2006 issue #1 bird's eye view newsletter washington audubon society

8/8/2019 2006 Issue #1 Bird's Eye View Newsletter Washington Audubon Society

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URGENT ACTIONLegislative Hotline:1-800-562-6000

Call and ask your legislatorsto read Bird's Eye Viewand support Audubon's

2006 legislative priorities.Contact our staff for assistance.

2006 Legislative Newsletter December 1, 200

Olympia -- Monday, November 14thmarked the latest effort to rollback Washington's land-use protections.The initiative drive, expected to landon the November 2006 ballot, wouldforce government to pay landownersto follow our community protectionlaws or require government to waive

these protections.Spearheaded by the Washington FarmBureau, this developers loopholeinitiative would gut policies to protectthe rural character of ourcommunities, working farms,working forests, and safeguards forour birds, wildlife and habitat--keyassets of our nature tourism industry.

Waiving these protections wouldallow unchecked development withreckless abandon impactingcommunity character, water qualityor downstream flooding.

to protectingour naturalheritage tobenefit allcitizens.

Representativedemocracy'spublic policiesare designed to protect the welfare oall in our society. Recently too manpolicy debates are manipulated topolarize for political gain. That'sturkey politics. Bird enthusiasts andour natural world need Audubon'ssteady voice in these debates.

(Continued on page 6.)

In concluding a Thanksgiving holidayfilled with conversations about

current events and politics I ruminateon more than the irony of a turkeydinner for an Auduboner, and timelytrivia of Benjamin Franklin's desirefor the turkey as our NationalSymbol.

Through policy offices in WashingtonD.C. and Olympia, and our statewidenetwork of 26 independent chapters,Audubon time and again

demonstrates balanced approaches

Alternatively, government paymentsto maintain these protections wouldguarantee increased taxes.

Efforts to make land-use policies tooexpensive to enforce is not new. Asimilar Referendum was defeated inWashington in 1995, and an Oregoncourt recently declared a 2004measure unconstitutional.

"We need balanced approaches toresolving land-use policy tension inWashington. The course charted by

(Continued on page 6.)

Audubon Washingtonbelieves in balance and

responsibility, findingcommon ground, andinvolving all citizens in

protecting the natural worldand our quality of life.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Breaking NewsPage 1

Policy Directors CornerPage 1

Audubon PrioritiesPage 2-3

Priorities for a Health WA

Page 4-5

Budget PrioritiesPage 5

Other Issues: NorthernSpotted OwlPage 6

Chapter SpotlightPage 7

Hot Tips for AdvocacyPage 7

BREAKING NEWSCommunity Rights at Risk

Audubon ExercisesBalanceHeath Packard, Policy Director


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December 1, 2005 Page 2 o

Background: More than 130 of the State's 317 birdspecies reside in forests. Of 93 vulnerable bird species inWashington, most rely on our forests and associatedhabitats. See State of the Birds live at:http://wa.audubon.org/science_SOTBReport_WAState.html .

Forest conversion, fragmentation, andcompromised forest health lead the causes of forest habitat loss/degradation. Between1970 and 1992 over 2 million acres of forestswere lost to permanent conversion.

Washington's private forestlands account for virtually allconversions and 76% of our annual timber harvests.Meanwhile, Washington's bird populations continue todecline despite 30 years of increasing state regulationsfocused on water quality for state and private lands.

If we are to stabilize or recover Washington's forest bird populations, we must curb or reverse the loss of habitat on State and private lands.

Current Activity: We must advance market-driventransfer of development rights (TDR) to keep workingforests as forests, not new housing. Development rightscan be bought by developers to create higher densitydevelopments within urban boundaries.

We must ensure recognition and improved health of unique forest habitats like Oregon White Oak and EasternWashington Ponderosa Pine forests.

Background: Washington'snorthern Puget Sound lowlands areimportant wintering areas forTrumpeter Swans. A substantialproportion of the globalpopulationestimated at 16,000birds in the late 1990sspendsthe winter in this region.

Since 1999, at least 1,200 Trumpeter Swans have died of lead poisoning in Whatcom and Skagit Counties andSouthern British Columbia. Lead poisoning is caused byingestion of lead shotgun pellets. Swans consume pelletswhile foraging for grit to aid digestion. A single pellet cankill a full-grown swan in 30 days or less.

Using lead shot for waterfowl hunting in the U.S. has been

illegal since 1991. Exactly where the swans are ingestingthe lead is unknown. State and Federal agencies and TheTrumpeter Swan Society (TTSS) are researching lead shotcontamination to instruct future clean up efforts.

Current Activity: In partnership with TTSS, hunters anagencies, Audubon is advocating for a zero tolerance toxicshot enforcement bill. It will increase penalties and

education for hunters using lead shot in restricted areas.

Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000

Ask your Natural Resource Committee Members tostrengthen toxic lead shot enforcement.

Volunteer with research/monitoring: call TTSS'sMartha Jordan at (425)787-0258.

Editors Note: For questions, comments, or concerns with this newsletter please contact

Audubon Washingtons Policy Office at 360-786-8020 ext. 201 or email [email protected].

Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000Ask your Natural Resource and Land Use

committees to conserve WAs forests.

Audubons 2006 Legislative PrioritiesCONSERVE WASHINGTONS FORESTS

Audubons 2006 Legislative PrioritiesREDUCE TOXIC LEAD SHOT


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Background: Economic incentives to conserve wildlifecan help support the long-term financial health of Washington. How? Wildlife equals nature-tourism dollars.Research shows that 71 million Americans watch wildlife;46 million say theyre bird watchers. Over the pastdecade, bird watching has become the countrys fastest-growing form of outdoor recreation.

Wildlife tourism in Washington ranks seventh in thenation with prospects for growth enhanced by 2003legislation to promote sustainable rural economicdevelopment through maintaining wildlife diversity. In2005 Audubon Washington, CTED, WDFW and StateParks agreed to develop and market wildlife watching inWashington.

In many rural communities, non-profit organizations andprivate landowners cooperatively organize wildlife-

watching festivals, which generate tourist dollars. Neithergroup, however, receives direct financial return.

Current Activity: WDFW will introduce legislation thatallows local decision-makers to compensate non-profitsand landowners with hotel-motel tax revenues.

Audubon thinks this bill would be improved by 1) linkingcompensation of landowners to their conserving habitatAND guaranteeing public access to designated areas forwildlife-watching (e.g., birding festivals); and 2)increasing total funds available.

Background: Sand and gravel are necessary for ourroads, homes and office buildings. Demand for suchminerals grows with Washington's burgeoningpopulation.

Mining for sand and gravel occurs in open-pit surface

mines that, due to Washington's geological history, arelocated in or adjacent to river, stream, riparian andwetland habitats. Our chapters often appeal minepermits due to potential impacts to adjacent habitat.Maintaining environmental protections/programs forthis industry is critical to minimize impacts to birds.

How these mines are "reclaimed," returned to habitat orother subsequent uses, can further impact birds andwildlife. If done well, new habitat can be created.

However, because of obsolete fee structures, the

Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) mining programis about to go bankrupt. Renewing enabling legislationand providing interim funding is critical to ensureappropriate reclamation of gravel mines.

Current Activity : The DNR is revising the Surface MinReclamation Act (RCW 77.44) and Audubon has beeninvolved in negotiations to ensure DNR's program issustained and the act ensures greater environmentalprotections.



Ask your Natural Resource Committee members toimprove the Surface Mine Reclamation Act and fund

DNR's reclamation program.


Ask your Natural Resource Committee Members tosupport watchable wildlife legislation.

Audubons 2006 Legislative PrioritiesPROMOTE WATCHABLE WILDLIFE

Audubons 2006 Legislative PrioritiesENSURE SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION


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Background : More than 100 species of birds inhabitPuget Sound; 42 of these are considered vulnerable, and29 are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need inWashingtons Comprehensive Wildlife ConservationStrategy. Species like the western grebes suffer a 95%population-decline.

Puget Sound is in trouble. The water is polluted. Stateand federal governments list orcas, salmon and birdspecies as endangered. One-third of our shorelines havebeen damaged, with one-third of our eelgrass meadowsand 75% of watershed wetlands destroyed. Toxicchemicals pour into the sound and Hood Canal and otherinlets are suffering from insufficient oxygen to supportthe food chain.

The inland marine waters and estuaries of Puget Sound

are among the highest prioritiesfor conservation action inWashington. These habitatssupport a complex food chainvital to our wildlife resources.

We must Clean Up Puget Sound and reverse the loss of

critical habitats for our birds and wildlife.

Current activity : We are working with agencies and thegovernor's office to ensure that proper funding andtimelines are set to clean up Puget Sound.

Background: Growth is inevitable.Washington is an attractive place to livebecause it is a young and thriving statewith a high quality of life. Washington'sburgeoning population may grow by 2million people in the next 15 years. Thiswill require more roads, more septic

systems, more housing, more officebuildings, factories, retail centers andparking lots.

Policy tools like the Growth ManagementAct, Shorelines Management Act, and StateEnvironmental Protection Act are designed to assist localgovernments in developing wise growth plans. Theseplans direct increased urban growth, minimize sprawl andprotect citizens from landslides and natural disasters andalso protect birds, wildlife and habitat from the

detrimental side effects of un-controlled urban andsuburban sprawl.

Current Activity: Governor Gregoire, recognizing longrunning controversies and issues with these policy tools,aims to tackle these issues. A suite of bills is expectedfrom the Governor, which will tackle update requirements

and best available science. We are currently working withWetnet (our wetlands advisory committee) to ensure thatthese bills do not rollback protections enjoyed by thesepolicies.


Ask your legislators to Clean Up Puget Sound andsupport all of the Priorities for a Healthy Washington.


Ask your local government committee memberstoday and ask them to defend our Land Use

Protections.

Priorities for a Healthy WashingtonCLEAN UP PUGET SOUND

Priorities for a Healthy WashingtonDEFEND LAND USE PROTECTIONS


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Audubon advocates for sustained fundingand revenue streams to support regulationsand programs that protect birds, wildlifeand their habitat. We do this not only tobenefit bird enthusiasts, clean air andwater but also to benefit our economy byinvesting in our natural assets so residentsand nature tourists alike can enjoy our

birds and wildlife and spend money doing so.

Department of Fish and Wildlife$350,000 -- Landscape Level Wildlife Assess. ProjectAids the Forest Practice Board's review of upland wildliferules.

$235,000 -- Wildlife Eco-Tourism (2 FTEs)Promotes nature tourism opportunities and draws touristsfrom the 2010 Olympic games.

$291, 573 -- Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem

Restoration (1.3 FTEs)

$660,000 -- Hydraulic Project Approval HabitatConservation Planning (1.5 FTEs) $250,000 Specialty Wildlife License Plate SpendingAuthority (1.0 FTE) $250,000 Personalized License Plate SpendingAuthority

Department of Natural Resources $763,600 Surface MiningAid DNR to fulfill Surface Mine Reclamation Actobligations.

$133,700 Forest Riparian Easement Prgm (1 FTE)Supports DNR's small Forest Landowner Office.


Background: Common householdproducts such as televisions,computers, furniture, and carpetingneedlessly expose children andanimals to chemicals known as toxicflame retardants or PBDEs.

Current Activity: HB1488/SB551passed through five committees of thLegislature in 2005 and is currently ithe House and Senate Rulescommittees.

Background: Technology advanceshave changed the way we work andlive, but those advances have also leftus with a growing environmentalproblem: millions of unwantedelectronics are piling up in landfillswith no proper disposals.

Current Activity: This legislationwill create a state-wide electronicsrecycling system where we all wouldhave a role to play: manufacturerswould establish and pay for theprogram, consumers would turn intheir old electronics for recycling, andmany retailers would serve ascollection points.

Background : Oil and gas importsdrain more than $25 million everyday from Washingtons economy.

Biofuels fuels produced usingplant materials can dramaticallyimprove our energy security andagricultural viability by reducingexpenditures on imported petroleumand providing a major new market forWashington farm products.

Current Activity: Throughdiscussions among the farmcommunity, the biofuel industry,labor, Climate Solutions, and others,we will seek to promote thesealternatives.

Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000Ask your legislators to support all of Audubon's

Budget Priorities for 2006.

For more informationabout each priority visit:

www.environmentalpriorities.org

Priorities for a Healthy WashingtonPromote Renewable Fuels Launch Electronics Waste Recycling Eliminate Toxic Flame Retardants

Audubons 2006 Supplemental Budget Priorities


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Background: Washington's NorthernSpotted Owl (NSO) population issuffering a precipitous drop quantified bythe Federal Government at an average of 7% annually, and a 50% total over the lastdecade--rates much higher than predicted.

Forest Practice Rules designed tosupplement Federal Recovery byconserving habitat on State and privatelands have not been adequately

implemented. In fact, of the 172,000 acres clear-cutwithin the Spotted Owl Habitat Assessment Study Area(Pierce et. al., 2005) between 1996 and 2004, 56,400 acres(or 33%) was suitable owl habitat.

Current Activity: After months of research, negotiations

and education efforts, Audubon's chapters, state office andconservation partners successfully advocated for theForest Practices Board's declaration of an Emergency.They passed several measures to immediately protect owlhabitat and develop new recovery strategies.

Despite this success, we were disappointed that the FPB

voted 11 to 1 to allow continued harvests of habitat inareas specifically designed to protect owls.

We continue to pursue every avenue to recover owls.

this initiative is one-sided and uncompromising," saidAudubon Washington Policy Director Heath Packard.Audubon is committed to constructive public policysolutions founded on common ground and common needsof all citizens.

Audubon California works closely with their state'sFarm Bureau to promote wise land-use and conservationprograms to conserve working farms and bird habitat.Similarly, Audubon Washington is committed tomaintaining Washington's rural economies, workingforests and farms, and protecting wildlife habitat.

"This session we're supporting a bill to compensatelandowners for their contributions to local nature-tourismeconomies," said Packard (See Watchable Wildlife page3). I hope the Farm Bureau will come around to a

balanced approach to resolve everyone's concerns.

Companies like Exxon and Weyerhaeuser report recordprofits while recent media suggests the inequitableinfluence of such special interests. From debates on oildrilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to NorthernSpotted Owl conservation we advocate policies to balancespecial interests' economic needs with science-based

conservation.In a season when partisan politics and powerful specialinterests rule, we look forward to rolling up our sleevesand working hard on sound and prudent conservationpolicy that truly represents all interests. I trust ourlegislators are prepared to avoid turkey politics and followmodels like policy eagle Congressman Dave Reichart (R8) in 2006. (See Chapter Spotlight page 7.)


Ask your legislators to support Department of Fishand Wildlife's Landscape Level Wildlife Assessment

budget request.

Other IssuesNorthern Spotted Owls on the Brink

Breaking News contd. Audubon Exercises Balance contd.


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December 1, 2005 Page 6 oDecember 1, 2005 Page 7 o

Follow all the legislative action in the Birds EyeView newsletter!

Read about recent activities of the legislature Learn the details of legislation and track bills Receive action alerts to voice your opinions

about key decisions

This important publication is FREE of charge whenyou subscribe via email, (www.capitolconnect.com/ audubon/myregistration.asp) but in order for us tocontinue to provide this important publication, we ask that you consider MAKING A DONATIONTODAY! Even a gift as small as $15 will help!

If you would like to continue to receive BEV in hard-copy, we will print, fold, and mail it to you with thehelp of our dedicated volunteers for the low price of only $20 per year!

Session is fast approaching, and it isimportant to know a head of time whorepresents you, and what committeesthey are on.

Our state is divided into 49 legislative districts. Check

out the statewide district map at http://www1.leg.wa.gov/common/maps/statewide .

You can find your district, legislators, and theircommittees by visitinghttp://www.leg.wa.gov and typing in youraddress. If you do nothave internet accessyou can call theLegislative Info Center

at 1-800-562-6000 forassistance.

This fall members and staff at EastLake Washington and SeattleAudubon had the opportunity to go toWashington, D.C. to lobby ourCongress members to save the ArcticNational Wildlife Refuge from the

ravages that would come with oil drilling.Despite intense pressure from U.S. House leaders,Washington Republican Rep. Dave Reichert, District 8,

joined 24 other GOP members Nov. 9 in listening to theirconstituents. Because of the opposition by Rep. Reichert andthe others, the Arctic Refuge was deleted from the Housesversion of the budget bill. The issue is not settled however,because the Senate budget includes drilling; lawmakers willattempt to reconcile the two versions in December.

Thank Rep. Reichert personally via http://www.house.gov/ reichert/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm.

Session beginsMonday, January

9th. Do youknow who

represents you?

Follow the 2006 Legislative Session With Birds Eye View

Hot Tips for AdvocacyKnow Your District and its Legislators Lisa Remlinger, Field Coordinator

Chapter SpotlightHats off to East Lake WA and Seattle Audubon for help protecting the Arctic

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Audubon Washington is a partnership of the Washington state office of theNational Audubon Society and Washington's 26 independent Audubon Chapters.

Audubon Washington Policy Staff:

1063 Capitol Way S; Ste 208Olympia, WA 98501(360) 786-8020

Mission of the National Audubon SocietyTo conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing onbirds, other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earths biological diversity.


Admiralty Audubon

Black Hills Audubon

Blue Mt. Audubon

Central Basin Audubon

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Grays Harbor Audubon

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Heath PackardPolicy Director(360) 786-8020 Ext [email protected]

Lisa RemlingerField Coordinator(360) 786-8020 Ext [email protected]

Miguel Perez-GibsonPolicy Consultant(360) [email protected]

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2006 issue #1 bird's eye view newsletter washington audubon society

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