Big battery farms encounter resistance across western Washington

Posted on June 19, 2026 by Al Bergstein
Reprinted with permission from the Washington state standard.

Editor: it would seem that the environmentally conscious Washington public does not want to support the industrial needs of putting their “non polluting “ technologies together here. I would think that with the proper legal framework that it would be possible to do these industrial set ups here in the right location. If we’re going to build out the infrastructure to carry us into a carbon free future we’ve got to be willing to find the right locations in our country to do this type of technology.  We cannot be dumping this on the Third World we’ve done it long enough.

by Tom Banse, Washington State Standard
June 18, 2026

Community opposition to big battery farms is spreading across western Washington just as the technology takes on growing importance for the state’s clean energy transition and to stabilize the electric grid.

A multiplying number of cities and counties have enacted moratoriums on permitting for new utility-scale battery storage systems over the past year. Over a similar timeframe, project developers withdrew around a dozen early-stage battery storage proposals from the interconnection queue of Puget Sound Energy, Washington’s largest utility.

Now, green energy groups, electrical trade unions and project developers are redoubling efforts to persuade the public that the big battery arrays are needed to keep the lights on as rising amounts of renewable electricity come onto the grid.

A battery farm basically operates like a giant rechargeable battery. The owner charges the batteries at off-peak times or on sunny, windy days when renewable energy is abundant. Then, when the sun sets, the wind calms, or electricity demand spikes, the operator can send the juice back onto the grid.

“If what the community is really communicating is: We want to pump the brakes a little bit. We want to understand these technologies. We want to understand their safety, their placement in our community… That’s a condition that I think we need to adapt to,” said Scott Bolton, BrightNight Power senior vice president of external affairs.

“If these moratoriums are communicating, we just don’t want these solutions, that’s very troubling at the end of the day because, you know, if not this, then what?” Bolton added.

Opponents of battery farms perceive a threat to their neighborhood safety, their children’s schools and local farmland. A chief concern is that the rechargeable banks of lithium-ion batteries could catch fire and send plumes of toxic smoke drifting overhead and fish-killing runoff into streams. 

The energy industry has a hard sell ahead, judging from the unrest that spread from King County to Skagit, Pierce, Kitsap, Klickitat and Thurston counties — all places where independent developers have proposed commercial battery energy storage systems, or BESS in industry shorthand.

“There’s a dawning awareness of the awful effects of BESS installations such as thermal runaway fires and toxic smoke, and the horrible noise from cooling fans,” wrote Anacortes resident Elke Siller Macartney in a public comment to the Skagit County Commission that she also posted on social media in early June. “It’s the height of arrogance for these companies to pretend to install these things for the supposed good of all.”

Developers of battery farms consistently use the term “rare” to describe the frequency of battery fires and blame first-generation systems that they say have since been improved. 

Critics note that rare is not the same as never. In online forums, they share articles and pictures of batteries of various sorts, or battery manufacturing plants, catching fire on a near-weekly basis somewhere around the world. Large-scale battery fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish.

Insurance underwriter Michael Carrington has studied battery safety closely for his firm Tokio Marine GX, a renewables insurance specialist. He said commercial energy storage systems have reached “a high level of maturity,” giving him confidence to issue coverage with large sums of money at stake.

“The likelihood of any kind of fire is very low,” Carrington said in an interview from London. “How the technology has improved and the regulations have improved is really fantastic.”

Carrington specifically mentioned two safety features that are now industry standards — off-gas sensors and battery spacing. He said off-gas sensors detect early if battery cells are overheating and can automatically trigger a shutdown. Spacing battery modules meters apart outside prevents fire from spreading between adjacent modules.The first large-scale battery energy storage facility in Puget Sound Energy territory is under construction in Sumner, Washington. Developers BrightNight and Cordelio Power expect their Greenwater BESS project (inside the orange fencing) to become operational by the end of 2026. (Photo courtesy of BrightNight Power)

Why do Northwest utilities want battery storage?

Some of the largest utilities in the Northwest, including Puget Sound Energy, Avista and Portland General Electric, publicly solicited battery energy storage proposals in the last couple years.

The first utility-scale battery storage systems in the region were co-located with solar and wind farms east of the Cascade Range. Those sites tend to be less controversial, but expose the utilities to long-distance transmission bottlenecks. Hence, the push for standalone battery farms nearer to cities, which lessens the need to build more cross-state power lines. 

Bellevue, Washington-based PSE has a goal to add 1,500 megawatts of energy storage by 2030. An initial 200 megawatts toward that goal should come from a battery storage project now under construction in Sumner by BrightNight and Cordelio Power. Roughly eight other proposed projects are in various stages of permitting in PSE territory, with the majority facing serious pushback from neighbors, such as near Snoqualmie.

“Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are an important part of PSE’s plans to provide the reliable power our customers expect while delivering more of the clean energy required by Washington’s aggressive clean energy requirements,” utility CEO Mary Kipp wrote in a letter last month to Snoqualmie’s mayor and council.

The Snohomish County Public Utility District is on track to bring the first utility-scale battery energy storage system in western Washington online this fall. The 25-megawatt project near Arlington Municipal Airport is owned by a company named Ameresco.Draft rendering of what a proposed 130 MW battery energy storage system near the city of Snoqualmie could look like. This Jupiter Power project will provide a test of King County’s new battery storage siting standards. (Photo courtesy of Jupiter Power)

A Seattle nonprofit that advocates for decarbonization, Clean & Prosperous, argues that blocking battery storage facilities will eventually hamstring wind and solar farm expansion and prolong dependence on fossil fuel generation.

“This is not infrastructure that is just nice to have. It’s critical infrastructure. We need to develop, particularly batteries in western Washington, to make up for our lack of transmission capacity across the Cascades,” said Isaac Kastama, the group’s government relations director. “We are facing increasing risks of brownouts and blackouts.”

Moratoriums and permit reform

Urged on by skeptical residents, a growing number of city and county councils in Washington are passing six-month or one-year moratoriums on applications for new utility-scale battery storage facilities. This does not affect residential-scale battery installations, often tied to rooftop solar.

“There is tremendous, valley-wide concern related to battery energy storage systems,” Snoqualmie Councilmember Dan Murphy said at a May 26 council meeting. “The moratorium gives cities the time to better study the issue, press pause and look into all of these matters.” 

Snoqualmie was one of at least six jurisdictions where the council voted within the past month to impose or extend a commercial battery storage moratorium. The list also includes Carnation, North Bend, Puyallup, Duvall and Kitsap County. These preemptive and temporary moratoriums aren’t blocking any known battery storage projects.

The recent council actions come on top of earlier votes in the same vein by Bonney Lake, Black Diamond, Covington, Enumclaw, Maple Valley, Mount Vernon, Renton (now expired), Auburn (expired) and Klickitat and Skagit (expired) counties. All of these places wanted to buy time to draft local siting criteria and specific regulations covering such matters as screening, setbacks and fire response.

In Oregon, Marion County passed an outright ban on commercial battery energy storage facilities last year, covering the unincorporated terrain around Salem.

Against this backdrop, Clean & Prosperous organized a study mission to Texas last month for Washington state legislators, utility executives and green energy advocates. The objective was to learn how the Lone Star State got to No. 1 in battery storage, solar and wind power. Washington ranks dead last in clean energy growth, according to an analysis by ProPublica and Oregon Public Broadcasting.

One of the tour stops was a large-scale battery energy storage system in Houston. Project developer Jupiter Power said the Callisto battery farm took 18 months from conception to operation, including about six months in permitting.

“When Jupiter Power gave that stat to our delegation at the BESS facility when we were being briefed, everybody let out like a group-wide, jealous laugh,” said Clean & Prosperous Communications Director Kelsey Nyland, who was there.

“Twelve months later, it was saving taxpayer dollars and doing it with renewable energy,” added tour participant Beth Doglio, a Democratic state representative from Olympia, in an interview with KNKX Radio upon her return. “That is not possible in the state of Washington at this time, and we need to figure out how to make it possible.” 

Besides Doglio, who chairs the House Environment and Energy Committee, Democratic state Reps. Adam Bernbaum, Jake Fey and Republican Andrew Barkis joined the Texas trip with an eye on permitting reform. 

The first big standalone battery storage facility that Puget Sound Energy will bring online — BrightNight’s project in Sumner — will have taken about four years from conception to operation when it enters service at the end of this year.

Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com.

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Meeting held to discuss Protection Island

Posted on June 16, 2026 by Al Bergstein

A large crowd of people gathered at Cape George on Sunday to hear Lorna and Darrell Smith discuss both the history of Protection Island and why they are concerned about the proposed Jamestown S’Klallam Land Transfer that the tribe recently has made public.

In the 1970s and early 1980s Lorna Smith was a key person in the work done to make Protection Island a national wildlife refuge. She acted as the liaison between the Seattle Audubon Society and the two women from Jefferson County that led the battle to get the island designated as a refuge, Zella Schultz and Eleanor Stopps, The thousands of letters of support from both native and non native Americans convinced even normally reticent politicians such as Senator Slade Gorton to help push the legislation through Congress and convince President Ronald Reagan to sign it. It was supported by all members of the Washington delegation and the Republican governor, John Spellman.

Also in attendance on Sunday were two granddaughters of Eleanor Stopps who share Lorna’s concerns. This reporter, who also worked with Audubon photographing the spit in the late 70s, also was in attendance.

The Smiths spent the first hour discussing the rich bird heritage of the island and the Spit, before pivoting to the proposed land transfer and the many questions that need to be answered about this proposal.

The Tribe currently is paid approximately $800,000 a year by the federal government to co-manage the Spit and the island. A month ago the Federal Government authorized over $76 million to support the refuges of the country. Money is there. There is no imminent threat of the government cutting off funds. That would have to be authorized by Congress.

The tribe has already begun requesting the ability to lay 80,000 bags of oysters on the bottom of Dungeness Spit’s inner bay, much to the dismay of bird supporters, who worry that this may cause continued loss of fish and other animals the birds feed upon. Currently, there is a lawsuit moving through the courts to stop this from happening.

In March, tribal Vice Chair Loni Greninger testified in Congress that the co-management has been very successful from both the point of view of the Tribe and the government. So if the working arrangement for co-management is successful, why should the Tribe give up $800k and why should Americans give up one of their 570 national wildlife refuges to the Tribe to become owned by them? How much is the Spit and the island worth to the Tribe and why? The answer might be found in the tribe’s lucrative aquaculture industry, wholly owned by them. While the tribe in their proposal denies having any plans for anything other than the vague term, “conservation” the actual answer to this question might have come from Vice Chair Greninger’s comment to the Port Townsend Leader on April 22nd edition. In it she stated:

“If we’re able to have that fuller ownership instead of co-management, then I don’t have to rely on any other government and their rules and regulations,” she said.

This is exactly what is feared by those who fought so hard to protect this island and Spit. With the tribe in full ownership, we will have no say as to what happens to it, nor if future tribal leaders decide to utilize these environmental treasures for economic gain. While it is understandable that the Tribe once used to forage for seafood there, the differences between subsistence shellfish harvest and modern mechanized aquaculture, with the ability to liquify the bottom with air compressors to get to geoduck, or spread thousands of bags of oysters across hundreds of acres at a time is a far cry from how it once was done.

There is every reason to continue to have the tribe manage the refuges. There is little incentive for Americans to simply hand them over to satisfy a demand. Why is Representative Emily Randall and Senator Maria Cantwell so hellbent on getting this done?

The birds are currently protected, as is the unique ecosystem they rely upon. Why should Americans relinquish this to a tribe that is engaged in the business of oyster, geoduck, crabbing, fish farming and fishing when they themselves are admitting that they want to set their own rules for the use of Protection Island? If the Tribe does get it, will we be on the outside looking in and have no input into protecting birds that live there? Many of us are waiting for more answers.

Filed under: Aquaculture, Around the Salish Sea, Around the Sound, Clallam County, Endangered Species, Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, First Nations, Jefferson County, legislation, Washington State | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

Ocean Harvests of Puget Sound Chinook Were Significantly Underestimated for Decades

Posted on June 11, 2026 by Al Bergstein

The Wild Fish Conservancy is highlighting the latest outrage by the very people who were put in charge of protecting wild salmon in Canada. We were hopeful during the last few decades that science based fish monitoring would help produce the right amount of catch to allow the Chinook to recover. Instead, it was all just a ruse to allow the open ocean fishing to continue in larger numbers than were being reported. Many of us following this issue had worries that Canadian Commissioners were in a very cozy relationship with the sports fishing and open ocean industries in Canada. We knew that these commissions were often filled with the very people that were supposed to be managed. As usual, the fox was put in charge of the henhouse. But I’m going to let the press release from Wild Fish Conservancy speak for itself.

While Orcas and Salmon Declined, Ocean Harvests of Puget Sound Chinook Were Significantly Underestimated for Decades


Revised Pacific Salmon Commission data reveal substantially more Puget Sound Chinook were intercepted in ocean fisheries over a twenty-year period, harming local communities and undermining decades of salmon and orca recovery efforts.

For Immediate Release
June 10, 2026

PUGET SOUND, WA—Newly revised data released by Canada at the Pacific Salmon Commission shows that for more than two decades ocean fisheries have killed thousands more Endangered Species Act-listed Puget Sound Chinook salmon each year than previously understood. The corrected estimates reveal far higher harvest mortality in British Columbia’s ocean recreational fisheries, with cascading consequences: lost opportunities to recover Puget Sound Chinook, less prey for endangered Southern Resident orcas, and tighter constraints on local fishing communities.

The scope of the oversight raises hard questions for the fishing families, Tribal Nations, and communities who spent decades accepting closed or curtailed fishing seasons, funding recovery efforts, and backing major conservation measures under the assumption that substantially more Chinook were surviving ocean harvest. It also raises concerns about transparency and accountability, as revisions with major implications for salmon recovery and fishing opportunity were incorporated into technical management processes with little to no public explanation.

For two decades, fisheries managers set salmon recovery targets, determined harvest limits, and assessed prey availability for endangered Southern Resident killer whales while relying on inaccurate data that failed to reflect the true scale of ocean interceptions. In some Central and North Puget Sound watersheds, including the Nooksack, Skagit, and Stillaguamish rivers, revised estimates show that Alaska and British Columbia interception rates exceeded a stunning 60% of returning adult Chinook before those fish reached Puget Sound waters. During this same period, many of these rivers repeatedly failed to meet recovery goals and Southern Resident killer whales continued to decline.

Interception fisheries are an unfortunate product of outdated management frameworks enshrined in the Pacific Salmon Treaty. Even before the revised estimates, distant ocean fisheries were already intercepting far more Chinook from Puget Sound watersheds than fisheries closer to home. According to Pacific Salmon Commission data, ocean fisheries in British Columbia and Alaska harvest roughly four to six times more Chinook from the Nooksack, Skagit, Stillaguamish, and Snohomish watersheds than all local Puget Sound tribal, commercial, and recreational fisheries combined. Meanwhile, many local fisheries in Puget Sound have lost most opportunities to harvest returning Chinook from their own watersheds. For example, in 2025, the Stillaguamish Tribe was limited to a ceremonial harvest of only 26 Chinook salmon. 

The revised estimates followed an update to the accounting method used by fisheries managers in British Columbia. The previous method, in place for two decades, had significantly understated Chinook harvest and mortality in ‘mixed-stock ocean fisheries’, where weak and recovering salmon populations from rivers coastwide are indiscriminately harvested alongside healthier stocks across vast marine areas.

“We already knew Puget Sound Chinook and Southern Resident killer whales were in crisis,” said Dr. Nick Gayeski, Senior Ecologist with Wild Fish Conservancy. “Canada’s underestimate of recreational Chinook harvest show that ocean interceptions were substantially higher than previously understood during a critical period for Chinook and killer whale recovery. These findings expose the profound uncertainty and risk inherent in attempting to manage salmon populations from rivers coastwide in large mixed-stock ocean fisheries.”

More than 25 years after Puget Sound Chinook salmon were listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), many of the populations that make up the listed stock remain far below recovery goals and are now identified as “in crisis” by Washington’s Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office. Southern Resident killer whales were listed as endangered under the ESA in 2005 and have declined approximately 20% over the last two decades to just 76 whales today. Reduced prey availability, particularly large and abundant Chinook, has been identified by killer whale experts and NOAA Fisheries as the leading cause of the whales’ decline. Recent research suggests that reducing ocean interceptions of Chinook salmon before they reach critical Southern Resident killer whale feeding areas could substantially increase prey availability, including modeled increases of up to 25% in Chinook abundance within whale critical habitat.

Importantly, the revised data are not an isolated anomaly or merely a technical correction. They reveal a broader structural problem in attempting to manage salmon populations in mixed-stock ocean fisheries. Despite increasingly sophisticated monitoring and modeling, uncertainty remains high and populations continue to be overharvested under this system.

The new data underscore that uncertainty and raise an important question: if one correction can dramatically change estimates of Chinook mortality, what other sources of uncertainty and risk remain within the management system?

“For decades, fisheries management has prioritized maximizing extraction in mixed-stock ocean fisheries rather than maximizing salmon recovery,” said Emma Helverson, Executive Director for Wild Fish Conservancy. “That approach is failing Chinook salmon, Southern Resident killer whales, tribal treaty fisheries, and fishing communities alike. Ironically, maximizing short-term ocean harvest is reducing long-term fishing opportunities across the coast. Recovering salmon will require transformational changes in where, when, and how fishing occurs to ensure more fish survive to return home.”

This new understanding comes at a consequential time when the U.S. and Canada prepare to renegotiate the Pacific Salmon Treaty, the international agreement that governs coastwide salmon harvest and many of the mixed-stock ocean fisheries now facing renewed scrutiny. Across the Pacific Coast, communities are increasingly calling for major fisheries reforms to reduce interceptions and transition harvest closer to rivers and estuaries, where salmon can be more selectively and sustainably managed as they return home. 

“The Pacific Salmon Treaty renegotiation is happening right now and offers a once-in-a-decade opportunity to redirect salmon management toward a more sustainable and equitable path,” said Helverson. “We do not have another decade to wait. Chinook salmon, Southern Resident killer whales, and coastal communities are already paying the price for a management system that is failing to rebuild abundance. This is the moment for transformational change.”

Updated Chinook mortality distribution tables and stock-specific harvest data are publicly available through the Pacific Salmon Commission Chinook Technical Committee data portal and data application.

Pacific Salmon Commission Chinook Technical Committee. Annual Report of Catch and Escapement for 2024. Appendix C: Comparison of Historic and Updated Canadian Recreational Catch and Release Estimates is available here for download: Pacific Salmon Commission Appendix C Data Tables

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Wild Fish Conservancy is a nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in Washington State and working from California to Alaska to preserve, protect and restore the northwest’s wild fish and the ecosystems they depend on, through science, education, and advocacy. wildfishconservancy.org 

I highly recommend that you support the efforts of the Wild Fish Conservancy.

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Port Townsend Paper Mill – Thoughts on Safety

Posted on June 5, 2026 by Al Bergstein

In the wake of the terrible tank explosion and deaths in Longview, I have read the call from David Ginsberg for a variety of recommendations on the local mill safety and pollution. Additionally, I have read the letter from the mill management, which, according to the Port Townsend Leader was published by the mill on June 1st but is not on the mill’s web site despite a newer post, unrelated to the explosion, is there.

I worked at the mill during COVID in their IT department, helping get remote access available for everyone to work from “home” and also I was in charge of upgrading hundreds of their computers. In my job, I met a lot of the workers, as I had to go to their workstations, both in the offices and the dozens of production environments to remove and install new computers. I often ate lunch with them, and a number of them became friends. Many drive long distances to work here, because our housing situation is not good for the middle class workers that would likely love to live closer to the mill. Some of them would have agreed with David’s call for actions, and some would likely not. It’s a mixed bag of people and perspectives, just like the U.S. today.

The mill is inherently a dangerous place to work. Mill management does take safety seriously from what I encountered. I had to take training, wear steel toed boots, eye and ear protection when I went into the main plant. There are extremely high speed paper making machines that sometimes break down. When they do, it can be a roll of the dice if anyone happens to be near the break down, and it could be deadly if someone was in the vicinity. The mill has been very lucky up to now. But other non-lethal injuries are fairly common and the mill closely tracks them. There are also forklifts roaming around, moving huge rolls of paper. The mill is a very old industrial site, but it has continued to be upgraded for various technical improvements over the decades. Nevertheless, anyone walking around there needs to be very vigilant.

Chemical tanks at Port Townsend Paper Mill. Unclear which of these may be holding the same kind of chemicals that exploded at Longview. Parking lot in upper center. Walkway to work passes by the top circled tanks. Image courtesy of Google Earth.

Every day when I came to work, I am pretty sure that I and the other workers, walked right by three large tanks, that seem to be the same tanks that were involved in the Longview explosion. The tanks are nondescript large tanks that had no discernible markings or safety warnings on them (that may have changed). I assume this because of the photos I’ve seen of the tank that exploded. The pulp “cookers” here at the mill are next to the tanks. None of us likely understood the risk, because I know that if I would be working there today, I would walk the long way around from the parking lot to get to work. However, that way is not the “safe” way, protecting people from the constant truck and forklift traffic. The walkway from the parking lot to the main offices and mill itself goes right by these tanks. Is it really the best idea to have workers constantly walking past them? Could a simple mistake cause a catastrophic explosion? Or are these not the tanks in question?

The mill management is different from the mill ownership. Management is local. Ownership is by Atlas Holdings, from Greenwich Connecticut, apparently some kind of holding company that invests in paper mills. This blog published a short overview when they took over the mill. Profit margins on paper mills are slim, according to CSIMarket https://csimarket.com/Industry/industry_Profitability_Ratios.php?ind=111 Their industry profit margins appear to be 3 to 4%. About as much as Safeway or QFC likely makes. Can Atlas guarantee that they have done everything that could be done for worker safety?

The mill operates under a variety of safety and EPA laws, many federal, some state created, but I don’t know if any are locally created. A variety of environmental laws have been relaxed or eliminated under the two Trump administrations. I’m unclear if any specifically were related to mill safety, but I have read that there is no state nor federal inspection requirements for the tanks that hold these dangerous chemicals. I would love to understand what laws are applicable. If there are none, there should be.

The mill memo mentions that they have carried out inspections and are working on “scheduling further non-destructive testing to reassess tank conditions in 2026.” The county emergency management department also said they are working with the mill and preparing for a July meeting. Given all that has happened, the mill should be very open and forthcoming with their plans and the results. Unfortunately, there is no apparent legal requirement for them to do so. Additionally, all of us should be demanding the State take a much more active role in tank inspections.

In Mr. Ginsberg’s letter, there was a laundry list of other issues dating back a long time. While I agree with his general assessment that there are other issues that need addressing, now is the best time to focus on tank safety. It is in the public eye, and the state will likely be working on improving this one issue in the months ahead. Let’s focus on this and not try to “boil the ocean” of other issues that Ginsberg raises.

It’s a great time for anyone concerned about safety, whether the mill workers themselves or the community at large, to come forward and make your voice heard. Write emails, letters or go to city or county council meetings. The way the news cycle works, the State and Atlas Holdings will be counting on this to fade as an issue quickly. This chance may not come back again until another disaster strikes. We are all hoping it doesn’t happen here.

Filed under: Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, Jefferson County | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Future of Protection Island deserves more public scrutiny before transfer – Port Townsend Leader

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Al Bergstein

This week I wrote an Op-Ed piece that was published in the Port Townsend Leader. In case you don’t have access to the Leader I have included what I wrote below with minor updates. Unfortunately, the Leader only allowed a 700 word limit on the editorial. Obviously, there are many more words to be said about this proposed transfer. A few of them would be: if you agree that more needs to be clarified, and that the process ought to be slowed down, please contact our city, county, state and federal representatives and make your point of view known.

Your comments might be to oppose or simply slow the process to make sure that the island is never to be used for any commercial activity. That is currently not a part of this discussion between the Tribe and the State and Federal Government.

I want to clarify that I do not support efforts I’m hearing about in Clallam County from a group who oppose this and appear to be anti-Tribal in nature. I am not anti-Tribe.

You might ask: Why should I have any credibility to discuss this issue at all?

I have worked for the Tribe, creating two films over 5 years. I worked closely with the late Tribal Elder, Marlin Holden, a close friend, for “Treaty Resources: Legacy of Our Ancestors” that is viewable at the Tribe’s library. I have interviewed the late Kurt Grinnell and Ron Allen. I have presented in front of the Tribal Council a number of times. I was trusted by the Tribe to video tape tribal meetings, something I was told had never been allowed by anyone outside the Tribe. As a member and chair of the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee I supported efforts led by the Tribe and other aquaculture companies to reestablish Olympia Oysters in Discovery Bay. The Tribe has done an outstanding job under Ron Allen and Kurt Grinnell’s leadership to forge new economic engines for the Tribe and Clallam County’s benefit, including an active aquaculture industry that sells geoduck to China along with oysters and clams regionally.

Promotional poster for Legacy of Our Ancestors

I produced a second film, paid for by the Tribe about the Dungeness River Management team on the restoration of the Dungeness River, called “Working for the River”.

Promotional poster for “Working for the River”

But I also was there at the efforts to create a wildlife refuge at Protection Island. In late 1970s, I was a professional photographer who volunteered for Seattle Audubon, the organization leading national efforts organized by Jefferson County locals Zella Schultz and Eleanor Stopps over a 20 year period. I traveled to John Wayne Marina where Fish and Wildlife staff took me to the island to photograph. The island had been under threat of having 800 lots developed, with no protection for the rare bird habitat that did and does exist there. Through all the efforts by Zella, Eleanor, Lorna Smith, Hazel Wolf and thousands of others, Congress finally established the Refuge, especially with the help of Republican Slade Gordon and Governor John Spellman, Democratic Senators Scoop Jackson and Warren Magnuson & Governor Dixie Lee Ray, along with the entire Washington State delegation who convinced the Reagan administration to sign the bill, the only such refuge established during his eight year presidency.

I have read a lot of what the Tribe wants to do with Protection Island. On the surface, with little detail, it seems benign. I have read a draft of a possible Congressional Bill that would establish the handover. But I am very troubled by the possible use of this island refuge for commercial aquaculture. Destroying the nearshore for commercial purposes would impact the habitat that these birds need to feed and survive. My concern is that we are rushing into an irreversible action with very little forethought and this legal business decision is not clearly defined at the moment. Now is the time to do the right thing and ensure that Protection Island is protected for *all time and all people* of the United States. That is what currently exists.

To hear more on this issue, I will be on KPTZ (91.9 locally on the Olympic Peninsula and kptz.org online) at 9PM Sunday May 17th on Phil Andrus’ “Cats in our Laps” show for one hour to discuss this in even more detail and answer questions from Phil. The show will be podcast later.

With that background, here is the 700 words that were published today in the Port Townsend Leader. I have expanded on this original letter today slightly to include a few issues that I was forced to edit out due to space constraints.

If I told you that a prized National Wildlife Refuge was going to be handed over to an aquaculture company, what would be your reaction? If I told you it was going to be handed over to The Jamestown S’Kallam Tribe, would your reaction be different? Would it be different if you knew that the Tribe runs an expanding aquaculture company?

What if I told you that in a few years, you will not have any say in what the aquaculture company does with the Refuge? That is exactly what is happening.

Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge is being considered for transfer to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe to add to their reservation. Protection Island is currently owned by all of the citizens of the United States. Why does the Tribe want it for their exclusive use? And what is the importance of Protection Island?

The U.S. Department of the Fish and Wildlife has this to say about Protection Island:

Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge provides some of the last remaining undeveloped habitat for many burrow-nesting seabirds in the Salish Sea, but is of particular importance to the rhinoceros auklet. Scarred by over a hundred years of farming and grazing, and carved up for a summer home subdivision in the late 1960’s, it was finally recognized in 1982 with a National Wildlife Refuge designation before irreversible damage occurred. 

It supports thriving wildlife populations, including what is thought to be the third largest rhinoceros auklet colony in North America, one of the last two breeding sites for tufted puffins in the Salish Sea, and the largest glaucous-winged gull colony in Washington state.

Over the last year, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe have been working in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Representative Emily Randall to transfer the title of the island, with its nesting habitat, to the Tribe. At this time, the proposal does not specify the aquatic lands, which remain with the State, but mentions a path to the state relinquishing them to the Tribe in the future.

There is a draft bill that will soon be introduced to make the transfer happen. This work has been done by the Tribal attorneys without any public input. It oddly goes along with the Trump administrations goals of getting the United States of out management of Federal Lands. Project 2025, specifically the “Mandate for Leadership” document, proposes restructuring federal land management by prioritizing energy production, expanding logging, and increasing state or private control over public lands. (highlight is mine). Key proposals include Chapter 13 (Interior Department) for dismantling conservation agendas…

We have already transferred the Dungeness Spit Wildlife Refuge to the Tribe with an understanding that the Tribes aquaculture business was going to drop 80,000 bags of oyster spat on the bottom of the bay. This transfer was opposed by the wildlife biologist that worked at the Spit at the time that the transfer was proposed.  There is currently a lawsuit in progress to challenge the process that was used to do this transfer.

Question: “Is the proposed transfer of Protection Island really the best thing for us to do?” 

Protection Island refuge was established after a national campaign led by two local women, Eleanor Stopps & Zella Schultz, and the work of the Seattle Audubon Society led by Helen Engle and  Hazel Wolf  one of the legendary environmental leaders in our state. It was a work that took tens of thousands of volunteer hours with help from National Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy. (You can listen to an interview I conducted with Eleanor Stopps in 2010 for my film “Voices of the Strait” at the following link.)

https://on.soundcloud.com/uV2PCxSpOmPDvmMeVX

Transferring the Island to the Tribe means that it becomes part of it’s reservation and sovereign territory of the Tribe, no longer forced to follow the rules and regulations of the US Wildlife Refuge Acts of 1966 and 1997 There is no provision made for any public input into future tribal decisions on the use of the island, or it’s shores. There are vague references to the tribe continuing “conservation efforts” without specifying what they are. It will be up to the Tribe in concert with the State Department of Natural Resources to decide if they want to use the island’s shoreline for commercial aquaculture. DNR has been promiscuous in its granting of aquaculture permits. Can we trust that this commercially driven Tribe will make the right decisions on behalf of our Refuge when we will have no voice in decisions moving forward?

Also, the great work that the Tribe has done in restoring environmental places like Jimmy Come Lately Creek, the Dungeness River and other locations was done with Federal and State grants or funds. If the Federal Government is attempting to rid itself of Federal lands like this, who is going to pay for the ongoing management the Tribe claims they will do?

There are many who trust Ron Allen. What about future Tribal leaders after him? 

What protection do we have if the Tribe’s plans dramatically shift towards commerce than protection? Can we effectively veto or alter the Tribes’ activities on the island? How? The act of moving this crown jewell of wildlife will place it beyond the jurisdiction of local or state officials forever. In fact, it makes enforcement by the Federal government a nation to nation affair that leaves our voices out of the regulation process.

I suggest we start by stopping. There is no need for speed in this process. If Republicans want to get rid of Wildlfe Sanctuaries and Democrats want to support whatever the Tribes want, none of that will change with another year or two of public input. Pause this transfer while we figure out how all of us and not just one Tribe, will have a voice in the future of Protection Island if we relinquish control over it to the Tribe.

Listen to me Sunday night on KTPZ.ORG at 9PM Pacific

Original Leader article

https://ptleader.com/articles/columns/future-of-protection-island-deserves-more-public-scrutiny-before-transfer/

Filed under: Clallam County, Endangered Species, Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, First Nations, Government, Jefferson County, Olympic Peninsula, Straits of Juan de Fuca, Washington State | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Future of Protection Island deserves more public scrutiny before transfer – Port Townsend Leader

WA Fish and Wildlife panel confronts high tensions and harsh testimony – Washington Standard

Posted on April 21, 2026 by Al Bergstein

The never ending drama of the State Wildlife Commission continued with an open session allowing comments from both sides in the controversy. We urge the Governor to take steps to remove Director Kelly Susewind. The Governor never had any need to follow the lead of the hunters associations as they hated him from the beginning and never would have voted for him in the past or the future. These attacks on Commissioners nominated for their environmental protection stance and the ability to follow science rather than the hunting communities perceived needs to kill bears. This continues attacks across the country on environmental protection under this radical regime in Washington D.C. that fuels this behavior.

Commissioner Smith is a local environmental activist from Jefferson County. I’ve known her and worked with her and her husband Darrell for decades. She was part of the team that lobbied congress to get Protection Island turned into a National Wildlife Refuge in 1982. She has fought for wolf and cougar protection along with protecting bears from slaughter. This hunting often leaves orphaned cubs in its wake. There is no one more qualified to fight to protect the issues of the environment than her. If the Governor abandons her, it will be a stain on his supposed environmental credentials for the rest of his term.

From the Washington Standard:

Surly public comments are a staple of Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission meetings, revealing the deeply personal stakes of those fighting over how far the state should go in protecting various species or allowing for hunting or fishing.

But last week’s session carried a slightly harsher tone, fueled by an investigation into whether commissioners violated open meetings and public records statutes ahead of a decision in 2022 to ban spring bear hunts, and a federal civil rights lawsuit filed against the agency’s director by a commissioner targeted by the probe.

The meeting took place Thursday to Saturday in Olympia. Speakers vented grievances with decisions of the citizen panel, actions of individual members and leaders of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, which the commission oversees. Some called for commissioners to resign, others for agency Director Kelly Susewind to be fired.

Read more at

Washington Standard Article

And support local journalism by donating to it if you can.

Filed under: Eastern Washington, Endangered Species, Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, Government, Politics | Tagged: , | Comments Off on WA Fish and Wildlife panel confronts high tensions and harsh testimony – Washington Standard

DNR Commissioner Upthegrove Stalls on Opportunity to Save Sadie Creek Legacy Forests

Posted on April 18, 2026 by Al Bergstein

From Press Release by Elwha Legacy Forests’ by Eleana Pawl 

“Doc Holliday” timber sale is the name the DNR gave to a parcel of quiet, fern-filled, moss-strewn, biodiverse, legacy forest which is located next to Sadie Creek Campground, off of scenic highway 112 on the Olympic Peninsula. It is a joy for hikers to explore and where from time immemorial, Tribal members have gone to gather traditional foods and medicines. There is also a salmon nesting area. This is about to change, unless Commissioner Upthegrove and DNR come to their senses.

Almost everyone seems to agree that it doesn’t make sense to log legacy forests around the beloved Sadie Creek campground and right about the creek itself. Last year, former Republican gubernatorial candidate, Bill Bryant who visited the forest, wrote an op-ed called “This Puget Sound Forest Should be Saved, there are better ways to log.” Hundreds signed a tribal citizen led letter asking Upthegrove to halt the timber sale.

What makes the situation even more unique is that the logging company is willing to accept an offer that would allow it to forgo logging while paying the same amount of money to DNR that DNR would have gotten had the forest been logged. This means that there’s no loss of money to beneficiaries like schools, libraries, and fire districts. Clallam County Commissioner Randy Johnson, a former timber company executive who also sits on the WA Board of Natural Resources – the body that makes decisions about timber sales – also supports the idea of finding a solution to save these few important acres.

The price tag to keep Sadie Creek campground an enjoyable place to visit is just $32,000.

Commissioner Upthegrove ran on the promise to protect legacy forests. So far, he’s continued business as usual while we lose hundreds of acres of legacy forests each month. Advancing this collaborative partnership is one way to turn the ship around.

For a 1 minute video tour of “Doc Holliday” go to Instagram on mobile: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGDubjtpQPt/

for a longer overview. Try this by John Gussman

Filed under: Clallam County, Environmental Activism, Environmental Protection | Tagged: , , , , | 7 Comments »

WA Fish and Wildlife commissioner accuses agency director of retaliation – Washington Standard

Posted on April 5, 2026 by Al Bergstein

In a lawsuit, the commissioner and a wildlife group leader say department leaders manufactured allegations against them because they questioned their decisions.

The ongoing passion play attacking the environmental “wing” of the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission continues. This battle between the environmental wing and the hunters wing has gone from bad behavior to truly ugly.

To understand this issue, other than reading the good article on the Standard, found here: Washington State Standard Article you have to understand that this stems from a debate over whether hunters should continue to be allowed to kill bears in our state.

The commission, which is nominated by the Governor, has been a lightning rod for hunting groups nationwide. The current Commissioner, Lorna Smith, who lives in Jefferson County and has been employed by an NGO that is anti-bear and cougar hunting, is under attack by these hunting forces and oddly enough, the head of WFW department, Kelly Susewind and Deputy Director Amy Windrope. The Commission is in charge of overseeing Susewind’s department!

To add to all this, Governor Ferguson, who ran on an environmental ticket, in an early move to apparently throw an olive branch to the hunting community, fired former commissioner Tim Ragen. That act enraged environmentalists who said that Ferguson was reneging on pledges to help the very people who got him elected.

There is so much more to this soap opera. It wouldn’t be so pathetic if the killing of bears weren’t at stake. Do we really need to hunt this animals for money anymore?

Please read the Standard’s piece for a more detailed overview.

Filed under: Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, Government | Tagged: , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Plastics An exposé of the plastic industry – Fresh Air

Posted on April 1, 2026 by Al Bergstein

I’ve written about the “end of environmentalism”over the past two years. Here’s another reason why I haven’t changed my mind. If you don’t understand how the oil industry is poisoning us and lying to us, you need to hear this podcast by NPR’s Fresh Air. It’s “Big Tobacco” all over again. It’s worse than you think. Get angry, demand change. Buy at the Co-op where they use less plastic on produce. But you can’t avoid it and the industry banks on it. Literally.

In award-winning journalist Beth Gardiner’s new book, ‘Plastic Inc.,’ she traces how plastic went from a wartime miracle to the survival strategy of the fossil fuel industry. What Gardiner found after years of reporting is that while millions of us were recycling and using less fuel, the companies that make plastic are producing more to make up for it. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about recycling, microplastics in the human body, and the environmental impact.   

https://www.npr.org/2026/04/01/nx-s1-5770396/an-expose-of-the-plastic-industry

Filed under: Environmental Activism, environmental education, Environmental Protection | 4 Comments »

Northwest just finished warmest fall on record, scientists report and NCAR Research shutdown

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Al Bergstein

The Washington State Standard is reporting that not only did we finish the year with the warmest year on record but our recent rain will not do much to help the ongoing drought in central and eastern Washington. Why? Because it’s falling as rain and not as snow.

This record warm spell includes all temperature data going back to 1880. These floods, this warming, is exactly what scientists have been predicting for decades. Now we reap what we have sown in fossil fuel use. So what is the government doing? It’s shutting down research on the atmosphere.

The Trump Administration has announced the closing of the greatest atmospheric research lab in the world, at National Science Foundation’s National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the largest federal climate research lab outside Boulder in Colorado. This cynical ploy to rob of us global climate data is directly linked to the fossil fuel industry that underpins this administrations every action. Every drop of gas one buys is funding this destruction of our most valuable commodity, the scientific research to understand the processes of our planet. The announcement was made by OMB chair Russell Voight, the author of Project 2025. His statement said, “This facility is one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country…” without providing any evidence except his own opinion.

The Governor of Colorado stated, “Climate change is real, but the work of NCAR goes far beyond climate science,” Polis said. “NCAR delivers data around severe weather events like fires and floods that help our country save lives and property, and prevent devastation for families. If these cuts move forward we will lose our competitive advantage against foreign powers and adversaries in the pursuit of scientific discovery.”

If you supported Trump and the politicians who make up his sycophant society you are helping support these disastrous decisions that continue to destroy our country and turn us into something resembling the Soviet Union or worse. Clearly our Senators and House members do not support this shut down of NCAR Colorado. Is this the kind of country you want to leave to your children and grandchildren?

This is not Making America Great Again, it’s an attempt to create a totalitarian government based on the beliefs of the fossil fuel industry. Better rethink your support of this maniac and act now to stop him before it’s too late. Send your donations to the ACLU and other organizations fighting for out rights. Contact friends in Red states to make sure they have heard this news and tell them to contact their Federal representatives to overturn this insane dictate.

You can support a green economy now by buying or leasing electric vehicles, walking and biking whenever possible, donating to the national organizations fighting the administration in court and supporting local farmers who strengthen our resilience to the effects of climate change .

Our hope is when this administration is finally out of office, that we can rebuild better the destroyed institutions that they have worked to eliminate in the name of the gas station of yours down the street. But that will take more than words on a blog. It takes every one of us doing something to change the direction of this out of control ship of state.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/climate-change/trump-administration-break-climate-research-center-ncar-rcna249668

Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Environmental Science, Global Warming, Government, Olympic Peninsula, Politics | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Northwest just finished warmest fall on record, scientists report and NCAR Research shutdown

EVENTS, GRANTS ETC

Posted on December 14, 2025 by Al Bergstein

From Angela at the Puget Sound Partnership’s Strait Ecosystem Recovery Network (ERN)

Here’s the good news in a very soggy week: In less than two weeks, the days will start to get longer! I tell myself this every morning when I open the blinds to darkness. 

In this newsletter, you will find news about funding, volunteer opportunities, events, training and conferences, jobs, and more! As always, we welcome your events and successes for our website and future newsletters:

  • Submit events for the newsletter and our calendar of events HERE
  • Submit your successes so we can celebrate them on our website HERE 

   Funding   

The Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership) gathers public and private funding opportunities in the Recovery Acceleration Funding Tool (RAFT). The National Wildlife Federation hosts a database for Nature-Based Solutions Funding. If you see an opportunity that feels too big to do alone, contact us! Strait ERN can help coordinate and write regional grant applications. The Partnership also has grant-writing assistance available.

Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program Grants – RFPs RELEASED NOV 19th

This grant program, administered by the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) provides grants and technical assistance for projects that restore and conserve near-shore areas in Puget Sound. Match requirements have been eliminated for 2026 grants! There are multiple grant areas and application dates vary. Learn more and see RFPs as they are released HERE.

Temper of Times Foundation

Small grants can fund production of advertising or materials and distribution that will lead to measurable outcomes for wildland ecosystem conservation and restoration. Learn more HERE. 

Date: Proposals due December 15th

MJ Murdock Charitable Trust Strategic Grant Program

The Trust funds conservation, environmental education, natural resource protection, and wildlife preservation projects. The grants can fund capital projects, equipment and technology, or staff. Learn more and apply HERE.

Date: Applications are due December 26th

National Fish Passage Program

This program aims to improve habitat for federal trust species and support infrastructure improvement for communities nationwide. Eligible projects provide benefits to aquatic habitats and infrastructure resiliency. Expected to fund $10M in awards. Learn more HERE.

Date: Proposals due December 31st

Western WA Fish and Wildlife: National Fish Passage Program

This funds projects outside of the Columbia River Basin. Project Summary Forms are due by January 16th. Learn more and apply HERE.

Date: Project Summary Forms due January 16th

Floodplains by Design

Floodplains by Design grants are targeted at reducing flood risks and restoring river functions along Washington’s rivers. The pre-application period for the new grant round opens November 1st and closes January 23rd, 2026. Learn more about the grants HERE.

Date: Pre-applications due January 23rd

Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board Grants

This grant program supports work to identify and remove barriers for salmon and steelhead migration. Learn more about this program HERE.

Date: Applications due January 26th

ESRP Pre-Design (Learning) Program

Regional Pre-Design (Learning) Proposals support restoration of complex ecosystems or improve effectiveness/efficiency of restoration projects. Learn more about this opportunity and apply HERE.

Date: Proposals due February 9th

Streamflow Restoration Competitive Grants

The application period for these grants will be January 15th to March 17th, 2026. Learn more about the grant program and register for a January informational workshop for applicants HERE.

Date: Applications due March 17th

National Sea Grant Law Center

Letters of Interest for small projects that address legal questions related to ocean or coastal laws. Learn more and apply HERE.

Date: LOIs accepted on a rolling basis through August 1st, 2026

   Volunteer Opportunities   

PSEMP CalendarDo you collect data about the Puget Sound? The Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program (PSEMP) provides a forum for consolidating data-gathering efforts and conversation. Check out their calendar HERE to see their committee schedules. All are welcome at their meetings!

Stormwater Work Group SurveyThe Stormwater Work Group and PSEMP are collecting information on successes and needs for stormwater monitoring. Fill out the 10-15 minute survey HERE.Date: Survey closes December 17th

Volunteer Your Expertise!

The Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL) is seeking input for the updates to the Land Development and Cover Implementation Strategy and the Floodplains and Estuaries Implementation Strategy. You can provide feedback via Google Form: Land Development  |  Floodplains and Estuaries.

Date: Land Development Form closes December 19th

Date: Floodplains and Estuaries Form closes January 9th

Provide Feedback to the Jefferson Land Trust

The Jefferson Land Trust is working on a new five-year Strategic Plan and is seeking community input. Take a 10-minute survey HERE to share your priorities.

   Community Events & Learning Opportunities   

Sequim-Dungeness Christmas Bird CountJoin Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society for their 50th annual Sequim-Dungeness Christmas Bird Count! Track the birds in our neighborhoods. Learn more HERE.Date: December 15th

Wednesday Morning Bird WalksEvery Wednesday, join a band of birders on a 3/4-mile bird survey along the Olympic Discovery Trail. Bring your binoculars and meet in the Dungeness River Nature Center’s parking lot.

Date: December 17th and every WednesdayTime: 8:30 amPlace: Dungeness River Nature Center, Sequim

Native Plant Sale

The Clallam County Conservation District’s Native Plant Sale is currently open for plant orders. See the selection and place your order HERE.

Date: Pre-orders end January 20th

Shoreline Management Act Open House(s)The Department of Ecology is hosting one more virtual Open House to discuss changes to the Shoreline Management Act. Translation services available. Learn more and register HERE.

Date: December 16thTime: 6:00 to 7:00 pmPlace: Virtual; register for link

North Olympic Land Trust’s Open HouseCelebrate NOLS’s 35th Anniversary at their Annual Open House! Enjoy a celebratory slice of cake and swap stories of 35 years of land conservation. Learn more HERE.Date: December 30thTime: 2:00 to 5:00 pmPlace: NOLS Office, Port Angeles

Winter Birding and IllustrationLearn more about the birds of the Salish Sea with the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. Practice scientific illustration, then head outside to look for birds. Learn more and RSVP HERE.Date: January 10thTime: 10:00 am to 12:00 noonPlace: PTMSC Aquarium classroom, Fort Worden

Floodplains and Estuaries LIO/LE Coffee ChatThe Habitat SIL is hosting a coffee chat to talk about the Floodplains and Estuaries Implementation Strategies. This virtual chat is open to members of LIOs and LEs. Register HERE.Date: January 13thTime: 9:00 am to 12:00 noonPlace: Virtual; register for link

Land Development and Cover LIO/LE Coffee ChatThe Habitat SIL is hosting a coffee chat to talk about the Land Development and Cover Implementation Strategies. This virtual chat is open to members of LIOs and LEs. Register HERE.Date: January 15thTime: 1:00 to 4:00 pmPlace: Virtual; register for link

Alternatives to BulkheadsThis self-paced online course is part of Ecology’s Coastal Training Program. Learn about shorelines and stabilization in this 101 offering. Register HERE.Date: January 13 to February 25Place: Virtual

Blueprints for Community-Led Blue CarbonThe focus for this Blue Carbon Collaborative meeting is small-scale blue carbon restoration projects focused on key single-species efforts. Learn more and register HERE. Date: February 5thTime: 10:00 amPlace: Virtual; register for link

   Training and Conferences   

Forestry 101 Workshop

Come learn about forest stewardship and health with the Jefferson County Conservation District. Learn more and register HERE.

Date: December 13th

Time: 2:30 to 4:00 pm

Place: Jefferson County Library, Port Hadlock

Roads and Resilience: Integrating State Transportation, Hazards, and Nature-Based Solutions

Join the Shoreline and Coastal Planners Group for a webinar on natural hazard impacts to state roads. Learn more and register HERE.

Date: December 16th

Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 noon

Place: Virtual

NW Land Camp

NW Land Camp brings together land trust leaders and conservation partners for networking and training. In June 2026, Land Camp will be in beautiful Florence, OR. Mark your calendars and watch for more information!

   Jobs   

Natural Resources Program AssistantThe Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is hiring an administrative program assistant for their Natural Resources Department. Learn more HERE.

LIO Program ManagerThe Puget Sound Partnership is hiring a Local Integrating Organization Program Manager to lead the Partnership’s LIO Program. The position is largely remote, with some on-site work required. Learn more HERE.   News   2025 State of the Sound ReleasedThe Puget Sound Partnership has released the 2025 State of the Sound report. This is an assessment of the results of all our work around the Puget Sound towards ecosystem protection, restoration, and recovery. There is, of course, both celebration of success and the sobering reality of how much more still needs to be done. Read the report HERE.

2024 Puget Sound Marine Waters OverviewThe PSEMP Marine Waters Workgroup has released it’s 14th annual Marine Waters Overview, collecting data from across the greater Puget Sound. Read about and download the report HERE.

Filed under: Environmental Activism, Events, Government, Olympic Peninsula | Comments Off on EVENTS, GRANTS ETC

The future of inner urban and suburban delivery emerges

Posted on December 6, 2025 by Al Bergstein

While it is easy to get depressed by the current fossil fuel funded federal government and presidential positions on transport, the future is arriving, as it usually does, without any help from the powers that be. The rise of the cargo bike portends a future city with far less gas powered delivery vehicles, less air pollution, and a reduction in vehicles on the roads, which likely will make even car drivers happy!

Tern’s NYC delivery e-bike fleet crosses 1 million miles, with some bikes rolling past 30k

Filed under: Alternative Transportation, Bicycles, Environmental Activism | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Goodbye to Bob Lynette

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Al Bergstein

I knew Bob as a dedicated environmentalist who fought to protect rather than just restore. There are so few like him anymore. So many environmentalists have just gone to being restoration specialists and seem to refuse to actually fight to protect the environment. Many have teamed up with the very industries that are continuing to exploit the environment for profit.

From the Washington Wild obit of Bob.

IN MEMORIAM: Bob Lynette, Olympic Peninsula Activist and 2016 WA Wild Karen M. Fant Award Winner

Filed under: Environmental Activism | 3 Comments »

A win for saving Dungeness Spit

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Al Bergstein

                                                                                                    

The battle over keeping industrial aquaculture out of our National Wildlife Refuges, is still being played out in the courts. Recently three environmental organizations have successfully sued to get the US Fish & Wildlife Service to complete a “compatibility determination (CD)” for the industrial operation. The court has ruled that a CD must be performed. It is not clear whether the company must now stop any work in the refuge.

Here is the press release from the plaintiffs. Please consider donating to any of them to help offset the costs of the lawsuit. It’s *our* wildlife refuge at stake.

In 2023, Protect the Peninsula’s Future, Coalition to Protect Puget Sound Habitat, and Beyond Pesticides sued the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for its failure to conduct a compatibility determination (CD) for a proposed industrial shellfish operation at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR). The case is being reviewed by the U.S. Federal District Court in Tacoma. 

USFWS regulations state that for any project on or near one of its refuges, a CD must be written.  These cases are not unusual, and the Dungeness case is especially important because if the case is lost, industrial shellfish operations might be free to open at other Refuges. 

Last year the Court ruled the case should proceed because it is clear the USFWS must write a CD.  

The industrial shellfish operator – the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe (JST) – sought to moot the plaintiffs’ case due to potential financial impact to the JST.  The JST received various agency permits to plant 80,000 non-native oyster spat (larvae) in large plastic bags to be anchored to the substrate in the refuge area on 34 acres. The then manager of the DNWR had determined the shellfish operation was incompatible with the mission of the refuge, but higher ups in the agency overruled her and refused to write a CD. In the meantime, the JST started planting oyster spat. 

The federal court allowed the JST to present arguments against the plaintiffs’ suit.   

On 15 May 2025, the court responded in our favor.  The case will not be mooted; the USFWS must follow its regulations.   

From the Court documents:

“Compliance with the statutory procedures in the Refuge Act is undoubtably a  public right that safeguards environmental protection. 

Only the public right to administrative compliance with the Refuge Act procedural requirement to complete a compatibility determination and/or require a special permit are ripe for adjudication. 

Drawing all reasonable inferences in favor of plaintiffs, Jamestown appears to have planted seeds after it was aware that it was probable the Service would conduct a compatibility determination. 

Therefore, it is hereby ORDERED that Jamestown’s motion to dismiss, Dkt  44, is DENIED. “

The plaintiffs now wait for the Court’s final ruling against the USFWS, ordering it to write a CD. 

Filed under: Aquaculture, Clallam County, Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, Olympic Peninsula, Straits of Juan de Fuca | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

Update from the Strait Ecosystem Recovery Network

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Al Bergstein

From the Strait ERN newsletter.

Hello friends!

I hope you are all enjoying our beautiful spring weather and finding reasons to be outside as often as possible. My native plant garden – planted a little under two years ago – is thriving, with Oregon grape, huckleberries, red-flowering currants, twinberry, and tiny bleeding hearts all in bloom, with more on the way. I’ll confess here my great love for the non-native daffodil, which I keep in the front yard. Those cheery blooms are almost done for the year, but my neighbors have stopped by to say how happy they are to see them. Whatever your plant preferences are, this is a great time of year!

Along with the abundance of new life springing up, there is an abundance of news and information to share. Much of it is time-sensitive, so we’re not waiting a month in between newsletters. In this newsletter, you’ll find:

  • Funding opportunities
  • Volunteer events
  • Community/education events and training
  • News and information
  • Jobs and board openings

Funding Opportunities

Department of Ecology 6PPD Funding WA Department of Ecology is excited to announce a funding opportunity to support stormwater research projects that help to better understand how to manage 6-PPDQ in stormwater and prevent salmonid deaths. Ecology can fund projects with public organizations through Interagency Agreements (IAAs) and are prioritizing projects that partner with Tribal Nations and/or benefit overburdened communities. There is $2.9 million of funding available which can fund 5-15 contracts, and the duration of the projects will be from July 2025 – June 2027. There is no application or deadline for this funding. 
Please contact madison.bristol@ecy.wa.gov to learn more and apply.
Catalyst Fund RFP for 2025 Funding Round | Network for Landscape Conservation

The Catalyst Fund strives to accelerate the pace and practice of collaborative landscape conservation and stewardship across the United States by investing in Landscape Partnerships. The Fund couples financial support (through a competitive grant program) with capacity-building support (through in-depth Peer Learning) to catalyze Partnership efforts to achieve long-term conservation and stewardship goals. A portion of the Fund is reserved specifically to advance Tribal-led Partnerships. Grants are for one or two years, up to $25,000. Learn more here.
Date: Proposals due Friday, May 16thRCO Outdoor Learning Grant This is a collaborative program between RCO and the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction that supports federally recognized Tribes and outdoor education providers who partner with Washington public schools to create outdoor learning experiences for students. Find more details here. 

Date: Application period is April 9 through June 3NOTE: This program is temporarily on hold pending finalization of the state budget.
Stormwater SIL RFP to be Released May 7

Neighborhood Stormwater Assistance and Education Projects – $1 million available. The Stormwater SIL is looking for projects that support neighborhood-scale stormwater improvements, including:* Developing tools, resources, or programs to educate landowners and influencers (real estate agents, Homeowners Associations (HOAs), land use consultants, contractors, and others) about stormwater practices  
* Providing technical assistance such as pre-application and compliance support and incentives to implement and maintain green stormwater infrastructure  
* Community outreach events, such as restoration plantings or Low Impact Design (LID)/Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) educational seminars and trainings
* Developing long-term plans, agreements, and funding mechanisms for developing and maintaining stormwater infrastructure within local individual catchments; or  
* GSI training and/or certification programs aligned with community affordable housing, workforce development, and environmental justice goals.  

If you are considering an application under one or more of these opportunities, please submit this short Interest in Applying form as soon as possible to help the team connect you with resources to develop a strong application!

Date: RFP to be released May 7th with proposal deadline of July 9thVolunteer Events

Potting Up Plants with the North Olympic Salmon Coalition

Join us as we pot up plants for future riparian restoration projects. We will be stocking up our nursery with trees and shrubs that will eventually become future forests along our local creeks and rivers. Our nursery is located in Chimacum at the Finnriver Farm & Cidery. Gloves and tools will be provided, but if you have your own bring ’em.

Date: April 29th 

Time: 10am-2pm

Place: Finnriver Farm & Cidery, Chimacum

RSVP here!DNR Stewardship Planning for Kelp & Eelgrass Elwha Unit Priority Area Volunteer your time and knowledge at this in-person workshop about how to best leverage and prioritize key implementation actions to protect and conserve kelp and eelgrass habitat in the Elwha Unit. Contact Cynthia Harbison for more information.

Date: June 3rd

Place: Port Angeles

Community/Education Events and TrainingRCO City Nature Challenge 2025City Nature Challenge (CNC) is an annual international event to collaboratively record as many wildlife observations as possible during a four-day challenge. People from all over the world explore nature in their neighborhoods and cities to find and document wildlife. Every year, they record how many observations of nature are gathered, how many different species are documented, and how many people help this global scientific community better understand nature all over the world. With this data we can better protect urban nature globally. This year, three near-by cities are participating, but there’s already information about adding your city for next year on their 

website.

Date: Friday, April 25th to Monday, April 28

Time: 24/7

Place: Olympia, Seattle, Victoria BC – next year in your town/city?!

10th Annual Puget Sound Day on the Hill 2025 Puget Sound Day on the Hill is an annual event organized by the Puget Sound Partnership and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission that supports effective policy and continued federal investment in Puget Sound restoration and salmon recovery efforts. Representatives from tribes, state agencies, local governments, nonprofits, and businesses, along with concerned residents, lend their voices in support of action to restore Puget Sound and uphold tribal treaty rights. Register here!

Date: Week of April 28th

Time: Various

Place: Washington, DC

Birding by Ear with the Jefferson Land TrustHave you ever heard a bird in the forest but couldn’t see it and wondered what it was? Join ornithologist Dr. Jackie Canterbury as she leads tours through Quimper West Preserve in the protected Quimper Wildlife Corridor, and shows how, by training your ear, you can identify birds through their unique songs. There is no cost to attend, but space is limited to 15 people each session, and you must register in advance. 
Date: May 1st
Time: 8:30 – 10amPlace: Register to receive location

Spring Bloom Walk at Kah Tai Prairie PreserveThe Olympic Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society is leading a walk to see/identify spring blooms at Kah Tai Prairie Preserve. The walk will start at the prairie kiosk and include a longer route to visit other emerging prairie sites and Hastings Pond riparian habitat. For more information send email. 
Date: May 4th
Time: 2pmPlace: Kah Tai Prairie Preserve, Port Townsend

May Chumsortium Meeting

Come join the conversation about all things salmon in eastern Jefferson County. This virtual meeting will take place via Zoom.

Date: May 7th

Time: 10:00 to 11:30

Ready, Set, Grant! Getting Your Organization Grant Ready

Join Rural Development Initiatives (RDI) for this 5-session virtual grant-writing and fund preparedness training targeted to small, rural nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest. See the website for session descriptions and registration information.

Date: May 8 through June 5 (one day per week)

Time: 10 am to 12 noon

Place: Virtual 

Cost: $75.00Forest Shomer Presentation: Olympic Peninsula PrairiesThe Kul Kah Han Native Plant Garden is excited to present a bi-monthly speaker series focusing on the importance of planting native plants in your garden. The speaker for this installment is Forest Shomer, owner of Inside Passage Seeds. All talks will be in the Salmon Shelter – some seating available, but feel free to bring a lawn chair! Rain or shine!

Date: May 10thTime: 1 – 2pmPlace: Salmon Shelter, Kul Kah Han Native Plant Demonstration Garden, H.J. Carroll Park , Chimacum

Salish Sea Science Roundtable: Transboundary Threats: European Green Crab in the Salish Sea (via Zoom)

Drs. P. Sean McDonald (University of Washington) and Thomas Therriault (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) bring nearly 50 years of combined expertise in the science and management of invasive European green crab (EGC). Their presentation will delve into the challenges posed by EGC in the transboundary waters of the Salish Sea, highlighting ongoing science into the species’ detrimental effects on native species and habitats, as well as threats to cultured and wild shellfish resources.

Date: May 13th

Time: 10:30

Place: Via Zoom – learn more and register here!News and Information

Puget Sound Legislative Wrap-up: What Was and Was Not Funded in Olympia

The 2025 Session of the Washington State Legislature has adjourned Sine Die on April 27. A robust budget deficit and debates about state spending and revenue dictated the session’s flow and outcomes, especially in the final weeks. Due to concerns about implementation costs, many bills aligned with Puget Sound recovery failed to pass and many more were trimmed back to reduce the associated workload. And the final budget included a series of budget cuts that will slow the work of Puget Sound recovery. At the same time, several new policies and budget items survived the legislative process and will provide benefits to Puget Sound recovery. Read the full review of the budget session as it affects funding for Puget Sound recovery efforts. 

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Poster Released!During the National Marine Sanctuary System’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2022, a commemorative poster series was launched to capture the beauty and diversity of each site in the system.  On April 17, 2025, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries announced the release of the 12th poster featuring iconic species and features of this west coast sanctuary. The poster can be downloaded (and admired)  at Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Poster | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. OOCNMS thanks all of the artists and partners who contributed to this effort!Jobs and Board Openings

Clallam MRC Seeks New Members and Alternates

The Clallam Marine Resources Committee has several openings to fill, including a Community at Large member and a representative for Conservation and Environmental Interests. You can find the full list at the bottom of this page.If you’re interested in any of these roles, please apply via the Clallam County website or contact MRC Coordinator Cathy Lear for more information. 

Call for Applications – Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) Science Panel

PSP’s Leadership Council is seeking applications to join the Science Panel. Call for applications here. For questions, please contact Amber Raney, Boards Program Coordinator at Amber.Raney@psp.wa.gov.

Date: Application materials are due June 20th

Strait Ecosystem Recovery Network

See what’s happening – Strait Eco Events Calendar!

Email: coordinator@straitern.org

Website: www.straitern.org

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Local Environmental Volunteer Opportunities

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Al Bergstein

Trees are blooming or budding out. Frogs are calling to each other. Lots of green is emerging from the ground. Spring is here and, with it, lots of opportunities for volunteering and connecting, both locally and regionally. Amy and I will do our best to wrangle the overflowing inbox into organized information-sharing!

With Earth Day coming up, please send us your Earth Day events information so we can share it out on our calendar and newsletter! We have been updating our calendar, so please remember to check it out in between newsletters and to send us your events to add.

Enjoy the vibrant greens of the season,

Angela of the Strait ERN

____________________________

Local Volunteer Opportunities

North Olympic Salmon Coalition is seeking volunteers. Sign up here.

As part of our Salmon in the Schools program, students have spent the last couple months raising coho salmon from eggs and now will get a chance to release them into a local waterway. They will also participate in several other activities such as macroinvertebrate studies, salmon life cycle games, art, and habitat tours. Volunteers help NOSC staff lead activities, set-up and take-down supplies, and ensure students rotate through activity stations safely. 

Dates: April 15th, 17th, 25th & May 1st, 8th, 9th Tentative timing is from 8:30am-1:30pm

Location: Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe House of Salmon Hatchery on the Elwha River

Dates: April 10th and 22nd Tentative timing is from 10am-2pm

Location: HJ Carrol Park on Chimacum Creek



Earth Day Beach Cleanup – Sun, Apr 19th
The PTMSC annual Earth Day beach cleanup brings volunteers together from far and wide to clean the beaches and roadways in our area. For more information, visit the event listing or contact Mandi Johnson at 360-385-5582 ext115.
Time: 9am-1pm Location: Meet at Fort Worden State Park or Chimacum Corner FarmstandEarth Day:  Make a Direct Impact – Sat, Apr 26thThis Earth Day weekend, dedicate your time to meaningful, hands-on activities that directly benefit the environment at Fort Flagler State Park. Participate in two impactful volunteering opportunities: Invasive Species Pull: Join a community effort to remove invasive plants that threaten our ecosystems. Beach Clean-Up: Take part in a shoreline cleanup to remove trash and plastic debris from our beautiful beaches. Specific locations will be provided via email after registration on Eventbrite.
Time: 10am-2pmLocation: Fort Flagler Historical State Park, 10541 Flagler Road NordlandLocal Events (Educational and Fun)

Olympic BirdFest: April 10-13

Four days of birding education, field trips, and more, centered at the Dungeness River Nature Center. Learn more and register here.

Celebrating Cougars! – Sun, Apr 13th Join Cedar Root School for a family-friendly afternoon celebrating local cougars. Learn about ecology and natural history from biologists, enjoy speed talks on cougars and conservation projects, and enjoy an excerpt from the upcoming film “Heart of a Lion,” which highlights work conducted by the Olympic Cougar Project.

Time: 3pm-8pmLocation: Finnriver Cidery, 124 Center Road, Chimacum, WA 98325
Class: Soil Care and Water-Wise Routines – Thu, Apr 10th or Sun, Apr 20th
What is soil? How can I care for it? How does it affect my plants? This class will explore basic soil science, how healthy soil grows healthy plants, and soil’s connection to water-wise habits. You’ll leave this class with answers to the above questions and a basic plan for how you can care for your own soil throughout the entire year. Registration is required. Send email for more information.
Time: Apr 10th, 4-6pm or Apr 20th, 10am-12pmLocation: The Hedgerow by Cruising Climate, 3059 7th Street, Port Townsend
Ancient Tribal Stewardship, Contemporary Relations to the Land – Thu, Apr 10th 
The Jefferson County Master Gardener Foundation presents this timely topic sponsored by the JCMGF and WSU Master Gardener Program. Loni Greninger, vice chair of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Council, will speak about the relationship between S’Klallam people and the land and how land stewardship has changed over time.  Learn examples of land stewardship tools, traditional foods, tribal values, and how those values inspire contemporary land management practices. It is free and open to the public. For more information, go to the JCMGF website.
Time: 3 – 4pmLocation: WSU Extension classroom, Kivley Center, 97 Oak Bay Road, Port Hadlock
Jefferson WSU Extension Beach Naturalists Training – Apr 15th through May 15th

The Beach Naturalists training provides Jefferson and Clallam County residents with the opportunity to turn environmental knowledge into action! Through this multi-day training, participants will learn about Salish Sea habitats and species, conservation efforts, and ways to get involved in local marine stewardship. This training is taught by regional experts and includes Zoom classroom sessions and in-person guided beach explorations.
This year’s training includes 6 live Zoom classes and 5 optional field trip days, held Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 15 through May 15, 2025. For exact dates, registration, and further information, please visit our Eventbrite page. Contact Katie by email with any questions.
Friends of the East Jefferson Trails Connections Public Meeting – Thur, Apr 10th Linda Berry-Maraist, President of the North Kitsap Trails Connection (NKTA), will describe the land acquisitions now amounting to 5,000 acres, including the Sound to Olympics (STO) Trail route. This is an opportunity to get better acquainted with our neighbors as we coordinate efforts to build the trail connecting the STO with the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) between Hood Canal and Discovery Bay.
Time: 9 amLocation: Finnriver Farm and Cidery, 124 Center Road, ChimacumAround the Sound

PSP Action Plan Update: You’ve been seeing and will see lots of invitations to workshops for various parts of the PSP’s Action Plans. We’re in the middle of reviewing and updating Action Plans for 2026-2030. You can see the timeline and learn more about the overall process here. I try to share upcoming workshop info (see below, for example), but please let me know if you want information about additional opportunities for comments, review, etc, and I will create a separate email list that goes out more frequently.

PSP Science Panel Meeting: The agenda and meeting materials for the April 10 Science Panel meeting are now available. This meeting will be held in-person at the Center for Urban Waters, Commencement Bay Room, 326 E D St., Tacoma, WA 98421. The meeting will also be livestreamed (view only) through TVW. The link can be found on the agenda. You can also use the TVW link to view a recording of the meeting later.

Webinar: Planners’ Briefing For Puget Sound Parcel-Scale Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment

Learn more and register here: https://www.coastalplanners.org/upcoming-webinars

Time: Friday, April 18, 2025, 10-11am New Marine Vegetation Strategy Workshops, Virtual, April 23-24The Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL) is developing the Marine Vegetation Implementation Strategy. The Implementation Strategy will build off a foundation established through two regional plans, the Puget Sound Eelgrass Recovery Strategy and the Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Restoration Plan and coalesce the priorities and needs from both plans into a comprehensive strategy. The Marine Vegetation Implementation Strategy will describe priority strategies and approaches to protect and recover marine vegetation in Puget Sound. The Strategy will also help guide Puget Sound investments and align recovery opportunities across agencies and programs. 

Learn more and register here.

Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Hub: The Puget Sound Partnership is launching a new Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Hub, an innovative, interactive online platform designed to centralize and share vital information about Chinook salmon recovery efforts in the Puget Sound Region.Other News and Events

Local Prairies, North Olympic Land Trust: Learn about the North Olympic Land Trust’s work with native prairies in this short video.Recording: The Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL) Subrecipient Summit brings together HSIL-funded project leads, HSIL staff, Habitat Strategic Initiative Advisory Team, and partners to enhance connections across the diverse and critical work to implement the Habitat Implementation Strategies. Summit recording includes welcome remarks from WDFW and DNR leadership, 3 deep dive presentations and 22 4 minute lightning talks from HSIL grant recipients. Summit recording
The Quileute Tribe is hiring a Fish Passage Biologist. See job description for more information about the position and how to apply.Coastal Hazards Resilience Network Annual Meeting, June 9, Lacey, WA

Join coastal decision-makers, planners, resource managers, researchers, and other practitioners for a day of knowledge sharing and partnership-building around the exciting and important work that is currently happening in Washington’s coastal resilience space. This event is targeted towards coastal hazards and climate resiliency practitioners from local, state, and federal government agencies, tribes, academic institutions, consulting firms, and nonprofit organizations, and other relevant organizations.
Learn more and register at: CHRN Meeting Registration

Strait Ecosystem Recovery Network

See what’s happening – Strait Eco Events Calendar!

Email: coordinator@straitern.org

Website: www.straitern.org

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Ralph Munro walks on

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Al Bergstein

The master of bi-partisan politics and perhaps the greatest politician this state ever had the honor to call one of its own, Ralph Munro, passed yesterday at the age of 81.

I had the good fortune to interview Ralph and spend a few hours with him a decade ago. He was a gentle, always upbeat and positive person. But his accomplishments are one of the greatest list of public service achievements we have ever seen.

Ralph was Secretary of State for five terms. During that time, he instituted vote by mail and voter registration (Motor Voter) when getting a drivers license or renewal.

But Ralph was also the person that Governor Dan Evans called on to go down to California and see about the Vietnamese refugees after Democratic governor Jerry Brown did not want them relocated there. Munro helped to bring them here to resettle in Washington State.

He was a champion of developmentally disabled children and helped get the first law in the country passed to support their needs, called the “Education for All” act. He befriended a 7 year old with developmental disabilities, eventually becoming his legal guardian.

He was a champion of environmental causes. He personally was responsible for ending the Orca hunt and capture in Puget Sound.

He was well respected by Puget Sound tribes. He allowed the tribes to do archeological digs on his property and was honored by them.

And on a personal note, he was the only Republican that I have ever voted for.

My sincere condolences to his family and friends. We will miss him. I doubt, given the current political system that we will ever see anyone like him again in Washington politics.

https://www.kuow.org/stories/remembering-ralph-munro-5-term-washington-secretary-of-state-and-statesman

Filed under: Environmental Activism, Environmental Protection, Government, Politics | 1 Comment »

Governor Ferguson throws environmentalists under the bus

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Al Bergstein

Governor Ferguson has had his first major controversy, over a relatively little known agency called the Fish and Wildlife Commission. While this commission is small and not well known, it is crucial in setting the direction for the department of Fish and Wildlife. As their web site states: The Commission establishes policies to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife, and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities compatible with healthy and diverse fish and wildlife populations. The Commission consists of nine governor-appointed members that serve six-year terms, hold meetings and hearings around the state and offer opportunities for the public to weigh in on fish and wildlife issues.

What just happened? The issue revolves around a surprising decision by Governor Ferguson to remove Dr. Timothy Ragen from the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission without justification after he was reappointed by outgoing Governor Inslee. Dr. Ragen is respected around the world for his expertise in marine mammals and marine science and served as the former Executive Director of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission. Most recently, he has been serving as a pivotal expert on Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission that oversees decision making on numerous statewide fish and wildlife policies, including Washington’s approach to killer whale recovery. Despite his expertise and strong backing from the public, no public explanation has been provided for his removal. 

The question this raises of course is who wanted Dr. Ragen off the commission and why? Perhaps we need to look no further than Dr. Ragens’ support for science that calls into question the benefit of hatchery salmon and how they impact native species. Or perhaps even just “follow the money”. This issue has been at the forefront of the debate over hatcheries for over a decade. This blog has reported on it for many years. Simply search on “hatchery salmon” and look through the search results.

In a letter from the Wild Fish Conversancy to the Governor, they stated: “To date, there has been no public rationale provided for why Tim Ragen was removed from the Commission. Given the strong support for his nomination, we believe it is important for the Governor’s office to offer clarity on this decision and the requests for Tim’s reappointment. A public response would help ensure transparency and provide those who signed the letter with a clear understanding of how decisions are being made.“

The two groups who could want his removal are the sports fishermen and the Tribes. Both have fought to have the state ignore the mounting science that shows that hatchery salmon are detrimental to the native stocks.

In defense of Dr. Ragen, an open letter, signed by 74 noted scientists, addressed to Governor Ferguson, stated the following:


So in one of his first acts, Governor Ferguson has chosen to side with anti-science forces rather than support wild salmon recovery based on science.

We’ll see if the letter changes anything. As the song goes, “Same as it ever was.”

Filed under: Environmental Activism, Environmental Law, Government | 2 Comments »

ExxonMobile Lobbyist Caught Hacking Climate Activists

Posted on February 15, 2025 by Al Bergstein

As reported in Bruce Schneier’s Crypto-gram

[2025.01.29] The Department of Justice is investigating a lobbying firm representing ExxonMobil for hacking the phones of climate activists:

The hacking was allegedly commissioned by a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm, according to a lawyer representing the U.S. government. The firm, in turn, was allegedly working on behalf of one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, based in Texas, that wanted to discredit groups and individuals involved in climate litigation, according to the lawyer for the U.S. government. In court documents, the Justice Department does not name either company.

As part of its probe, the U.S. is trying to extradite an Israeli private investigator named Amit Forlit from the United Kingdom for allegedly orchestrating the hacking campaign. A lawyer for Forlit claimed in a court filing that the hacking operation her client is accused of leading “is alleged to have been commissioned by DCI Group, a lobbying firm representing ExxonMobil, one of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies.”

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Political Suppression of Science: Lessons from Canada – Hakai Magazine

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Al Bergstein

Eight years ago I published this piece. Now unfortunately, I’m republishing it for the exact same reasons. Did Trump’s administration destroy data? Yes. That article will come next.

Not sure how bad it could get for science under Trump? You only have to look north of the border. For 10 years Canadians scientists were literally combing dumpsters to save their priceless history of climate science in Canada. No kidding. I was reporting on this as it happened back then here in this blog. This is well worth reading. From Hakai. Erica Gies reports.

During the 10-year term of Canadian Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, some government scientists were unable to publish their research or talk to the public without minders; research was defunded or blocked; and invaluable data archives dating back a century were destroyed in acts dubbed “libricide.” Reports were literally tossed into dumpsters.

https://hakaimagazine.com/news/political-suppression-science-lessons-canada/

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