This year promises to be a tough year in Olympia for the environment and for every other important issue. That does not mean we should sit it out on the sidelines till things get better. It’s more important than ever for the voices of concerned citizens to be heard on the key environmental issues facing our state.
“Lawmakers need to hear from us. They hear from lobbyists all the time, people who have a ton of money to spend to influence decisions. We only have people. Turning out a big group for Environmental Lobby Day lets legislators know people want environmental protection”.
– Jessie Dye, environmental advocate for Earth Ministry
To get a taste of the day check out this video from last year’s Environmental Lobby Day.
For your convenience, we are offering bus transportation from Vancouver, Olympic Peninsula (Port Townsend/Silverdale/, Central Sound (Seattle/Bellevue), and North Sound (Bellingham/Mt. Vernon/Everett) to Olympia. And back home.
It is time to be heard!
WHEN: Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 from 8:45 am- 6:00 pm. The post lobby day reception (4:00 – 6:00 pm) will be extra special as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of People For Puget Sound!
WHERE: United Churches of Olympia
Washington state legislators just made some — and will soon be forced to make more — ugly choices to close the $4.6 billion budget gap our state faces from in the next two years. Those choices will include more cuts to natural resource funding in all program areas, including those that protect Puget Sound. We cannot hunker down and wait until more funding becomes available before pushing for environmental initiatives.
The Environmental Priorities Coalition has an agenda that meets the needs of our state in hard times. It provides solutions that will protect our environment and put people to work at the same time to help lead us to a sustainable economy.
The four legislative priorities for 2011 provide ways to build a strong economy with a healthy environment.
1. Budget Solutions For Our Environment, sustains core environmental protections by continuing investments in parks and preservation, and requires companies and others to pay their fair share for the services they receive.
2. Coal Free Future For Washington State, will protect citizens from the dangerous poisons emitted by the TransAlta coal-fired power plant in southwest Washington. It will eliminate the health and environmental threats from the state’s largest single source of toxic mercury, air, and climate pollution.
3. Clean Fertilizers, Healthier Lakes and Rivers, is a commonsense and cost effective approach to reducing phosphorus in our waterways by restricting the sale of phosphorus lawn fertilizer in our state. It attacks the problem by eliminating this discharge before it requires the spending of millions of dollars in wastewater treatment upgrades at our industries and municipal wastewater plants.
4. 2011 Clean Water Jobs Act, will fund job-creating projects all over the state, by building clean water infrastructure that will restore our water ways.
Please help do the hard work that will make these priorities a reality. Join us to flex your political muscles this year for the sake of our Puget Sound environment. Register today for Environmental Priorities Lobby Day on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011.
See you in Olympia.
Cheers,
Rein Attemann