Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts

Cascadia College and UW Bothell host Climate Author Night to showcase recent climate change impacts in America

Saturday, February 10, 2024


BOTHELL, Wash - On February 20, 2024 at 5:30pm, please join the Sustainability Offices of UW Bothell and Cascadia College for an evening with Madeline Ostrander, author of ‘At Home on an Unruly Planet.’ 

The book covers climate change impacts on American families currently, ongoing, and in the recent past. It talks about adaptation, survival, and managing the climate crisis—something that is vitally important to sustainability and justice.

Ostrander's book comes at a critical time when climate impacts are impacting communities across the globe and right here in the US. She challenges us to look at the climate crisis as an immediate and urgent crisis with tangible impacts, as opposed to an abstract and yet-to-come event. 

Climate Author Night is at Mobius Hall on the Cascadia College campus 18345 Campus Way NE, Bothell, WA 98011 and has free admission for the public. 

In addition to hearing from Ostrander, attendees can connect with local climate action groups and learn about ways to get involved in their communities. There will also be time for book signing and refreshments.

Doors open at 5pm, and event begins at 5:30. Please register here

Cascadia College and UW Bothell’s joint campus hosts one of the largest wetland restoration projects on the west coast and is managed entirely pesticide free to support wildlife and climate action. 

Cascadia has various commitments on sustainability and hopes to work with the Bothell community on sustainability efforts. Learn more about the sustainability programs at www.cascadia.edu/bassp and www.uwb.edu/campus-sustainability/


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Old tires dumped at Grace Cole Park Wednesday night - do you know anything about it?

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Old tires were dumped at the park entrance, in front of the "No Dumping" sign
Photo courtesy Kim Josund

By Kim Josund

Someone illegally dumped a truckload of old tires at Grace Cole Nature Park in Lake Forest Park (16735 30th Ave NE) late Wednesday night, January 31, 2024. 

The tires were reported by park neighbors early the morning of February 1st. There are estimated to be 50-100 tires dumped. This is not just an illegal eyesore; it is an environmental hazard. Some of the tires landed in the wetland area which drains to salmon-bearing Brookside Creek and eventually to McAleer and Lake Washington.

This illegal dumping was reported to the LFP Police, and the City Public Works Department is working to clean up the mess. 

If you live in the area, have security camera footage or saw anything possibly related to this incident, please call the LFP Police 206-364-8216.

Old tires contain chemicals, including known carcinogens and salmon killing 6-PPD- quinone, and heavy metals that leach into the environment as the tires break down. 

Leaching affects the soil around the old tire, which at first may not seem like a big problem. But even after the tire is moved, the soil could still contain toxins. If toxins get into any water in the soil, the water can transport them to other locations, potentially harm to any animals that come in contact with the poisoned water.

Recycling tires can help harmful chemicals stay out of the earth, water, and air. When you are ready to get rid of your old tires, make sure they get recycled. 
If you get your tires replaced, ask the mechanic what they plan on doing with the old tires. Reputable mechanics and tire shops properly dispose of tires at regulated recycling facilities.

Obviously, someone wasn’t willing to pay the fee to dispose of these tires in the right way, and this shifts the burden to our city to pay for clean-up and disposal.


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Lake Forest Park Water District 2023 Water Protector award to Brian Saunders

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

L-R General Manager Alan Kerley, Commissioner Bill Donahue, Water Protector 2023 Brian Saunders, Commissioner Eli Zehner, and Commissioner David Hammond. Lake Forest Park Water District.

Customers of Lake Forest Park Water District enjoy untreated well water because they pump from an aquifer that has consistently produced an adequate supply of quality water. 

They value this resource and in an effort to encourage the protection of it, each year the district recognizes someone that has made a prominent effort to protect it.

The 2023 award was presented to Brian Saunders “In Recognition of your Efforts to Protect the Environment through Education and Action”

Brian Saunders is a Biology instructor at Shoreline and North Seattle College, and brings his expertise in this field to the community that he grew up in. 

He is a member of the LFP Stewardship Foundation, active with Stream Keepers and until recently was a member of the LFPWD Advisory Committee. 

His interest in conservation and understanding of sciences made his contributions to the outreach of LFPWD invaluable. Brian’s talents as an instructor were appreciated with the 4th grade science unit on water that LFPWD is privileged to teach at the local elementary school. 

His efforts have gone a long way toward improving the community’s appreciation for, and protection of the wonderful natural resources that we enjoy in LFP, especially our water.

Congratulations Brian! Your continuing engagement, leadership and advocacy for protection of our community’s resources are important, exemplary and inspirational.

LFPWD Commissioners Dave Hammond, Eli Zehner, Bill Donahue, General Manager Alan Kerley, our District staff and community thank Brian for his service.


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The Untold Story of Bsche’tla Creek

Monday, January 22, 2024

A map of the east side of Lake Forest Park illustrating the positions of our three creeks.

By Brian Saunders and Chip Dodd

Most people, who are familiar with Lake Forest Park, associate it with large trees, clean, cool creeks, green spaces and people who care about our natural environment. Visitors here speak of the pristine park-like feel in contrast to the ever encroaching urbanization typical of most metropolitan areas. 

Indeed, having grown up on the banks of McAleer Creek, witnessing the salmon runs, clambering up tall cedars, and enjoying mid-summer swims on the lake, I have always felt our namesake fits us well.

The Stewardship Foundation Streamkeepers have been studying the chemical, physical and biological health of McAleer and Lyon Creeks for over a decade now. However, many people who live in Lake Forest Park may not be aware of a third creek that cuts through a ravine near the southern entrance of our city. 

Bsche’tla Creek is the ‘little sister’ to McAleer and Lyon Creeks, and it is the only creek that still bears the Lushootseed name. Most of us have driven over the stream innumerable times with no idea that it exists beneath a bridge over SR 522/ Bothell Way (just south of the Sheridan Market). 

It is mostly a hidden stream, deep in its ravine, abutting backyards of private properties in a steep fall to Lake Washington. 

Having lived in Lake Forest Park for 50+ years, I had never visited Bsche’tla Creek until 2023. My visit left me ashamed, with a feeling of betrayal, by the image we project as a city.

Streamkeepers Chip Dodd and Councilmember Tracy Furutani climbing out
of the Bsche’tla ravine covered with invasive plants. Photo by B Saunders

A Rude Introduction

Rather than finding a winding, little creek, staggered with waterfalls, dark pools and bubbly riffles resembling the creek I was raised on, I found a stream in dystopian chaos. 

The headwaters of Bsche’tla Creek begin in the Briarcrest neighborhood from natural springs and runoff, just north of the Acacia cemetery. No more than a few feet across, it trickles and meanders along streets before winding its way down towards Highway 522 where it plummets into a culvert that cuts underneath the highway and eventually tubing out 100 feet below the street. 

The water that exits the drainpipe below 522 is initially channeled through a cement causeway before allowed to freely flow. Its color is rust-tinted and murky as it rambles along the clay-lined banks that make up much of the stream bed down the steep-walled ravine.

It's a treacherous path to reach the stream bed that runs below 522, as one must fight through thick tendrils of invasive English Ivy, English Holly, Himalayan Blackberry, and Laurel. Tree trunks wear ivy as a thick coat, 40 or 50 feet high. 

At the base of the ravine, I was left speechless with the sheer volume of debris, garbage, and used tires that had been discarded there. At first glance it is not recognizable as a stream but more resembling an effluent ditch in an industrial zone. I counted 20 old tires within a 30-foot stretch of the creek! It’s difficult to firmly wrap my head around this neglect. 
Could this stream really be here in Lake Forest Park?

Discarded car tires lining the bed of Bsche’tla Creek.
Photo by B. Saunders
After my visit last summer, the Streamkeepers added Bsche’tla to our list of streams to assess the Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) analysis. We have been doing this type of analysis for Lake Forest Park’s other two creeks since 2006 

(For information on the importance of B-IBI analysis, see past SAN articles on September 2021 and October 2021).

The B-IBI results confirmed my suspicion of a creek on life support system scoring in the “Very Poor” index B-IBI test (17.2 out of 100). 

Looking at the graph below you can see a side-by-side comparison of B-IBI scores from different creeks in our area, including those in Seattle, Shoreline, Bothell, and Kenmore.

Mean B-BIBI Score of neighboring city creeks and those of Lake Forest Park 


Unlike McAleer and Lyon, which score near the fair range, Bsche’tla aligns closely with the more troubled creeks in Seattle and Shoreline. 

How could we have let one of our watersheds become so dilapidated? In addition to its poor current condition, Bsche'tla Creek faces immediate and extreme risk from proposed development at the rim of the ravine as well as from Sound Transit's widening of SR522 for Bus Rapid Transit.

Image from a KCTS video taken in the 1970s
of young students cleaning up a Lake Forest Park creek.
We Have Been Here Before

A colleague of mine and Stewardship Board member, Dr. Jeff Jensen, sent me video file of a slightly grainy movie produced by KCTS that appears to have been filmed in the early 1970’s. 

There’s no audio of the copy sent to me, but the images are vivid and in color. 

The movie begins with footage of I-5, uncongested by traffic, with old 1960-70 car models whizzing past the off-ramp of 104 East to Mountlake Terrace. Images quickly shift to several stretches of a McAleer Creek, from its beginnings at Ballinger Lake, through a culvert bypass under I-5 before entering Lake Forest Park proper. At last come the familiar sight of a large creek running along Perkins Way (NE 180th St), well shaded by vegetation but with the banks accessible.

Another image from a KCTS video taken in the 1970s
of refuse extracted from an LFP creek.
The next are images of Brookside School, the plaque with 1959 commemorative date clearly visible, and children, perhaps aged 8-12, heading out as if on a school field trip. 

The footage that follows is worth a second look as the cleanup effort begins. 

Large pieces of fabric, tires, metal bars are seen being pulled out of the creek waters or from along the banks. Obvious signs of a neglected waterway from past times. Even a large automobile was somehow dredged out and piled next to all the other debris.

The final images show students and teachers testing the water quality of the creek, measuring stream flow, and conducting restoration by planting streamside vegetation and releasing fish species, presumably salmon. The video ends by tracing the path of a released fish along the riffles.

Speaking with local artist and historian, Tony Angel, who spearheaded the project and helped edit the KCTS film, he recalled the colossal effort the cleanup took.

“There were 5-6 schools involved and it happened over 2-3 weekends.”

Much of the heavy lifting was even done using excavation equipment donated by out of town business groups.
 
“It was amazing to see the collective effort involved, from Bill Stevenson (Shoreline Superintendent), Dick Sacksteder (director of Instructional Materials) and Jill Dilworth at KCTS.”

After the clean-up, Tony convinced the Fish and Wildlife agency to get involved along with local scout troops, and the Rotary Club to replant native vegetation along the stream bank and plant sockeye salmon in McAleer Creek.

“It never ceases to amaze me how people, unified under a common purpose, can become so inspired and motivated”.
 
Many local elementary schools today continue with Salmon in the Classroom programs, which were a direct result of the McAleer Creek cleanup. We shall need such educational inspirations and efforts as we face more challenges to protect and restore our natural systems in the future.

Streamkeeper Brian Saunders examining the debris and invasive species on Bsche'tla Creek
Photo by Chip Dodd

The Future of Bsche’tla Creek

Moving forward, we have two options. We could continue our focus solely on McAleer and Lyon Creek and ignore the plight of Bsche’tla or we fight to restore this small creek to a health that is more fitting of our city’s image. 

As we enter 2024, I hope the citizens of Lake Forest Park join the Stewardship Foundation, to continue to battle for the restoration and preservation of natural areas, areas that sustain not only species but entire ecological communities, so that future generations may enjoy what I experienced in my youth.


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GardenGuy: A New Year and a Change in the Air

Sunday, January 21, 2024

A frozen Ronald Bog
photo by Martin DeGrazia
A quick prologue to readers: Yes, this month’s column is, more than anything else, about climate change, aka Global Warming. To forestall the time some readers will feel they need to take to email me and note the ‘overly brisk’ temperatures we recently experienced versus the concept of a warmer winter, do realize that there is a difference between the meteorological terms of ‘climate’ and ‘weather.’ 

The very short answer for those readers is “Climate is what you expect and Weather is what you get.” In other words, ‘weather’ refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere; what’s the weather like today or next month and what’s discussed during the 6:00pm Evening News’ weather segment. 

‘Climate’ describes what that weekly weather is like (as described by some 11,000+ weather stations across the country) over the long-term, generally thirty years or more. What are the averages of precipitation, temperature, sunshine, etc. in a particular area? At the moment, there’s a chill in the air, however, long-term………. Now, on to the actual article.


Happy New Year all!
And, welcome to yet another year of the fun and challenges in the Pacific Northwest world of gardening. I’m still trying to decipher the post-Christmas instructions and ramifications for one of our newest presents from the federal government; the report about our part of the state now categorized as being in USDA Hardiness Zone 9a (!). 

My, how we have grown! I can remember back to the early 1980’s when I moved to Seattle and was in Zone 7b (average winter low between 5° and 10 degrees) and, in 2012, was raised to Zone 8b (an average low of between 15 and 20 degrees). How quickly they grow! 

So, what are the ramifications of this climatic news? What does it mean in our roles as home gardeners who may hold all horticultural titles on our respective pieces of earth as designer, landscape maintainer, pest controller, etc. The thirty-year warming trend, which meteorologists talk about during the evening news, continues as the related heat and horticulture issues, increasingly, evolve around us. Let’s take some time to consider where gardeners need to be more aware, more proactive. 

 Let’s start by looking at our current winter weather.

Across the continental USA, the lowest average winter temperature is predicted to be 2.5 degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer than when the last map was published some ten years ago. Winter and nighttime temperatures are rising faster than summer and daytime temperatures. Now, 2.5 degrees might not seem a great deal warmer in ten years, but, the effect has been cumulative over the past century, over the last thirty years and, certainly, over the past three record-breaking years. 

The trend is clear: Earth is warming because of our increasing populations and longstanding reliance on fossil fuels. According to the federal government's latest National Climate Assessment, as our cars, buildings, industries and power plants continue to burn more fossil fuels and emit greenhouse gases, the planet will continue to warm. By 2050, Seattle is expected to average around 27 days per year over 85 degrees and an increasing frequency of heat waves. Start buying your supply of sunblock protection and wide brimmed hats now!

Bronze birch borer
The Pacific Northwest is already experiencing climate change (have you been here for the past few summers?) which will become even more evident in the decades ahead. 

With warmer minimum temperatures, certain insects that would usually die in winter will be able to survive year-round and multiply in greater numbers. 

And, as maximum temperatures rise in the summer, heat-stressed plants can become prime targets for destructive pests such as the bronze birch borer (pictured left) and western pine beetle

A warmer climate will also provide a better environment for mosquitoes, ticks and fleas. Remember that Western Washington had its first case of West Nile Virus just last year. Look for more glaciers and polar ice caps to melt at faster rates, sea levels to rise and weather-related disasters like wildfires and floods to become more common. 

The warmer winter temperatures will also cause precipitation in the Cascades to fall as rain rather than creating the usual snowpack that slowly melts throughout the summer and keeps our region hydrated and green. Certainly, these changes won't happen overnight. You might not notice them every day, every month or even every year. But they are happening. We still may have time to shape our future, for better or for worse. A profit of doom, I’m not. However, the climate is what it is or what we help it to become.

Rock rose
Take a look at Washington’s state plant, the rhododendron. Did you notice some of their leaves drooping and turning brown around the edges these past few summers? 

How about our Acer macrophyllum (Large Leaf Maples) many of whose leaves have been shrinking in size for the past few years or the Tsuga heterophylla (Western Hemlock) that are experiencing brown-out along their branches, all due to the increasingly hotter and drier summers? 

It may be time to think about landscape ‘editing’ which includes more native plants, but native to Zone 9. Plants like Cistus (Rock Rose – pictured right), Chamaecyparis (False Cypress), Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine) and similar warmer zoned plants may be good candidates to fill the garden spaces of their heat-stressed predecessors. Also, start tracking the timing between when your current plants begin to flower earlier in the season and when their feeding pollinators are around. It’s one more cue to determine zone hardier plants and their fitness for changing landscapes.

Mentioning ‘pollinators’ raises another gardener’s issue: new insects and new diseases will become more common to challenge your fortitude and outdoor ingenuity. Watch for the scourge of roses, Japanese Beetles. They haven’t made it all the way from the east coast to western Washington as yet, but, they are closing-in with recent sightings in eastern Washington and south of Portland, OR. Also, watch for larger populations of the brown marmorated stink bugs to disturb your horticultural zen and bronze birch borers attempting to take down your White Himalayan Birch from the inside.

Against these prognosticated weather changes, can gardeners do anything to lessen the intensity of the problem? 

The task may seem akin to one person removing a cup of water from the ocean and expecting to see the water level fall a bit. Unfortunately, it will take more effort than that. It will take a concerted, global effort. 

In response to this challenge, as part of the individual efforts in your own yards, there are plenty of eco-friendly, cost-saving design tasks you can consider to help Seattle, the State and, of course, the world (not a bad result from all of us making simple changes to our landscapes. 

Adding more drought-tolerant plants to the landscape and switching from gas-powered lawn mowers and weed whackers are the first actions that come to mind. How about removing some or even all of that front lawn and adding water-efficient perennials, shrubs, etc.? I’m anticipating having an article and, perhaps, a gardening talk on the topic later this year. Let me know if you are interested in attending such a program.

New growing possibilities for the edible garden
On the positive side of the coin, the revised plant hardiness map may present new growing possibilities for the region’s gardeners, such as winegrape growing in Puget Sound. 

Edible gardens could experience improved harvests of eggplant, melons and other hot weather vegetables. New varieties of flowers may do better than they have any right to in the warmer weather. 

While warmer temperatures are projected to shorten the snow season by half in portions of the Cascades, thus cutting into winter sports, there is also the chance the change might expand access for activities like hiking and camping. 

The demand for warm-weather activities like cycling and boating might also increase. Things are going to change. There are going to be winners and losers in the region’s landscapes. As gardeners, we need to be pro-active and willing to change the way ‘things have always been done.”

When you use plants appropriate for your growing zone, it is not an absolute guarantee that they will be successful, but it is an excellent place to start. Experienced gardeners know there are other factors at play when deciding on which plants to use, including soil type, humidity and the effect of microclimates. 

Start with plants that are recommended for our changing hardiness zones, then research other factors that may have an influence on your plants as well. Local nurseries and garden centers carry native species that are suitable for our changing regions. 

In addition to choosing the right plants which will survive both our winters and summers, be sure to check and follow the planting and care instructions to ensure a healthy garden. Use some of this winter’s wet days to do the research needed to replace longtime familiar but suffering plants and be willing to try new candidates which will make life easier on your parcel of land in this green paradise called the great Pacific Northwest. 

Happy Gardening all!

Further Reading:

Crimmins, A.R., et. al. (eds.) 2023. Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment Federal Report. U.S. Global Change Research Program. Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH1

Dalton, M.M., et. al. (eds). 2013. Climate Change in the Northwest: Implications for our Landscapes, Waters and Communities. Island Press: Washington, DC.

Moore, Darryl. 2023. Gardening in a Changing World: Plants, People and the Climate Crisis. Pimpernel Press Ltd: London, UK.

Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Master Gardener, garden designer and lecturer. 

If you have questions concerning this article, have a gardening question or two to ask concerning your own landscape or want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact him at gardenguy4u@gmail.com.

See Bruce's previous columns here


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The fate of Washington’s primary program to combat climate change will be in the hands of voters to uphold or reject this November

Friday, January 19, 2024

Brian Heywood (left), founder of Let’s Go Washington, stands in front of boxes of petitions for an initiative to repeal Washington’s cap-and invest program. Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh, (red sweater) who filed the initiative, addressed supporters before the signatures were turned in Nov. 21, 2023. Members of Washington Conservation Action (background) held signs in opposition. (Jerry Cornfield/Washington State Standard)

Initiative 2117, certified for the ballot on Tuesday, would erase the two-year-old Climate Commitment Act. The law imposes annual limits on greenhouse gas emissions for major emitters, such as oil refiners and utilities, and requires them to buy allowances at state auctions for each metric ton of their pollution.

The state raised $1.8 billion from allowance auctions last year. Revenue is designated for programs to cut pollution and help the state respond to climate change. Thus far, funding has gone into the purchase of electric school buses, free public transit for youth, air quality monitoring, and electric vehicle chargers.

Critics contend the policy won’t significantly move the needle on climate change but is driving fuel, food and energy prices higher as companies pass the new expense onto consumers.

“It has already taken a bite out of family budgets and put a heavy burden on commuters just so politicians can distribute feel-good subsidies to their political friends and allies,” said hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, founder of Let’s Go Washington and chief financier of the successful signature-gathering effort for the initiative.
 
Supporters turned in upwards of 400,000 signatures for Initiative 2117 in November.

Because it is an initiative to the Legislature, the measure will first go to lawmakers who can adopt it as written this session.

That won’t happen. Democrats hold majorities in the House and Senate and for them, the Climate Commitment Act is a signature policy they won’t ditch.

Neither will Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee who has pushed for carbon pricing through his three terms. He’s now urging the Legislature to link Washington’s carbon market with ones in California and Quebec. Even with the measure in play, work on “linkage” of the programs is underway this legislative session.

“This effort to repeal the Climate Commitment Act is not just a repeal of a financial instrument,” Inslee said this week. 
“It is a system to give people cleaner air and if the [emissions] cap is eliminated, the protection will be eliminated. The people who want to pass this initiative want to have the right to produce infinite carbon pollution. I fundamentally disagree with that and people need to know that it is a threat.”
--Jerry Cornwall, The Washington Standard


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Salomon introduces bill to protect salmon from toxic chemical

Friday, January 12, 2024

Sen. Jesse Salomon, D-32 on the floor of the state senate

Senate Bill 5931 would expedite Department of Ecology review and regulation of the toxic chemical 6ppd-quinone. Ecology would determine initial regulatory actions by June 2025 and adopt rules to implement those regulations by June 2026.

6ppd makes its way into waterways through roadway runoff. Studies have linked it to salmon mortality, and it is the most common killer chemical for coho salmon. The substance can kill coho salmon after only a few hours of exposure.

“The science is as clear as it could be,” Salomon said, “this chemical is killing salmon at an alarming rate. 
"We’re spending billions of dollars to remove culverts which prevent salmon from accessing spawn areas, but this chemical is killing them before they can even make it to those culverts. We need to ensure that we aren’t sabotaging our restoration efforts.”

According to the Environmental Research Institute of the States, 6ppd is the second most deadly toxin to aquatic creatures ever studied. 

Already, the Institute for Fisheries Resources and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations have filed a lawsuit against tiremakers alleging that they are violating the Endangered Species Act by using this known toxin. 

Additionally, the EPA has responded to a petition submitted by several Native American tribes, stating that it is “necessary to initiate” risk management rulemaking under the Toxic Substances Control Act “to address the risk to the environment from 6ppd-q.”

“I stand with our tribes in calling for the regulation of this chemical and the protection of our vulnerable salmon,” Salomon said. 
”We need to make our intent to regulate this chemical clear and let tiremakers know that they need to be working with us to find an alternative substance which doesn’t present such serious risk to our salmon.”

Currently, all vehicle tires contain 6ppd, which makes the tires flexible and slows their degrading. According to Professor Ed Kolodziej, whose team first discovered the toxicity of 6ppd, removing the chemical “from motor vehicle products and focusing on the use of non-toxic chemicals … [is one] of the cheapest and most effective options,” for ensuring the health of Washington’s salmon.

“I’m hopeful that this bill will allow the state of Washington to manage the risk of this chemical and make clear the dire need for a replacement,” Salomon said. “We’ve made important progress on salmon restoration; we need to keep at it and find a way to make our waters less toxic to Washington’s fish.”

The bill was heard in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology at 1:30pm on January 9, 2024. You can follow its progress here.


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LFP Council Corner – Update on the Climate Action Committee

Saturday, January 6, 2024

The Climate Action Committee will release the city’s preliminary Climate Action Plan in January. The committee, comprising a group of ten residents (including a couple of Shorecrest High seniors) and guided by the city’s Environmental and Sustainability Specialist Cory Roche, has been working for 20 months on putting the plan together. 

The plan will have recommendations on cutting greenhouse gas emissions in city operations and suggestions for homeowners, renters, and businesses to become more resilient in the face of climate change.

Reasoning that Lake Forest Park residents have much personal, business, and academic background and experience in understanding the Pacific Northwest climate and its changes, committee chair Sarah Phillips and vice-chair Anne Udaloy steered the committee away from hiring outside consultants. 

The result is a report that is literally tailored for Lake Forest Park and our unique geography, canopy, and community.

The main recommendation of the report is the recognition that climate mitigation (reducing greenhouse gases) and resilience (adapting to climate change) cross multiple city operations (as well as many aspects of our personal lives). 

Designating a single person as a Climate Action manager will help implement the other recommendations of the report and assess, over time, how the city and its residents are meeting our climate goals.

What effect will a climate action plan have on multiple 100-degree days, weeks of smoke-laden air and deluges of rain? 

We do what we can! The city’s leaf-blowers and other maintenance equipment are all now battery-powered. This year there have been 90 permits for residential heat pumps and 12 for solar-power systems. 

This past month, dozens of LFP residents participated in the Miyawaki forest planting (with native and non-invasive non-native species) at the Shoreline Historical Museum, a radical approach to increasing urban canopy cover.

“The environment” was cited by the majority of respondents to our survey as to why they moved to LFP. The Climate Action Plan is a roadmap to preserving the environment we all cherish. 

With the discovery of several salmon fry in Lyon and McAleer Creeks, we are seeing the fruits of working on our climate actions.

And the committee would love to talk to you about the report and any aspect of the climate that concerns you! 

Find us at the LFP Farmers Market (where we’ve been at the sponsor table the past two summers), or at Picnic in the Park or other city-sponsored events. 

Or, you’ll find us inviting you to take part in a survey, as we did in November 2022, to find out your concerns and your aspirations in mitigating climate change and building climate resilience (nearly 500 of you responded – thank you!). 

Or, you’ll come to one of our series of climate talks that we set up with the cities of Shoreline and Kenmore; we covered induction cooking, home and business solar power and heat pumps this past year. You can always get ahold of us at climate@cityoflfp.com.

--Councilmember Tracy Furutani


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SEPA: The Washington State Environmental Policy Act

Thursday, January 4, 2024

What is SEPA?

The Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) provides a way to identify possible environmental impacts that may result from governmental decisions.

From raising chickens in your yard to the City’s comprehensive plan, private projects, constructing public facilities, or adopting regulations, policies or plans, an acceptable SEPA report is generally required.

When a proposal is under environmental review, the public, community and business groups, local and tribal governments, state agencies, and other entities with expertise can review and comment on SEPA documents.

Under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), reviewers have the opportunity to examine the environmental analysis done for a proposal and weigh in before agencies make any final permitting decisions.

During the review period, the general focus will be determining whether the SEPA documents address the following questions:
  • Are the SEPA documents complete and accurate?
  • Do they provide enough information to analyze likely environmental impacts?
  • Do they identify mitigation measures to avoid adverse impacts?
  • Is the evaluation and Determination of Significance supported by findings and conclusions?
  • Are there alternatives that address the proposal’s purpose and need?

It is more effective to comment during SEPA review than waiting until the permitting process starts. This will help the applicant and lead SEPA agency develop a more environmentally-sound project. 

Reviewing and commenting on SEPA documents provides the opportunity to:
  • Identify and resolve concerns early in the review process.
  • Identify required permits, applicable regulations, and permit conditions likely to be required.

Failure to comment during the SEPA process can limit future comments as well as an agency's ability to appeal a proposal, or use SEPA supplemental authority to condition or deny a permit-based environmental impacts.
 
Although some lead agencies consider late comments, most will not. Every effort should be made to submit comments while the comment period is open.


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Ecology seeks public comment on disposal of PFAS firefighting foam

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Firefighters using foam as a fire suppressant
Photo courtesy Department of Ecology

OLYMPIA – PFAS-containing foam – known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) – is used to fight fires fueled by oil, gasoline, or other flammable liquids. 

It’s also a leading cause of PFAS contamination in drinking water across the state.

In recent years, safer alternatives to these foams have become available, and Washington prohibited the sale and manufacture of PFAS foams in 2018.

In 2020, Ecology initiated a program to help municipal fire departments dispose of unused AFFF. 

Safely disposing of that foam after it has been collected is challenging, however – PFAS aren’t known as “forever chemicals” for nothing. 

The Washington Department of Ecology has been studying options for AFFF disposal and is now seeking public comment on a draft environmental impact statement outlining five disposal options for firefighting foams with toxic PFAS chemicals.

Comments received on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) will help inform Ecology’s selection of a disposal method for the program. 

The draft EIS describes five disposal options for municipal supplies of AFFF: incineration, solidification and landfilling, deep-well injection, approved hold-in-place, and no action. 

The DEIS also includes possible public health and environmental impacts of each option and potential mitigation strategies.

Why is PFAS contamination a concern?

Exposure to PFAS levels above recommended limits over time may lead to harmful health effects, such as increased cholesterol levels, increased risk of thyroid disease and certain cancers, decreased birth weights, and decreased immune response to vaccines. 

Many types of PFAS are water soluble and highly mobile, meaning they can easily contaminate groundwater. These chemicals are highly persistent in the environment.

Public input

  • Review the AFFF DEIS and submit comments online now through February 5, 2024.
  • Learn more about AFFF and the disposal options at a webinar – 10am on January 17, 2024.
  • Provide input at a public hearing – 1pm January 31, 2024.
Related links

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If there's algae in the lake - don't go in

Friday, December 29, 2023

Echo Lake during an algae bloom
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

Public Health – Seattle & King County recommends that people and pets stay out of the water in King County lakes where algae is visible. Follow posted guidance at parks and beaches.

Remember – when in doubt, stay out of the water.

If algae is visible, don’t let pets drink the water or get it on their fur. It’s possible for toxins to be present even if you can’t see algae in the water.

If your pet goes in or near the water at a King County lake, we recommend monitoring them for these symptoms: low energy, not eating, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and seizures. Symptoms will typically occur within minutes to hours after exposure. If your pet becomes ill, call your veterinarian immediately.

If you are planning to swim or participate in a “Polar Bear Plunge” on New Year’s Day, check with event organizers or city parks departments for the latest information.


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Shoreline offers Environmental Mini-Grants

 
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline
Do you have an idea for a project that helps our community and environment?

Apply for an Environmental Mini-Grant from the City of Shoreline and get up to $5k!

Seeking projects that protect and restore habitats, like planting trees or hosting beach clean-ups.



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Volunteers plant the Miyawaki urban forest at the Shoreline Historical Museum

Sunday, December 17, 2023

 
Photo by Sally Yamasaki
A Miyawaki urban forest is a small forest that can be planted in urban spaces. They grow 10 times faster and 30 times denser than a traditional planted forest without pesticides and in three years the forest will be self-sustaining, not needing watering or weeding. 

By Judy MacCully

Rotarians from the Environmental Rotary Club, Shoreline Rotary and Lake Forest Park Rotary joined over 300 community members for The Miyawaki Forest Planting Day on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at the Shoreline Historical Museum, 18501 Linden Ave N, Shoreline WA 98133.

Volunteers sign in on Planting Day at the Miyawaki Forest
Photo by Sally Yamasaki

Refreshments, kids activities, and tours were available as well as opportunities to plant.

Rain and cold could not dampen the excitement or enthusiasm that the community showed for this first stage of the Miyawaki Urban Forest History Project at the Shoreline Museum.

The plan was laid out ahead of planting day
Drone photo by Dan Bernson

Miyawaki Urban Forests are a unique type of urban forest developed by Japanese botanist, Dr. Akira Miyawaki. 

These compact forests are not only beautiful, but they also provide a host of benefits to the environment and to the people who live in urban areas.

Volunteers at work.
Drone photo by Dan Bernson

Unlike traditional urban forests, which are often composed of just one or two species of trees, Miyawaki Urban Forests are composed of a diverse mix of native trees and shrubs, planted closely together in a small area. This high-density planting method allows the forest to grow quickly and become self-sustaining in just a few years.

Members of the Environmental Rotary Club
Photo by Judy MacCully
By involving community members in the planning, planting, and maintenance of the forest, the project will help to build a sense of community and collective responsibility. 

Additionally, by documenting the history of the project and the community members involved, the project will help to preserve and celebrate the unique cultural heritage of the area.

Overall, a Miyawaki Urban Forest History Project provides a range of benefits to the community it serves, from mitigating the effects of climate change to improving the health and well-being of community members.

If you wish to be involved in future projects at the museum contact volunteer@shorelinehistoricalmuseum.org for more info.

Note: photo captions have been corrected

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Beginning in 2024, floating plastic foam used for overwater structures must be encased in durable shell

Thursday, December 14, 2023

New regulations in 2024 for floating docks
Photo courtesy Department of Ecology

OLYMPIA – Beginning January 1, 2024, Washington waters will harbor less pollution from the plastic foam used to support floating docks and walkways. 

New requirements mean that the expanded polystyrene used to float most overwater structures must be fully encased in concrete, aluminum, steel, or plastic to prevent it from breaking up and dispersing when the material becomes waterlogged or damaged.

Dock owners are not required to immediately replace non-compliant, exposed foam floats but will need to upgrade when the time comes to replace or repair those existing structures. 

The new law reinforces standard practices in the dock-building industry as well as existing regulations administered by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

Small floating buoys are exempt from this law, but foam-free alternatives are encouraged for recreational crabbing and fishing.

“Boaters, anglers and others who enjoy Washington’s waters see first-hand the mess created when exposed white foam breaks down into tiny beads, polluting shorelines and endangering aquatic animals,” said Solid Waste Management Program Manager Peter Lyon. 
“This new requirement formalizes a modern practice of reputable dock builders who use fully encased foam.”
--Dept. of Ecology


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Executive Constantine announces 52 conservation investment projects

Monday, December 11, 2023

One year after King County voters approved Executive Dow Constantine’s initiative to accelerate land conservation, he announced $109 million for 52 projects that will increase climate resiliency and access to open space, and advance food sovereignty where there is the greatest need.

The conservation investments – approved by the King County Council – double the amount approved last year. Another reason for the sharp increase is that King County cut in half the amount of matching funds that partners are required to bring to the table. This unlocks additional conservation funding available from the voter approved King County Parks Levy and other funding sources.

“King County is fulfilling its bold vision to secure farmland and preserve open space for future generations. This $109 million in new projects prioritizes equitable access to green spaces, including creating opportunities for farmers from communities that historically have been locked out of land access,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. 
“These projects accelerate our investment in saving the last, best open space resources that make our region livable and special.”

Working with willing landowners, projects that receive funding advance the Strategic Climate Action Plan, Land Conservation Initiative, Local Food Initiative, and Clean Water Healthy Habitat. It will protect a total of 3,000 acres.

The County Council on Tuesday approved the allocation plan developed by Executive Constantine, who based his proposal on recommendations from the Conservation Futures Advisory Committee.

Among the projects was the purchase of the last undeveloped piece of waterfront property on Echo Lake in Shoreline.



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"Live & Wild" Holiday Trees for Salmon at the Northwest Stream Center in Everett

Sunday, December 3, 2023


Adopt A Stream Foundation is selling "Live & Wild" Holiday Trees for Salmon at the Northwest Stream Center 10am to 4pm, beginning Saturday December 2 through December 24, 2023. 

The Northwest Stream Center is located in Snohomish County's McCollum Park, 600 128th St SE, Everett WA 98208. 

December, you can also enjoy free admission to the beautiful 32-acre forest and wetland preserve at the Northwest Stream Center enjoying a 1/2-mile stroll past a Trout Stream Exhibit onto an Elevated Forest & Wetland Walk that is just shy of 3-feet above the forest floor and surrounding wetlands... it’s a beautiful place to be and universally accessible. 

There will be a great selection of live 3 to 5 foot-high ($40, $60, $100) Sitka Spruce, Western Red Cedar, Grand Fir, and Douglas Fir trees that are in pots. 

After the holidays, if you wish, all trees returned to the Northwest Stream Center will be planted next to local streams helping out next year's salmon runs. 

Everyone who purchases a tree will receive an annual Adopt A Stream Foundation membership as a holiday gift. Benefits include: free entry to the Northwest Stream Center for 2024, discounts to 2024 Streamkeeper Academy events, and 10% discounts on purchases at the Northwest Stream Center Nature Store. 

Not to mention, everyone will get the good feeling that comes with knowing their Holiday Tree for Salmon will be doing great things for the Northwest environment long into the future...a great memory of this holiday season! 

For more information, call 425-316-8592, email aasf@streamkeeper.org, or visit us online


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Miyawaki Forest cools flora, fauna and folks: Shoreline Historical Museum invites you to Planting Day, Dec 9, 2023

By Bruce Scholten

Urban trends can be heartwarming. We smile at lovers’ padlocks left on walkways to Seattle’s ferry terminal. Graffiti sometimes turns into murals brightening streets, cafes and businesses.
Nice, you say. But how about a trend that actually cools urban heat islands to fight global warming? 
Enter Miyawaki Forests. The idea was developed by the late Dr Akira Miyawaki, who was hired by Nippon Steel Corporation to landscape its new steelworks. 

For various reasons, the selected plants and trees failed to thrive. The Japanese botanist thought about Nippon’s most durable species, realizing they inhabited ancient temple gardens. Miyawaki researched the flora and fauna that pre-historically preceded the steelworks.

Voila! They flourished. Not only did the right combination of plants grow well, they did so 10-times faster than alternatives. Soil amendments improved fertility, spurred growth and increased water retention – a safety valve against flash floods in an unruly climate.

Thus, the Miyawaki Method was born, with native plants, slugs, bugs and butterflies - cooling cities. 

Densely planted indigenous plants and trees sequester carbon and emit more oxygen for human breathability. Garry oak trees nudge three meters in height in just three years, baffling sound. The roar of diesel buses and clank of garbage trucks is hushed by rustling trees. People enjoy the quiet – even spiritual - solace of an urban green oasis.

Volunteers with dirt for the pollinator hill
Photo by Sally Yamasaki

Shoreline Historical Museum’s Miyawaki Forest project

With a team of volunteers, Shoreline’s Miyawaki Forest project received generous funding from sources including Puget Sound’s Environmental Rotary Club, and Rotary Clubs of Emerald City, Lake Forest Park, Mill Creek, and Shoreline. Also Miyawaki Forest Friends, King County Conservation District (KCD), SUGi Project, 4 Culture, and Diggin’ Shoreline.

Volunteers are developing 4800 square feet adjacent to the Shoreline Historical Museum, just south of the City of Edmonds.

Guiding Shoreline is architect Ethan Bryson, who in 2016 founded ‘Natural Urban Forests.’ The goal is improving habitability for Seattle’s people, plants and creatures. He envisions Miyawaki forests in the Yakama Nation, in Ellensburg, and in Seattle. 
Bryson says, ‘I was contacted by Shoreline Historical Museum Society member Matt Tullio and we discussed various possibilities for creating forests for the community in Shoreline.’

Part of the Miyawaki magic is quick improvement to local air and soil quality. What about status as a climax forest? Bryson said, ‘Dr. Kazue Fujiwara has said these forests can reach maturity in 60 years as opposed to about 200 years.’

Volunteers create pollinator hill
Photo by Sally Yamasaki

MIYAWAKI URBAN FOREST PLANTING DAY - December 9, 2023, Saturday 10am – 2pm.

Shoreline Historical Museum invites the public – people of all ages – to 18501 Linden Ave N, Shoreline WA 98133, on December 9, 2023, Saturday 10am – 2pm.

10:00 Forest Dedication, 11:00 Forest Planting Begins, Refreshments! Kids’ Activities and Tours!

For more information, contact museum volunteers


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Burn Ban lifted for Snohomish county

Tuesday, November 28, 2023


Burn Ban Lifted for Snohomish County, Continues in Greater Pierce County

In Pierce County, outdoor burning, and the use of fireplaces and uncertified wood stoves is prohibited until air quality improves

The burn ban for Snohomish County has been lifted, effective 2PM today, November 27. Due to stagnant weather conditions and rising air pollution, a Stage 1 burn ban continues for Greater Pierce County

King county was not included in the bans.


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Stage 1 Burn Ban called for Snohomish county

Saturday, November 25, 2023


STAGE 1 BURN BAN CALLED FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY

Use of fireplaces and uncertified wood stoves is prohibited until air quality improves

Due to stagnant weather conditions and rising air pollution, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is issuing a Stage 1 burn ban for Snohomish County, effective 2pm, Saturday November 25, 2023.

This ban is in effect until further notice.

"There were high levels of wood smoke last night and early morning today in Snohomish County. And, while there will be some clearing during the day, we expect high levels again tonight. This could lead to daily values of UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS in those areas and MODERATE air quality overall. Stagnant conditions are expected to persist through the weekend and into next week."

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency staff will continue to monitor the situation.

The purpose of a burn ban is to reduce the amount of pollution creating unhealthy air, usually due to excessive wood smoke. Wood smoke affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and increases health risks, especially for sensitive populations.

Current status and more information here


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