2007 issue #3 bird's eye view newsletter washington audubon society

8/8/2019 2007 Issue #3 Bird's Eye View Newsletter Washington Audubon Society

1/8

URGENT ACTIONUrge your legislators to vote yeon SHB 1024/SSB 5034. Tel

them you are concerned aboutoxic flame retardants harmin

children's health and polluting oenvironment.

1-800-562-6000

2007 Legislative Newsletter February 2, 2

SHB 1024/SSB 5034 will soon bevoted on in the House and Senate,and this bill has a lot of momentumthis year for passing.

Common household products, such as

televisions, computers, furniture, andcarpeting needlessly expose birds andwildlife to chemicals known as toxicflame retardants or PBDEs.

Very similar to the now bannedPCBs, these chemicals leach out ofproducts and are rapidly increasing inmothers milk, ospreys and orcawhales.

It is past time to safeguard our homesand the environment from exposureto these hazardous chemicals in ourconsumer products, especially where

staff answerdozens ofquestions eachday, and at thesame time theysteerWashington in a positive directionimprove our states environment aneconomy.

I am also proud of AudubonWashington's policy team and our Audubon Societies throughout thestate. They too work hard every dhelping our elected officials

(Continued on page 6.)

As Executive Director of AudubonWashington, I continue to beimpressed by how seriously ourelected officials take theirresponsibility to do the public'sbusiness.

Every day, legislative offices arebesieged by constituents withrequests for help in contacting a stateagency or in understanding a state orfederal law. Legislators and their

safer alternatives that meet fire safstandards are widely available.

This bill has a broad coalition ofsupport, including the WashingtonState Nurses Association and theWashington State Association of FChiefs, along with many others.

However, the powerful out-of-statechemical industry continues to denPBDEs are harmful and is playing of their dirty tricks to defeat the bil

(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

Executive Directors CornerPage 1

Audubon PrioritiesPage 2-3

Priorities for a Health WAPage 4-5

Budget PrioritiesPage 5

Other Issues and PrioritiesPage 6

Chapter SpotlightPage 7

Hot Tips for AdvocacyPage 7

BREAKING NEWSEliminating Toxic FlameRetardants Will Be Voted onSoon!

Audubon and LegislatorsFlocking Together(Guest Columnist)

Nina Carter, Executive Director

Please join us in welcomingMarena Loree as the newest

fledgling to Audubon WA. Congratsto our Policy Director HeathPackard and his wife Anne.


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February 2, 2007 Page 2

Audubon leads and coordinatesthe forest conservation lobby.Several issues are priorities forAudubon and theenvironmental caucus.

HB 1122/SB 5461 Forest

Health Contract Harvesting

on State Lands

Position: Support with

minor amendment

Current Activity: Our amendment has been added.Hearing held in House Agriculture and Natural ResourcesCommittee, 1/18. Hearing held in Senate NaturalResources, Ocean and Recreation, 1/29.

This bill allows the State Department of NaturalResources (DNR) to continue a practice of hiring contractharvesters to do silvicultural practices on state forest

lands. This allows the state to generate some revenuefrom its trust lands while reducing risks of catastrophicfire and pest infestation. With a minor amendment toclarify priority sites and ecological aspects of foresthealth Audubon supports this bill.

HB 1045/SB 5462 Board of Natural Res. Mgmt Fee

Position: Support

Current Activity: HB 1045 has passed out of both theHouse Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee andAppropriations. SB 5462 has not received a hearing.

The DNR is responsible for managing the states trustlandsforests managed primarily for revenues for schools

and universities, and for rural cities and counties. Thecurrent return on investment to the trustees is about 75%Management costs are increasing as DNR aims to increharvests levels and revenues as well as protections forNorthern Spotted Owls and riparian areas. Audubonsupports these increases as negotiated through a settlemagreement over the Board of Natural Resources andDNRs 2004 sustainable harvest calculation.

Forest Health (No bill number yet)Position: Support

Current Activity: We have been successful instrengthening the bill and will be working with DNRthis week to have the bill sponsored.

The Forest Health Strategy Work Group (FHSWG),established in 2004, held public meetings in 2006regarding a revised forest health bill. We have weighedon these meetings and provided consistent feedback on

our need to see forest health legislation acknowledgethe ecological importance of fires and insects in healthyforest ecosystems.

HB 1408 Forest Conversion Moratorium

Position: Support

Current Activity: Hearing held in House Agriculture aNatural Resources Committee, 1/31. Audubon testifiedsupport of this bill, and we were acknowledged in thecommittee for all the hard work we put in to make thishappen.

Current law prohibits for six years the conversion(development) of a forest parcel that has been clear-cutunder a Forest Practices Permit. The WFFA points outthat because the current moratorium restricts limited orpartial conversions to liquidate some land values whilestill maintaining most of the forests as working land, itprompts more families to sell off their entire forests!

Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000

Ask your Natural Resource Committee Members tosupport Audubons positions.

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].

Audubons 2007 Legislative PrioritiesCONSERVE WASHINGTONS FORESTS

Cassins Vireo


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Working forests and farmsprovide essential habitat tomigratory birds that winter,forage, breed and passthrough Washington.

Audubon has prioritized

policies that curb sprawland protect these working

landscapes for birds, whether swans on the Skagit, cranesin Othello or neo-tropical migrants in our forests.

During the Initiative 933 campaign, some legitimate landuse issues were raised that deserve our attention. Whilevoters recognized that I-933 was too extreme and toocostly, there remain some very real problems withreasonable approaches at hand.

Audubon and many ofthe organizations thatactively opposed I-933have pledged to worktogether, in partnershipwith others, to support arange of policy changesand strategic investmentsaimed at resolving thevery real issues that face some landowners in Washington.We are actively working with reasonable farm and forest

interest groups on these common-ground priorities.

These policy changes and the partnerships behind themwill go a long way toward showing that reforms are notonly possible, but desired, in an effort to bring broaderfairness and flexibility to the states land use systemswhile maintaining the strong foundation of communityprotections.

Our coalition will actively champion:

HB 1636/SB 5656 Creating a regional transfer-of-development-rights programStatus: Both bills have been heard in committee

HB 1458 Changes to strengthen Eminent Domain laand protect property owners

Status: Scheduled for a hearing in the HouseJudiciary Committee, 2/2

$100 Million for WWRP (see page 4) A process to identify and address CAO buffer issue

on agricultural land and a process to identify andaddress fairness problemsStatus: Governors budget proposal to take issue uin UW Policy Consensus Center

We will also work to find ways to support:

Expansion of the Heart of Washington campaign Establishment of an Office of Farm (and Forest)

Conservation Forest Fish Passage Program Funding Removal of the 6-year moratorium deed restriction

Class III harvest (see pages 1 & 2) B&O tax relief for family forest landowners Inclusion of buffers in density calculations for urba

areas Restoring urban and community forests Maintaining the DNR Small Forest Landowner Offi

Taking action to address the Eastern WashingtonForest Health Issues

Examination of infrastructure financing Establishment and funding of a GMA Infrastructure

Account



Ask your Legislators to help Audubon keep ourworking lands safe from sprawl.

Audubons 2007 Legislative PrioritiesKEEP OUR WORKING LANDS SAFE FROMSPRAWL

Trumpeter Swans

Working Farm in Washington


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Current activity: TheGovernors Budgetrequest is $70 million.It is expected thatHouse and Senatebudgets will bereleased in March.

Individuals concernedwith this issue areencouraged to contacttheir legislators and

ask them to sign-on to a letter addressed to leadershipspecifically highlighting projects they would like to seefunded in their districts as well as acknowledging theirsupport for the $100 Million. Please contact LisaRemlinger at 360-786-8020 ext. 201 or [email protected] or more information.

Background: WWRP provides funding for local and stparks, water-access sites, trails, critical habitat, naturalareas, riparian and urban wildlife habitat, and farmlandpreservation.

Since beginning in 1990, the program has awarded near$452 million for nearly 780 projects statewide.Our

request of $100 million will preserve 130 places for parand wildlife across the state. As our states populationgrows, so too does the need for recreational opportunitiwildlife habitat, and farmland. We have an opportunity2007 to protect those places that make WA special.


Ask your legislators to fund the Wildlife andRecreation Program at $100 Million and tell them

what will be funded in their district.

Priorities for a Healthy Washington$100 MILLION FOR WILDLIFE ANDRECREATION PROGRAM

HB 1374/SB 5372

Creating the Puget Sound

Partnership

Position: Support

Current activity:The Senate Bill received ahearing in the Water,

Energy, andTelecommunications committee, 1/17. The House bill washeard in the Select Committee on Puget Sound, 1/23 andis scheduled to be voted out of committee, 2/9.

Background: This bill, which would create the PugetSound Partnership agency, is the first step in the processto create accountability under the Governors leadership.We view the bill as a starting point and will continue tomake accountability an important and necessary issue torecover Puget Sound by 2020.

Puget Sounds water and wildlife are in trouble. Morethan 100 species of birds inhabit Puget Sound: 42 of theare considered vulnerable, and 29 are listed as SpeciesGreatest Conservation Need in WashingtonsComprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Specielike the western grebes have suffered a 95% populationdecline.

The inland marine waters and estuaries of Puget Soundare among the highest priorities for conservation actionWashington. These habitats support a complex food chathat is vital to our wildlife resources.


Ask your legislators to Save Our Sound and suppHB 1374 and SB 5372.

Priorities for a Healthy WashingtonSAVE OUR SOUND

Sharp-tailed Grouse

Western Grebe


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Capital BudgetInteragency Committee for Outdoor

Recreation

Increase for Wildlife and Recreation

Program

Audubons Request = $100 MillionGovernors Budget = $70 Million Watchable Wildlife Site

Improvement

Audubons Request = $500, 000Governors Budget = $0

Operating BudgetDepartment of Natural Resources

Natural Heritage Increased Capacity

Audubons Request = $700,000Governors Budget = $0 Upland Wildlife Assessment

Audubons Request = $1.5 MillionGovernors Budget = $790,000 Urban & Community Forestry

Audubons Request = $100,000Governors Budget = $0 Small Forest Landowner ServicesAudubons Request = $3,170,900

Governors Budget = $2,590,000 Aggregate Resource MapsAudubons Request = $626,000Governors Budget = $0

Department of Fish and Wildlife

Technical Assistance for Wind

Power, Renewable & New Energy

Tech

Audubons Request = $540,000Governors Budget = $0 Eco-tourism Infrastructure Initiative

Audubons Request = $500,000Governors Budget = $0 Orcas Recovery

Audubons Request = $350,000Governors Budget = $0 Puget Sound Bird Monitoring

Audubons Request = $290,000Governors Budget = $0 Puget Sound Burrow-Nesting

Seabirds

Audubons Request = $150,000Governors Budget = $150,000

Citizen Science and Education forPuget Sound

Audubons Request = $400,000Governors Budget = $0

Office of Superintendent of Public

Instruction

Environmental Education &

Community Connections

Audubons Request = $400,000Governors Budget = $0


Priorities for a Healthy WashingtonSupport Clean AirClean Fuels Eliminate Toxic Flame Retardants

Audubons 2007 Budget PrioritiesHow Does the Governors Budget Stack Up?

HB 1303/SB 5586 Encouraging the use

of cleaner energy

Position: Support

Current Activity: Hearing held in HouseAgriculture and Natural ResourcesCommittee, 1/24. Scheduled to be votedout of committee, 2/5. The Senate bill hasnot received a hearing.

Background: An omnibus bill that willhelp Washington develop a clean-energy economy byproviding market incentives for clean fuels and vehicles,Washington-grown biofuels crops, and clean school buses.

SSB 5034/SHB 1024 Phasing

out PBDEs

Position: Support

Current Activity: These bills arecurrently moving fast and arebeing scheduled for floor actionin the House and Senate.

Please see page 1 for more information.

For more information abouteach of these priorities visit:

www.environmentalpriorities.org

Bald Eagle

Legislative Hotline:800-562-6000

Ask your legislators tosupport all of Audubon's

BudgetPriorities for

2007.


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Join us to ask your legislators to fund the wildlife andrecreation projects at risk in your community and support$100 million for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation

Program at:WWRP Lobby DayFebruary 21, 200710:00 - 11:30 AM

Columbia Room, Legislative BuildingState Capitol, Olympia

Schedule appointments with your legislators today!

For more information please contact: Carrie Bates at(206)-748-0082 or email: [email protected]

To counteracttheirshenanigans, weneed to showlegislators thereis broad support

for phasing outPBDEs in Washington.

A vote on the floor in the House andSenate could happen any day. Pleasetake a moment to call your legislators at1-800-562-6000. You will speak to anoperator and can leave a message for all3 of your legislators at once.

Learn more about PBDE's at : http://

www.watoxics.org/issues/pbde.

understand complex relationshipsbetween conservation and economicgrowth. Legislators know the pulseof their constituents when our staffand volunteers share informationabout birds, habitat conservation,

forest management, and alternativeenergy.

Audubon's 26 chapters across thestate comprise 18,000 members. Weare a huge flock with more than 2,500 activists reading our legislativenewsletter,Bird's Eye View. Many more weigh in on specific bills at critictimes. This year, our lawmakers are deciding on the health of Puget Soundconserving Washingtons forests, and increasing funding for conservationLets continue to help our legislators do a good job for Washington's futurlets inform ourselves and advocate for birds and habitat-protection in

Olympia.

Other Issues and Priorities -

Breaking News contd. Audubon and Legislators Flocking Together contd.

Rep. Kessler, Sen. Jacobsen

and Audubon Washingtoncordially invite you to theunveiling of the newest map ofthe Great Washington StateBirding Trail, the Olympic Loop,featuring LIVE BIRDS!

Noon-12:15 pm Feb. 14, 2007House Rules Room, Leg. BldgOlympia, WA

Please join us for lunch and ashort ceremony presenting thelatest area of the state to offer theBirding Trails successfulcombination of outdoor recreation, conservation and rueconomic development.

WWRP Lobby Day Unveiling of the next Birding Trail

Map of the 26 Audubon Societies

Osprey


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In a long session of 105days it may seem as thoughthere would be downtime,but cut-offs come fast!Below is an outline of the2007 legislative sessiontimeline.

February 28th

Last day to pass bills out of committee of origin,except House fiscal committees and Senate Ways &Means and Transportation committees (deadline forthose committees isMarch 5th).

March 14th

Last day to consider bills in house of origin (5 p.m.).

March 30thLast day to pass bills out of committee from oppositehouse, except House fiscal committees and SenateWays & Means and Transportation committees(deadline for those committees isApril 2nd).

April 13th

Last day to consider opposite house bills (5 p.m.)(except initiatives and alternatives to initiatives,budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets,amendments,

differencesbetween thehouses, andbusiness relatedto the interimand closing thesession).

April 22nd

Last dayallowed for

regular session.

Willapa Hills Audubon is the only conservation-mindedorganization in our territory that encompasses much of thlower Columbia region. This area is in the throes of adevelopment frenzy that threatens the relatively-naturalestuarine environment of the river with industrialization.Several coal-fired plants, two ethanol plants and a liquidnatural gas terminus are proposed, the latter near the

wildlife-and-salmon rich mainland sloughs and islands thcomprise two of our national wildlife refuges.

We have responded by pressing members to write commegive testimony at hearings and by partnering with key ad groups concerned with specific proposals. Education is aprioritywe sponsored four major forums last year thatfeatured debates of an issue, and we succeeded in securinmedia coverage and wider dispersal of factual informatioOur efforts to oppose aplanned copper mine near

Mt. St. Helens (effort thatincluded a field trip to thesite) helped turn the publictide to decisive disapprovalof that plan.

We strongly oppose the Bradwood LNG terminus locatiowildly incompatible with local values and dangerous for Columbia estuary. Our conversations with public officialtend to focus on appropriate development siting andemissions standards for maximum efficiency of plants rat

than outright opposition. We also see increasing supporthabitat conservation from concerned sportsmen.

Recently, Willapa Hills agreed to partner with the ColumLand Trust in rehabilitating a 100-acre wetland parcel,primarily to improve salmon habitat, but also to enhancehabitat for birds and other wildlife. A StewardshipCommittee, a first for our chapter, has been formed tomanage the project, and folks in the Cathlamet area haveshown strong support. We see returning this land to itsnative state as a big step in our commitment to protect the

ecological integrity of the lower Columbia.

Advocacy in Action -Session TimelineLisa Remlinger, Field Coordinator

Chapter Spotlight -Willapa Hills Audubon Society

Bills need to be outcommittee byFebruary 28th!

To track bills,committees, or findyour legislators goto: www.leg.wa.gov.


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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 Society

To conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing onbirds, other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit ofhumanity and the earths biological diversity.


Admiralty Audubon

Black Hills Audubon

Blue Mt. Audubon

Central Basin Audubon

Discovery Coast Audubon

East Lake Washington Audubon

Grays Harbor Audubon

Kitsap Audubon

Kittitas Audubon

Lower Columbia Basin Audubon

North Cascades Audubon

North Central Washington Audubon

Olympic Peninsula Audubon

Palouse Audubon

Pilchuck Audubon

Rainier Audubon

San Juan Islands Audubon

Seattle Audubon

Skagit Audubon

Spokane Audubon

Tahoma Audubon

Vancouver Audubon

Vashon-Maury Isle Audubon

Whidbey Audubon

Willapa Hills Audubon

Yakima Valley Audubon

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]

Share BEV with your friends and legislators by directing them to:wa.audubon.org/conservationpolicy_BirdsEyeViewNewsletter.html

Or sign-up for a free electronic version of BEV at:www.capitolconnect.com/audubon/myregistration.asp

2007 issue #3 bird's eye view newsletter washington audubon society

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