Recommended Actions for the Week of 20180223

Source: Alliance for Gun Responsibility

Description: 

Enough is enough. February 14 marks the 17th school shooting of 2018. Closer to home, in Everett, it appears tragedy was narrowly avoided when a grandmother alerted the police after learning of her grandson’s frighteningly detailed plans to carry out a similar massacre.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected in the Parkland, Florida school shooting. BUT thoughts and prayers are not enough.

Enhanced Assault Weapon Background Checks – (HB 1387,SB 5444) can go a long way toward keeping these weapons of war out of the hands of people seeing to use them in mass shootings

Contact Information:

Try the legislative hotline!  You get to talk with a friendly staffer and they pass your message to ALL THREE legislators.  800-562-6000

42nd District

Representative Luanne Van Werven

(360) 786 – 7980

Luanne.VanWerven@leg.wa.gov

Representative Vincent Buys

(360) 786 – 7854

Vincent.Buys@leg.wa.gov

40th District

Representative Kristine Lytton

(360) 786 – 7800

Kristine.Lytton@leg.wa.gov

Representative Jeff R. Morris

(360) 786 – 7970

Jeff.Morris@leg.wa.gov

Suggested Script:

“Enough is enough. February 14 marks the 18th school shooting of 2018. Closer to home, in Everett, it appears tragedy was narrowly avoided when a grandmother alerted the police after learning of her grandson’s frighteningly detailed plans to carry out a similar massacre.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected in the Parkland, Florida school shooting. BUT thoughts and prayers are not enough. Your constituents deserve action.

Enhanced Assault Weapon Background Checks – (HB 1387,SB 5444) can go a long way toward keeping these weapons of war out of the hands of people seeing to use them in mass shootings.”

Additional Information:

Riveters Collective is maintaining a regularly-updated post on our website detailing other gun control actions that you can take in this critical moment. Please check it out if you are able to do more.

Source: 350 Bellingham/Fossil Free Bellingham Coalition

Description: 

The City Council has been working with members of the Fossil Free Bellingham Coalition to draft new 100% renewable energy targets that will dovetail with an update to the 2007 Climate Protection Action Plan. The Council is on track to pass them both by the end of March, but we need to make sure they know that this is a priority for our community!

Ask the City Council to pass a resolution by the end of March that includes a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2030.

Background: 

The City has been working on a 2017 update to the original 2007 Climate Protection Action Plan.  Late last year, 350 Bellingham formed a coalition of community partners to support a City Council resolution that commits the City to be 100% Fossil Free by 2030.  Initially planned as a public campaign that would launch in March, there appears to be sufficient interest within the City Council to take action on a resolution soon to adopt and direct staff to implement the Climate Action Plan, perhaps as early as 2/26.  Now is the time to ask them to take bold action commensurate with the scale of the climate crisis, and include 100% renewable energy goals in the plan.

Contact Information: ccmail@cob.org

Suggested Script: 

As you adopt and direct staff to implement the update to the City’s Climate Action Plan, I urge you to also adopt a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2030.  In addition to contributing to helping meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, taking climate action at the local level will create jobs, cut waste and pollution, improve health, save money, and enrich the community.  Thank you for taking bold action to protect the climate.

Additional Information:

Climate Protection Action Plan

Source: Riveters Collective

Riveters Collective is proud to endorse I-1600, the universal healthcare initiative spearheaded by Whole Washington.

Description: 

Our platform states “We believe that healthcare is a human right, and support single-payer healthcare efforts at a state, regional or national level” and that is exactly what this initiative is all about.

Additional Information:

Learn more here: http://www.wholewashington.org/

To get involved, look up Whole Washington Volunteers on Facebook

Source: RE Sources for Sustainable Communities

Description: 

Write to County Council and plan on attending the Public Hearing February 27, 2018 on extending the moratorium on new or expanded export of unrefined fossil fuels out of Cherry Point.

Background:

The study that was included in the approved Cherry Point Amendments to Whatcom County’s Comprehensive Plan just came out last week. Now the Council needs time to review the findings to see what ways will be the most effective at limiting the negative impacts related to the export of unrefined fossil fuels at Cherry Point. In the meantime, it remains vital to extend the moratorium on any new or expanded export of those dangerous fuels to prevent the issuing of permits that do not have to abide by any subsequent regulations the Council may vote to enact. Please write your County Council Members or show up next Tuesday for the Public Hearing to urge the new and continuing Council Members to extend the interim moratorium.

Public Hearing time and location:
Show up at 5:30 p.m. to sign up to speak for the 6:00 p.m. County Council Meeting on Tuesday, February 27, at 311 Grand Ave., Bellingham. This meeting is an hour earlier than their usual meeting time!

Contact Information:

council@co.whatcom.wa.us
bbrenner@co.whatcom.wa.us
rbrowne@co.whatcom.wa.us
bbuchana@co.whatcom.wa.us
tballew@co.whatcom.wa.us
tbyrd@co.whatcom.wa.us
ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us
tdonovan@co.whatcom.wa.us

Suggested Script:

Subject: Extend the moratorium on permits for unrefined fossil fuel export projects
To: council@co.whatcom.wa.us

Honorable council members,

As a voting citizen of Whatcom County, I urge you to extend the moratorium on permits for unrefined fossil fuel export projects.

Now that the legal advisory study has been completed, I hope you will take comprehensive steps to institute conditions for county permits that disallow new or upgraded facilities to export unrefined fossil fuels.

Lifting the moratorium now would allow companies like BP, Kinder Morgan, Williams, SSA Marine and Petrogas to apply for permits and obtain vested rights, exempting them from new development regulations.

I support action to the greatest extent of your power to protect the people and natural resources of Whatcom County from risky expansions to export crude oil, tar sands bitumen, fracked gas, propane or coal through Cherry Point.

Thank you for serving our communities.

[Your full name]
[Your city, voting address optional]

Additional Information:

Link to the study: “Reducing Impacts from Fossil Fuel Projects Report to the Whatcom County Council February 12, 2018.”

Link to related post on RE Sources’ Clean Energy blog.

Link to RE Sources’ FB event for the hearing.

Source: WCD

Description: Ballots have arrived for the election to fill one open seat on the Whatcom Conservation District Board! Vote by 3/13/18.

If you did not request a mail-in ballot, you may vote in person on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at the District’s office at 6975 Hannegan Road, Lynden. Polls will be open between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm.   All registered voters residing within Whatcom County may vote in person at that date, place, and time or by mail.

Responses to RC questionnaire:  Our R&R! committee send questions to the candidates. Two candidates responded. Their responses are linked below.

1. Alan B. Chapman
   Responses to RC Questions
2. Larry Helm
3. David M. Kroontje
   Responses to RC Questions

For more information, see the WCD Elections Website.

Source: WA Wild/Surfrider Foundation

Description: Submit comments by March 9 to oppose the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s proposal to open nearly all waters off the nation’s coastlines to oil and gas drilling, including much of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

Background: Last month, U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke proposed a sweeping plan to open nearly all waters off the nation’s coastlines to oil and gas drilling, including a major new lease sale off Oregon and Washington proposed for 2021. The proposal aims to expand offshore drilling on over 90% of the Outer Continental Shelf along America’s coastline, which includes Washington’s own wild and rugged coast. In northern Washington, the proposal includes much of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, where the regulations currently prohibit “exploring for, developing or producing oil.”  In addition, the coast of the Olympic Peninsula is home to the coastal strip of Olympic National Park, most of which is protected as Wilderness. Areas like Second Beach, Ruby Beach and Lake Ozette are a major source of tourism and economic benefit for local economies. Other conservation lands on the Washington coast include San Juan Islands National Monument, Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuge, Copalis National Wildlife Refuge and Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. Drilling just offshore of these national treasures is unacceptable and irresponsible.

Contact Information: Click here to submit comment online.

Suggested Script: I am strongly opposed to offshore oil drilling in new areas, especially off the Washington coast.  From the dramatic headlands and lush forest of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary to the sandy beaches of Ocean Shores, Washington’s Pacific coastal and offshore marine ecosystems are vital recreational, economic, and ecological resources.  

I am very concerned about the substantial environmental impacts of offshore drilling to these resources.  Seismic surveys associated with oil exploration damage or kill marine life and can disrupt migration patterns of marine mammals.  Drilling and processing oil releases contaminants that pollute marine waters and sediments.  Catstrophic oil spills devastate marine ecosystems and recreation- and fishing-based coastal economies and can take years to clean up.  Massive onshore infrastructure associated with offshore drilling destroys coastal habitats and increases air, water, and land pollution to coastal communities.  Finally, continued exploitation of fossil fuel reserves will only exacerbate the climate crisis.

Offshore oil drilling and oil spills have the potential to critically impact our vital marine resources and lead to the industrialization of our coastlines. Ultimately, America cannot drill our way out of an oil consumption problem. Rather than drill for fossil fuels off our coasts, we must instead invest in a sustainable “energy portfolio” that includes renewable sources and conservation.

Additional Information:

• Regulations.gov: Draft Proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program
• Surfrider Foundation Fact Sheet: Stop New Offshore Drilling
• Seattle Times: Surprise Oil Fight May be Part of the Method to Trump’s Madness