series of events intended to bring us in to the conversation.  Now is the time to attend and further our understanding of the vision and path to resolution.

Additional Information:
12 Ways that the city ordinance passed on 2/13 continues to fall short of real protection

Keep Bellingham Families Working proposed ordinance

City of Bellingham ordinance as adopted

Bellingham Herald article on the city’s decision

Attorney General’s “Guidance Concerning Immigration Enforcement”

Source: RC Member

Description: Let’s watch another short video from the Homeless in Bellingham Film Project and comment with your biggest takeaway on the Riveters Collective Facebook page.

Background: Homelessness is an important issue in our community. The city is working with local organizations and stakeholders to create a new low-barrier shelter, and this has raised many questions. One thing we can do to help the community find solutions is to get up to speed on the topic.

Additional Information: Whatcom Homeless Service Center

Description:  As required by law, the EPA is calling for public comment on the planned rollback of environmental regulations. We’ve included this in the action list for two weeks, but the comment deadline closes Monday, 5/15, 11:59 E.T.  See here for more information.

Source: Indivisible Guide

Description: Withholding consent is a powerful senate tactic for stopping all business.  We are asking Senators Murray and Cantrell to withhold consent until an independent commission is in place.

Background: Last week, Trump not only fired FBI Director James Comey, he then went on national television and admitted that the Russia investigation was part of his reason for doing so. The American people deserve to know just how serious this administration’s ties to Russia are, but it’s clear that Republican MoCs aren’t in a hurry to find the answers. And we can’t trust whoever Trump nominates as the next FBI Director to take this seriously either.It’s time to demand that a special prosecutor be appointed to continue the investigation—and your Senators should be doing all they can to ensure that this happens. Demand that your Senators withhold consent and filibuster all Senate business until an independent commission is in place. For more, check out our new Truth or Trump toolkit, which explains what happened last week, and our Truth or Trump Action guide to effective ways to protest this attack on our democracy. On the Indivisible Guide Facebook page, Facebook Live Monday at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT with special guest Lisa Gilbert, Vice President of Legislative Affairs at Public Citizen, to answer your questions and talk about the recent Russia developments and how you can pressure your Senators to take action.

Suggested Script: My name is _______ and I am a constituent of Senator (Murray/Cantwell).  I am calling to ask the senator to withhold consent and fillibuster all senate business until an independent commission for the investigation of Trump’s ties to Russia is established and in place.

Contact Information:

Senator Patty Murray: WA (206) 553-5545, DC (202) 224-2621

Senator Maria Cantwell:  WA (206) 220-6400, DC (202) 224-3441

Additional Information:

• Article from The Washington Post: Clapper’s Remarks Constitute the Third Strike for Trump
• Atlantic article on special prosecutor vs independent commission

Source: RC

Description: Measure your carbon footprint and develop a long-term plan for major emissions reduction in your own life. Bookmark the calculator and consult it in your decision-making.

Background:  We have tremendous power to reduce carbon emissions in our own lives. This is not optional, but no one will make us do it.  The transition to clean energy is happening, and needs to accelerate, and we need to be the drivers on the personal and the policy level. This means substantial change in some of our lifestyles, but a low carbon – working toward carbon neutral – lifestyle is different, but also joyful and meaningful. Measurement is accountability.  Commit to measuring, making a plan, and telling your friends. This is our personal responsibility to future generations, but also to marginalized people already affected.  Marching is important, but addressing climate change must be a daily practice for all of us.

Permanent Planet is a locally-developed calculator which addresses just the major contributors to emissions. The developer created the tool in his spare time and there is no monetization of the site.