April 2024 Newsletter

April 14, 2024

North Olympic Sierra Club March Newsletter

April Newsletter Hear About the Washington Sierra Club's Proposed Extreme Sea Level Program Thursday April 18, 7PM on Zoom   Washington's Sierra Club is considering forming a new program that would deal with sea level rise and the risks posed by flooding to coastal communities and the environment. The program's goals will be to raise public awareness, provide links to both science and legislative planning resources, develop a strategy to work with local and state governments, and encourage the adoption of adaptation options that emphasize natural strategies and habitat preservation. Attend our April meeting to learn more and to volunteer. RSVP for the Zoom link.   RSVP Here   Residents Concerned About Seismic Risks from Dungeness Off-Channel Reservoir   The Clallam County Public Works Department has, with local stake-holders, been planning to build an off-channel reservoir next to the Dungeness River for over 10 years. This “… reservoir will store water during winter and spring when flows are plentiful, saving this water for later in the year when river flow is low.” The reservoir was originally conceived as an 82-acre body and holds 1,600 acre-feet of water when full. Conceptual drawings made the reservoir look like a lake with a small retaining berm. The most current design has a much smaller footprint, but the same capacity, thus the height of the earthen berm is considerably higher and presents unacceptable earthquake risks.  Find out more here:   Off-Channel Reservoir Fact Sheet King County Superior Court Tells DNR to Disclose and Mitigate Climate Impacts of Logging Mature Forests.     For the second time in two years a Washington Superior Court has ruled that the Department of Natural Resources, under Hilary Franz’s leadership, is violating the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) by deforesting the last remnants of mature natural forest cover on its lands and failing to disclose or mitigate the harmful climate impacts of doing so. Despite losing on this issue in Jefferson County in 2022, DNR refused to make any substantive changes to its logging program or environmental analysis procedures under SEPA. Protect Washington's Climate Act   As you may know, Initiative 2117, which would prohibit carbon tax credit trading and repeal the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), will be on the ballot in November. Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, are working to defeat this initiative ginned up by a wealthy person who thinks he can subvert the democratic will of the people. Find out more about the substantial benefits of Washington's Climate Commitment Act here:   Climate Commitment Act Restoring Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades Recently, the National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service released the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which included a preferred alternative for restoring Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades. Although the Record of Decision has yet to be signed, all indications suggest that grizzly bear restoration will indeed happen. This achievement is the culmination of a decade-long effort by the Club and numerous other organizations. While there is still more work ahead to urge the agencies to finalize their decision, select the preferred alternative, and engage in activities aimed at reducing human-bear conflicts, it's truly exceptional to witness such a significant victory for wildlife. North Olympic Sierra Club Sends Letter in Support of Preserving Elwha DNR Lands The City of Port Angeles submitted an application under DNR’s Trust Land Transfer Program to transfer 3,089 acres of state forest lands in the Elwha River Watershed away from WA Department of Natural Resources industrial forest management and into protected status for drinking water protection, habitat restoration and climate resilience. Last month, the North Olympic Group sent a letter to DNR supporting the City. The Elwha River is the site of a historic dam removal and river restoration, with the federal government spending over $327 million to remove the Glines Canyon and Elwha dams and regenerate the river’s surrounding ecosystem. Despite that, the DNR continues industrial logging in this beloved river valley — in some instances less than 1,000 feet from the river itself. The Preserve Miller Peninsula State Park Coalition needs volunteers at local farmers' markets this spring and summer.  Contact them here:   Preserve MPSP Coalition Comments, Feedback? Let us know here:   Contact Us The North Olympic Group's website is updated to reflect current environmental issues and events. Members are encouraged to periodically check it out.     North Olympic Group Website