Recommended Actions for the Week of 20171127

Source: RC

Description: Watch live video “ask me anything” (AMA), submit your questions before or during the AMA by commenting on our google document or in the comments for the event on Facebook, or on the live feed.

Here are the questions we’ve already compiled.

Background: What can regular people like you and I do to impact waterfront planning at this stage? What the heck is even going on down there? City council member Pinky Vargas, and Port of Bellingham commisioner-elect Michael Shepard will join us for a VIDEO (hopefully!) Ask Me Anything. You don’t have to wait for the AMA to add questions! Drop them in the convo here and we’ll dig them up when it’s time to talk.

Additional Information:
Bellingham Herald: What is going on with waterfront redevelopment?
Bellingham Herald: Sparks fly at Port meeting over plans for the Waterfront District
City Councilor Michael Lilliquist’s post on updated plans.

Source: Washington Environmental Council

Description: Our region is the only one in the nation that has not designated No Discharge Zones for any waters. Puget Sound, a national treasure, needs this type of protection and should not be treated as giant toilet.

When enacted, the Puget Sound No Discharge Zone will prohibit the discharge of raw or partially treated sewage from boats by requiring all vessels with a permanently installed toilet to collect sewage in a holding tank then pump out for proper treatment. This simple and common sense approach will protect public health, keep our waters clean, protect sensitive marine waters, and support important shellfish harvesting areas.

The comment period closes November 30^th.  Act now to tell the Department of Ecology that you support this action as a common-sense protection for a healthy and clean Puget Sound.

Background: After years of hard work and study, Puget Sound is poised to join other iconic waterways across the United States as a No Discharge Zone. San Diego Bay, Long Island Sound, all state waters of Massachusetts, Michigan, and Rhode Island – over 90 in total – have No Discharge Zones.

The Department of Ecology proposes to establish a No Discharge Zone for Puget Sound. For the past five years, Ecology has extensively evaluated the ongoing risks, the benefits of removing this pollution source, and the feasibility of establishing a No Discharge Zone in Puget Sound. The US EPA evaluated the draft proposal and agrees that sufficient pumpout facilities exist to support a No Discharge Zone. Thousands of people have taken action, and one final step is needed.

Puget Sound residents and users strongly support establishing a No Discharge Zone for Puget Sound. Many assume this is the case already. Others clearly see it’s important that all vessels do their part to keep our waters clean. We know the maritime community values Puget Sound and we’re confident that the remaining vessels will step up.

Contact Information: Click here to email the WA Department of Ecology.

Additional Information:

Department of Ecology: Proposed Puget Sound No Discharge Zone for Vessel Sewage

Source: Stand Up to Oil

Description: Sign the petition to ask Governor Inslee to reject the Tesoro-Savage oil-by-rail terminal in Vancouver, WA, which would be the largest oil terminal in North America.

Background: A new oil train terminal on the Columbia River would pose incredible dangers to riverside communities, and to our climate.  Last week Washington’s Energy Council released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Tesoro Savage oil train terminal, and it’s clear that it only adds to the mountain of evidence showing two things: oil trains are reckless to our communities and our climate, and Governor Inslee should reject the nation’s largest oil train terminal.

EFSEC will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, November 28^th, in Olympia, to deliberate and announce its recommendation to Washington State Governor Inslee. The Stand Up to Oil coalition and others are organizing to have hundreds of people attend to demonstrate public opposition to this reckless fossil fuel project that endangers our communities, waterways, and climate.  If you can, please plan to attend in person (RSVP here).  Otherwise, please sign the petition to tell Governor Inslee to reject the terminal.

Contact Information: Click here to sign the petition.

Additional Information:

Seattle Times: Risks for Washington state oil-by-rail terminal may be low but consequences could be severe, new study says

EFSEC: Tesoro Savage Vancouver Energy Project

Source: RC

Description: On #GivingTuesday, sign up for recurring monthly donations to a local organization.

Background:  We built this tool last year, and we’re in the process of updating (please forgive the broken link(s)).  As always, if you want to help make it better, email riveterscollective@gmail.com .

Source: Indivisible Guide

Description: Call Senators Murray and Cantwell and ask them to to “withhold consent” to defeat the #TrumpTaxScam. 

Background: Why are we only calling our own senators?  It’s the Indivisible way!  Indivisible strongly discourages calling MoCs other than your own. This is for three reasons: MoCs and their staff won’t take down messages from people who aren’t their constituents; it feeds into the narrative of ‘outside agitators,’ which we know is not the case in our movement; and it takes precious time and energy away that could be put towards more strategic activism. It’s also explicitly in the Guide to avoid doing this.

Contact Information:

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

Zach Mallove, Legislative Assistant to Senator Murray

zach_mallove@murray.senate.gov

See call script→

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

Artie Mandel, Policy Adviser to Senator Cantwell

artie_mandel@cantwell.senate.gov

See call script→

Indivisible Guide

Suggested Script:

Caller: Hello! My name is [___] and I’m calling from [part of state]. I’m calling to let [Congressman / Senator __] know that I strongly oppose the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This tax bill is a scam that will give massive cuts to the wealthy, paid for by stripping tens of thousands of people in [state] of their health care and raising taxes on middle-class families.  Will the Senator commit to withholding consent on votes in the Senate so that we have time to mobilize against this bill?]

Staffer: I haven’t talked to the Senator about that, but I’ll pass your thoughts along.

Caller: That’s what I expect out of the Senator. It’s not enough just to vote no, he/she needs to actively work to slow down the Trump Tax Scam and expose it for the scam it is. Democrats started withholding consent during the health care fight—and it worked. That’s what I want to see again here. Please take down my info so you can let me know what he/she is doing to slow down the Trump Tax Scam.

Additional Information:
Forbes: GOP Tax Bill is the End of All Economic Sanity in Washington

Source: Indivisible Guide

Description: Indivisible Guide peer-to-peer dialing tool

Background: 

The Senate could vote on a motion to proceed (the pre-vote vote) as soon as Monday, November 27 and bring the bill to a full floor vote as early as Thursday, November 30. This means we have to make a ton of noise between now and when the Senate comes back in session on November 27.

We’re bringing back a super effective peer-to-peer calling tool from the TrumpCare fight so those from red states, blue states, and purple states alike can take action to stop this bill by reaching out to progressive constituents in three target states: Alaska, Arizona, and West Virginia. The calling tool will connect you to a constituent in a target state and give you a script to emphasize the devastating impact of this bill. Then, you’ll ask them to call their Senator on the spot.

This tool will help make the wave of constituent pressure we need to stop this bill once and for all.

Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up below to make phone calls from our peer-to-peer dialing tool. You’ll get an email confirmation with a login, password, and URL to sign into our system. Once signed in, you can start making calls immediately—and we’ll give you a script to make it as easy as possible!
2. Next, you’ll call a voter in a key state with a swing Republican Senator. These folks are your friends—they attended the Women’s March, they’re standing up to pass a #CleanDREAM, and/or fight for progressive causes.
3. You explain how they have power now. You’ll remind them why the continued fight against the Trump Tax Scam is so important—and why they have particular power in this moment.
4. You ask them to use their power. You’ll ask them to call their senator in opposition to the bill, and to share their own reasons for opposing it.
5. The tool connects them to their Senator’s office. The call tool will allow you to automatically patch them through to the Senators’ district offices.

Source: Sierra Club

Description: The Keystone XL (KXL) tar sands pipeline was just approved by Nebraska’s Public Service Commission, but there is some good news. The PSC has approved an alternative route that TransCanada, the company behind the pipeline, has called unworkable.  That means TransCanada still has multiple hurdles to overcome — so this pipeline may never be built.  Send a message not to urge Wells Fargo to stop funding Keystone XL.

Background: It’s becoming clear that pipelines are a risky investment. TransCanada has publicly stated that they aren’t sure Keystone XL will ever be built.  They’re having a hard time finding enough customers, and oil industry insiders say there’s no need for more tar sands. We can stop the tar sands at the source by stopping TransCanada’s funding from Wells Fargo.

Funding Keystone XL is out of line with Wells Fargo’s public commitments to both climate action and respect of Indigenous rights. The pipeline would carry 830,000 barrels of the world’s dirtiest oil — tar sands — every day from Alberta, Canada, to the U.S. Gulf Coast. It would be responsible for annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to 37.7 million cars — a disaster for our climate. Keystone XL would cross the Ogallala Aquifer, which is one of the country’s largest sources of freshwater. A spill in the aquifer would threaten the drinking water for millions of people. It would also cut directly through Sioux treaty lands and near several other reservations and the Ponca Trail of Tears — yet Tribal Nations in Nebraska and South Dakota have not been properly consulted.

Wells Fargo has an opportunity right now to move away from the financial and reputational risks of Keystone XL. Along with JPMorgan Chase and others, Wells Fargo currently supports two loans to TransCanada totaling $1.5 billion, which will come up for renewal this December. Wells Fargo can stop this funding right away and move to end all of its investments in KXL and tar sands.

Contact Information: Click here to send the message to Wells Fargo.

Additional Information:

Los Angeles Times: Nebraska regulators approve Keystone XL pipeline after years of controversy