by Marianne Lincoln Today at the Sustainability Expo in Tacoma, I worked at the table for the Clover Creek Restoration Alliance. We were next to the booth for the Nisqually Land Trust. Everyone walking by knew of the Nisqually River, yet they looked puzzled at our banner for Clover Creek. So, I asked everyone who […]
Looking for a peaceful, educational Sunday stroll? by Tom Galdabini Spring was vibrant at Morse Wildlife Preserve as we kicked off another Forterra Nature Discovery™ event — “Spring Birding.” There were signs of beaver, deer and, in the middle of our exploring and not very far away, a chorus of coyotes howling to each […]
As far as new environmental legislation goes, the Washington State Legislature’s session this year ended with excitement as troubled ideas like killing ghost shrimp breezed through committees in the last weeks and made it to the Governor’s desk. Futurewise activists did a remarkable job of getting Transit Oriented Development passed. And, while the Rent Stabilization […]
SHB 1309 An association of environmental coalitions in Puget Sound, Hood Canal and Port Angeles worked together to stop SHB 1309. The bill directs over $200,000 of scarce general fund dollars and a budget proviso of $2,000,000 to fund this effort. The bill argues that private business is due these funds since the Department of […]
Review of Thurston County Court permit for the Tiny Home Village? On March 28, the Thurston County Superior Court convened on Zoom with over 60 people attending. Others in the courtroom were not visible on camera. Prior to the meeting, the judge had read the legal briefs about the appeal of the Conditional Use Permit […]
By Kirk Kirkland and Al Schmauder Will Pierce County be able to meet future demand for clean drinking water required by increasing population and development in the Chambers-Clover watershed? Water managers conclude there will be adequate water to supply homes and other uses until about 2040. Lakewood Water District (LWD) committed to sell up to […]
by Claudia Finseth It’s March 25, 2025. Those of us fighting against the destruction of the Spanaway Marsh have been at it for over two years now and spent over $140,000 dollars. Let’s take stock. In December of 2024, the Tacoma Rescue Mission brought in massive equipment, and on the high point in the midst […]
by Claudia Finseth HAPPINESS, FOR ONE THING Last week the annual list of the happiest countries in the world came out. For the eighth time in a row that designation went to Finland. The United States of America came in way down the line. We are not, generally, a happy people. One of the main […]
Good news from Congress this week where Republican leaders are standing up to president Trump. Here is hope that essential programs from the Biden presidency to reduce the impacts of global warming will survive. It is good to hear that there are republicans leaders who are willing to speak truth to power on such a […]
The last few weeks of legislative session have been action-packed, full of votes, committee hearings, and floor action. It was a big time effort to make sure rent stabilization and transit-oriented development stayed alive. Things will pick back up the first week in April as we near the next cutoff deadline April 2nd. This is […]
by Kirk Kirkland, John Garner and Claudia Finseth Ghost shrimp are native to the Pacific Coast of North America. They lay their eggs in estuaries, and the newly hatched offspring then leave the estuaries to live and grow in the ocean. When the sfuly shrimp return to the estuaries to lay their eggs in […]
by Brett Johnson As the 2024 General Election recedes in the rearview mirror, a new year is now well underway. It’s a time to reflect on events of the past year, but also look toward the future. In other posts, the Coalition has detailed some of our legislative priorities in Olympia that we hope will […]
by Kirk Kirkland In both the city of Tacoma and Pierce County, planning departments use a Determination of Nonsignificance to avoid enforcing environmental rules and Growth Management policies. Neighborhoods then must use the court system at great costs. Both Tacoma and the county neighbors had the support of their local Land Use Advisory Commission (LUAC) […]
Friends of Burley Lagoon (FOBL) and Coalition to Protect Puget Sound Habitat (Coalition) have appealed a Conditional Use Permit that would allow the largest geoduck aquaculture installation in the county. A federal judge in Seattle in 2019 revoked 900 permits and asked that all new permits have a Cumulative Impact Analysis. The appeal asks the […]
Committees, deadlines, votes, oh my! Well folks, we’ve made it past the first major milestone of the legislative session– what’s called ‘policy cutoff’ –where all bills must first pass out of a policy committee before getting a chance to be heard by the full House or Senate. Legislators have been pruning bills left and right, […]
by Kirk Kirkland It’s complicated: Backhoes dredging in creeks without permits; 900 trees were clearcut; Understory vegetation bulldozed; Exposed soil left to run off into Spanaway Lake; Violation Notice from WDFW ignored; Fill and Grade Permit handed out after-the-fact without a fine. Then a few weeks later, fish in Spanaway Lake started to die. These […]
by Kirk Kirkland The most interesting testimony at the recent appeal of the Pierce County Fill and Grade Permit for the Spanaway Marsh was about the bald eagles’ nest there. Eagles have a lifespan of up to 70 years and mate for life. These two have nested in the Spanaway Marsh for at least 23 […]
Just a glance at the front page of many newspapers and it is depressing to read more than a headline. It is clear that Trump does not have a plan for reform. Like his last term he is only capable of destroying agencies like the National Park by reducing their funding. Congressman Adam Smith is […]
by Kirk Kirkland In Pierce County and at the state legislature we are passing significant legislation that is going to make our county and the state a better place to live. Avoid the negative news about the U.S. Congress. Tune into the state legislature to witness the state House of Representatives and county governments pass […]
Just a glance at the front page of many newspapers and it is depressing to read more than a headline. It is clear that Trump does not have a plan for reform. Like his last term he is only capable of destroying agencies like the National Park by reducing their funding. Congressman Adam Smith is […]
