Recommended Actions for the Week of 20170911

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Local Level Actions

Act By 9/12! Email County Council and ask to Extend Moratorium on New Unrefined Fossil Fuel Permits

Source: Re Sources for Sustainable Communities

Description: Whatcom County’s temporary moratorium on permits for fossil fuel export projects is set to expire soon. County Council must introduce a new ordinance to extend the moratorium by Tuesday, September 12^th. The County Council needs to hear that the community supports them in maintaining this moratorium. Email County Council members and ask them to introduce a new ordinance to extend the moratorium, then attend the public hearing on September 26^th to urge the Council to approve the ordinance.

Background: Whatcom County continues to face proposals to export fracked gas and tar sands via pipelines through our farmland and rivers and across the Salish Sea to overseas markets. Right now, the county is conducting a legal study to develop tools to protect public health and safety from increases in rail, pipeline, and tanker shipments. In the meantime, companies like Kinder Morgan, SSA Marine, and Williams Pipeline are barred from applying for permits under a temporary moratorium on permits for unrefined fossil fuel export projects.

Contact Information: Click here to email County Council members.

Suggested Script:

Subject: Extend the moratorium on permits for unrefined fossil fuel export projects

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 by September 26th.

Lifting the moratorium now would allow companies like Williams, SSA Marine, Kinder Morgan 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 fracked gas, tar sands, crude oil, propane or coal through Cherry Point.

I hope you will take further action following completion of the legal study underway. Thank you for serving our communities.

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

Additional Information:

Bellingham Herald: Whatcom Council approves second 6-month ban on crude oil exports

Whatcom County Interim Ordinance: Imposing an Interim Moratorium on the Acceptance and Processing of Applications and Permits for New or Expanded Facilities in the Cherry Point Urban Growth Area The Primary Purpose of Which Would Be the Shipment of Unrefined Fossil Fuels Not to Be Processed at Cherry Point

Sightline Institute: The Thin Green Line

Housing Homework: Watch a Videos from the City of Bellingham Housing Affordability Town Hall

Source: RC Member

Description: Attending the city council meeting tonight (11 September 2017)? Just want to be prepared for informed and collaborative discussion on options for ending homelessness and increasing the diversity of housing options? Get up to speed by watching Ted from the Department of Commerce’s presentation from the Housing Affordability Town Hall put on by the City of Bellingham. Super data-informed, interesting, and puts the causes and solutions to this topic in perspective. The whole thing was great but he’s 3:50-22:00 and every single second is worth it.

Background:

Homes Now. Not. Later.’s link to the planning commission discussion of detached ADUs.

Write a Thank You Note to Lummi Nation Fishers

Description: Write a Thank You Note to Lummi Nation Fishers for their Leadership and Exceptional Efforts in the Ongoing Atlantic Salmon Clean-up

Background: Lummi Nation fishers cleaned up 90% of all the escaped Atlantic fish that were caught. We owe them all a big, big thank you! They worked night and day and went without meals for days in order to stop this invasive species. In the end, more than 114,000 of these pollutants dispersed to unknown waters. But Lummi was able to remove 43,522 of them from the Salish Sea and a huge thanks would be welcome.

Contact Information:
Lummi Fishing Fleet
c/o Lummi Natural Resources
2665 Kwina Road
Bellingham, WA 98226

Additional Information: http://kuow.org/post/atlantic-salmon-farm-was-its-last-legs-and-washington-state-knew-it

Drink the I Stand IPA at Aslan Brewing

National Level Actions / Other

Call Senators Murray and Cantwell and Ask When They Will Announce Co-Sponsorship of Sanders' Medicare for All Bill

Source: RC Member

Description: Call our senators and ask when they will announce their co-sponsorship of Senator Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All bill. Post their answer in the poll comments.

Background: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/349598-warren-co-sponsoring-sanders-medicare-for-all-bill

Contact Information:

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

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

Suggested Script: Hi, my name is {your name} and I am a constituent of Senator {Murray/Cantwell} from {your town}. When will the senator publicly annouce her co-sponsorship of Senator Sanders’ Medicare for All bill?

Join Shaun Kings Boycott of the NFL

Ask Members of Congress to Stand up to the Criticism and Connect the Dots Between the Hurricanes and Climate Change

Source: 350.org (edited)

Description: Republicans are calling the actions of politicians to connect recent hurricanes to climate change “insensitive.” Hurricane Irma flattened islands in the Northeast Caribbean including St. Martin and is flooding Florida and Georgia. Hurricane Harvey caused flooding that has devastated Houston and parts of Louisiana. In South Asia, monsoon flooding has killed 1200 and displaced 40 million. Meanwhile, the Republicans and the Trump administration continues to deny climate change and roll back climate protections. In the face of these tragic events, we must urge our leaders to stand up and connect the dots between climate change and extreme weather events, condemn climate denial, and promote bold, just climate action.

Background:

Climate change has amplified extreme weather events. Greenhouse gas emissions have increased the likelihood and severity of heat waves, extreme rainfall and storm surges. A warmer atmosphere can hold more water, increasing the potential for heavy downpours, while warmer oceans can produce more intense hurricanes. Storm surge is exacerbated by sea level rise, increasing flooding risk.

Contact Information:

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

https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme

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

https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/email/form

Congressman Rick Larsen (WA 2nd Legislative District), WA 360-733-4500, DC (202) 225-2605

http://larsen.house.gov/contact-rick/email-rick

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA 1st Legislative District), WA (360) 416-7879, DC (202) 225-6311

https://delbene.house.gov/contact-me/email-me

Suggested Script:

As a constituent from [insert city, County], I am deeply concerned about the devastating impacts of recent flooding to vulnerable communities in the Gulf region, the SouthEast, the Caribbean, and across south Asia. The science is clear – global warming is increasing the severity of extreme weather events. I urge you to strongly condemn the Trump Administration’s climate denial, connect the dots between these hurricanes and climate change, and intensify your efforts to promote bold, just climate action.

From the Calendar

Link to the Riveters Collective Calendar

Every Monday: Attend a vigil hosted by C2C and Keep Bellingham Families Working. A vigil will be held from 11:30a.m.-12:30p.m. in front of City Hall or from 5:00-6:00p.m. at the WTA downtown bus station. Support undocumented and immigrant families to live in safety and dignity in our community. Come together and join in building power in people!

Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 from 6:00-7:30p.m.: Speak up for the Homeless and tell the city council what you want to see in order to end homelessness in Bellingham, as well as present your ideas for how to help. Join HomesNow. Not Later. at City Hall, 210 Lottie St, Bellingham, WA 98225. Visit Facebook or the RC calendar page to learn more about the event.

Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 from 6:30-8:30p.m.: Join the Re Sources monthly Clean Energy Activist meeting to discuss the upcoming Whatcom County Council action on the fossil fuel moratorium, upcoming events and more. The meeting will be held at Re Sources, 2309 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA. Visit Facebook or the RC calendar page to learn more.

Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 from 10:00a.m.-2:00p.m.: Join the Whatcom Water Week: International Coastal Cleanup Day at 3161 Locust Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225 for a local beach cleanup. Trash bags and gloves will be provided. Please dress appropriately for walking along the beach. RSVP is encouraged but not required. To RSVP, contact Eleanor Hines at nws@surfrider.org or visit Facebook for more information.