Fishing for Chinook Salmon at sunrise on the mouth of the Columbia River, August 23rd, 2012

More coal burning means more mercury pollution, more acidification, more climate change, and more habitat loss.

With plummeting domestic coal consumption leaving coal companies desperate to find new pathways to new markets, the last investors in the dirtiest fossil fuel have now targeted the Pacific Northwest to be the nation’s largest gateway for coal exports.

Just two weeks ago Bob Rees, President of the Northwest Guides and Anglers Association, traveled from his home on Tillamook Bay to Oregon’s capitol to tell Governor Kitzhaber to take action and prevent the waterways of the Pacific Northwest from becoming a new pipeline for coal pollution.

Watch the video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Now in their remarkable joint letter of appeal to the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee have called for the “strongest possible terms” of review of air quality and habitat impacts at risk from proposed coal exports.

“We believe the decisions to continue and expand coal leasing from federal lands and authorize the export of that coal are likely to lead to long-term investments in coal generation in Asia, with air quality and climate impacts in the United States that dwarf those of almost any other action the federal government could take in the foreseeable future.”

-Gov. Kitzhaber and Gov. Inslee

Read the full text of their letter here.

What About the States?

Federal regulators aren’t the only decision makers involved, however.

State agencies in Washington and Oregon both have their own coal export project permit processes, and so far neither Gov. Kitzhaber nor Gov. Inslee have instructed their staff to block the proposed developments, though there’s been no rush to permit them, either.

Just this month Oregon’s Department of State Lands negotiated yet another multi-month delay for the Port of Morrow coal export proposal so that developers could have more time to respond to the additional questions recently raised.

What happens next?

If federal agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers decide to take a thorough look at the issues raised by Gov. Kitzhaber and Gov. Inslee, and if concerned National Wildlife Federation supporters continue to keep up the pressure, we’re hopeful we can keep the northwest coal-export-free.

But there’s no guarantee of that yet.

Keep up the fight to protect Northwest fish and wildlife from dangerous coal export proposals.

Michael O’Leary of Portland, Oregon is an Outreach Consultant for National Wildlife Federation working on coal export and renewable energy issues in the Pacific Northwest, where he’s been a political organizer for over 15 years. Michael is a certified cycling instructor and a certifiable bike enthusiast, and can often be found on two wheels, rain or shine.

The decision came after Ambre Energy initially refused to provide key information requested by Oregon’s Department of State Lands (DSL), including the project’s impacts to fish and wildlife. Knowing that DSL would likely deny the permit without this information, Ambre was forced to ask for an extension—pushing back the final decision on the permit by five months.

Dangers to Local Fish and Wildlife

Orcas like this one are at risk from toxic coal pollution. Source: Minette Layne/WikiMedia Commons

In addition to the impacts from toxic pollution to endangered orcas and other imperiled Northwest species, once the coal is exported overseas and burned, it would drive climate change, ocean acidification, mercury deposition, and other crises that affect species like salmon and steelhead, upon which orcas depend.

If approved, the Morrow Pacific project would be the first of five proposed coal export facilities in Oregon and Washington to get a green light. If all of them are built, over 150 million tons or more of coal would be moved by rail, barge, and tanker every year through those states—making it one of the world’s largest coal export regions.

Coal Exports Meet Rising Opposition

Public Opposition to Coal Exports, Seattle. NWF Photo by Michael O’Leary.

Tens of thousands of public comments, packed public hearings, and letters to the editor in local newspapers have turned up the pressure on decision makers by exposing the dangers of coal to the environment and communities. The Morrow Pacific delay is the second since the permit was filed just over a year ago, and just last week, two of the three investors of another proposed coal export terminal at Coos Bay, Oregon announced they are backing out.

Take Action for Northwest Wildlife!

Governor Kitzhaber and his Department of State Lands now have until September 1^st to approve or deny the Morrow Pacific permit. While the governor has recently called on federal officials to do a sweeping review of proposed ports, he’s also coming under heavy pressure from the coal industry. Before a final decision is made, it’s critical that Governor Kitzhaber knows his constituents support him in standing strong against coal export from Oregon’s shores.

There are countless reasons why we must stop coal exports: to sustain the diverse habitats and wildlife of our region, to keep our waters and air clean, to fight climate change—just to name a few.

TAKE ACTION! In the comment box below, tell us why stopping Northwest coal export projects matters to YOU, and we’ll share your messages with the Governor!

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber is pushing for a new approach to restoring salmon to Northwestern rivers and streams. Photo by U.S. FWS.

Please add your support today with a message to decision-makers. Tell the Administration to Act Now to Save Columbia-Snake River Salmon!

With thirteen salmon and steelhead populations—and thousands of salmon-related jobs—at risk, twenty years of litigation over failed federal salmon plans, and more than $10 billion spent, the governor is proposing a different path forward. He is advocating a stakeholder-driven process to develop a plan that restores salmon and steelhead, creates jobs, invests in regional communities, and reduces the persistent uncertainty facing many businesses in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

A Stakeholder-Driven Process Might be Salmon’s Best Hope

Governor Kitzhaber thinks that the establishment of an inclusive stakeholder process may be the best way to craft a comprehensive, long-term salmon plan that works for both salmon and people. And he is asking other elected leaders in the Northwest and in Washington, D.C., to join him in making it a reality.

The governor published an op-ed on Sept 22nd in which he said, “By gathering the parties around a table, and working in good faith to reach common ground on a fisheries plan that is supported by sound science, we can come to the 2014 [court-ordered] deadline with a historic agreement that ends the 20-year chapter of salmon wars in the Columbia basin, an agreement that protects fish while maintaining our supply of clean and affordable energy.

While Governor Kitzhaber’s recent push is highly visible, he is not alone in seeking a new path forward. Tens of thousands of citizens, more than a thousand businesses, and scores of state and federal lawmakers have expressed similar support for a new approach that brings together the affected interests in the region to work together on an effective, science-based plan that restores Columbia Basin salmon and invests in Northwest communities and the economy.

Learn more about this “solutions table” for Columbia-Snake salmon.

Restoration Plans Mired in the Political Muck

For many years, efforts to restore salmon to this important watershed have proven both elusive and contentious. National Wildlife Federation initiated litigation in the early 1990s, following the listing of Snake River sockeye salmon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Since then, twelve additional stocks of salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin have been listed as threatened or endangered, and four of five federal plans developed by the federal government have been rejected as inadequate by the courts, most recently in 2011.

Commercial, sport, and tribal fishing communities and outdoor retail companies have been hit particularly hard by constrained fisheries and limited recreational opportunities and the loss of jobs and income caused by salmon population declines. Recovering salmon and steelhead to healthy, harvestable populations will restore thousands of jobs in the region’s salmon economy that have been lost in the last several decades. The development of an effective, science-based plan that has the support of the region’s leaders and stakeholders will increase certainty and help Northwest businesses and communities plan successfully for the future.

The question of whether to remove the lower Snake River dams in order to protect an irreplaceable Northwest icon has long been at the center of the debate on restoring salmon. Hundreds of fisheries biologists, including the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society (AFS), and dozens of studies have concluded that the removal of the lower Snake River dams in eastern Washington must be part of any effective Columbia Basin restoration plan. Today, all remaining stocks in the Snake River—sockeye, steelhead, fall Chinook, and spring-summer Chinook—are listed under the ESA.

The Impacts of Climate Change also Hamper Recovery

Steadily rising water temperatures in the Columbia and Snake Rivers as a result of a warming climate and dam-restricted flow are increasing the scrutiny of these dams. Water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia exceeded 70 degrees for much of this summer—frequently violating Clean Water Act standards and harming salmon and steelhead migrating to and from the ocean.

A free-flowing lower Snake River would significantly lower water temperatures in both the Snake and Columbia rivers, and reconnect Snake River fish to pristine habitat in the mountains of central Idaho, in places like the Salmon River and Redfish Lake. Many of these high elevation refuges—though largely inaccessible for salmon today—are being called the Noah’s Ark for salmon in a world of climate change. Many of these areas remain cold and snowy for much of the year, and thus provide salmon the cold, clear water that they depend upon.

Restoring wild salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake Rivers remains an essential job and shared goal for the people of the Northwest and the nation. These fish represent critical threads in the Northwest’s economic, ecological, and cultural fabric: feeding ecosystems and people, sustaining jobs and ways of life.

With so much at stake, salmon and fishing advocates enthusiastically welcome Governor Kitzhaber’s call for a new approach, for a coming together of both allies and adversaries, to begin repairing what is broken in the Columbia Basin, in a manner that works for both salmon and people.

You can add your voice by taking action today: Tell the Administration to Act Now to Save Columbia-Snake River Salmon!

National Wildlife Federation’s Oregon affiliate, the Association of Northwest Steelheaders (ANWS), is preparing to launch an exciting and innovative program that aims to help returning war veterans develop new skills and ways of responding to stress while learning to preserve wildlife and the natural habitats that support them.

River Ambassadors

The River Ambassador Program is designed with two goals in mind: to teach the value of preserving wildlife and natural habitats and to assist veterans in developing new skill sets that allow them to better respond to the stress and challenges that inevitably accompanies the return to civilian life.

The program’s initial three-day course, scheduled for September 13-16 near Madras, Oregon, is the brainchild of ANWS’s Executive Director Russell Bassett. A recent Iraq veteran himself, Bassett can speak personally to the great therapeutic healing properties found in the sport of angling and in experiencing the great outdoors. “Angling helps develop coping skills that help alleviate stress and helps find inner peace and a sense of serenity,” said Bassett. “Although the course speaks of life found in rivers and streams through the eyes of the angler, the connection is intentionally to get the participants to integrate successfully back into civilian life and to be life-long stewards of the environment. Respect for nature and its inhabitants are our core focus. The program will foster respect for our differences yet simultaneously celebrate what we have in common as war veterans, a high regard for natural habitats, the sport of fishing and our human bond.”

Participants in the program will have the opportunity to learn the skills of river and nautical reading, and will learn about salmonid life history and conservation, entomology, and different fishing techniques, including fly fishing for trout and steelhead and gear fishing for salmon and steelhead. A guided drift-fishing trip completes the program on the last day. Each participant will receive a full set of fishing gear (rod, reel, lines, flies, lures) for their use during the program and to keep and continue their process on the river wherever life takes them.

Free to Qualified Members of the Military

ANWS’s River Ambassador Program is offered free of charge to qualified members of the military who have recently returned from deployment. With the success of September’s pilot program, plans call for expanding to at least two programs a year in coming years. But that depends on securing adequate program funding and support. Donations of funds or of guiding, rods or equipment to support this terrific program can be made by contacting ANWS via www.nwsteelheaders.org, office@anws.org, or 503-653-4176.

Learn more about the River Ambassador Program here: www.nwsteelheaders.org/conservation/river-ambassador-program

Upper Latourell Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. Photo by Cliff LaPlant.

Happy Nature Photography Day!

It’s a day to explore the outdoors with a camera lens and celebrate how nature photography inspires us to protect wildlife and wild places. Grab your camera and head outside today and this weekend to snap your own nature photos!

Here’s some ways you can celebrate with us:

• Enter the National Wildlife Photo Contest or vote for your favorite entries

• Get started with our Nature Photography Tips Center

• Subscribe to Wildlife Promise’s Photo of the Day series

This Photo of the Day was donated by a participant in the annual National Wildlife Photo Contest. See more photos or sign up for the 42nd Annual National Wildlife Photo Contest.

On a hike to the top of Mt. Howard at Wallowa Lake in Oregon, Carla Hurlbert and her nephew spotted this chipmunk who appeared to be admiring the view while nibbling on some seeds. Photo by Carla Hurlbert.

Vote For Your Favorite

Check out more wildlife photos like this and vote for your favorites in the National Wildlife Photo Contest! Each week, four top vote-getters move onto the People’s Choice final round.
 

This Photo of the Day was donated by a participant in the annual National Wildlife Photo Contest. See more photos or sign up for the 42nd Annual National Wildlife Photo Contest.

Salmon Salmon!

Occasionally lost in the limelight of nude bicyclists, triple IPA’s and feminist bookstores is our amazing Chinook Salmon fishing.

How many places on our planet exist where on your lunch break you can cruise the river that bisects your downtown metropolis, go catch a salmon, and be back to work before your boss notices? Not too many.

This salmon fishery defines our state and is why the conservation work that the National Wildlife Federation is doing throughout the Pacific Northwest is so important.

Check out the video for proof that salmon fishermen are a little wacky and why many salmon fishermen will fight like hell against threats to the fishery.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Say “No” to Big Coal

Right now, Big Coal is attempting to transform Oregon’s majestic Columbia River from the heart of  our renewable energy corridor and salmon fishing paradise into the nation’s hub for exporting dirty coal to China.

If the big coal companies get their way, up to 38 million tons of coal per year could soon be shipped through Oregon on uncovered trains and exported through the Port of St. Helens- directly adjacent to one of the hottest salmon fishing spots on the river come late summertime. 

This is not the Oregon I know. No room for coal, lets keep it Bikes, Brews, Books, Salmon and more Salmon!

Live in Oregon? Speak up to stop coal export terminals today.

National Wildlife Federation’s Storytelling Video Diary Series shares the candid tales of 10 NWF staffers from around the country; armed with their cameras in California, Wisconsin, the Pacific Northwest, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC, these nine staffers will share with you their individual trials, epiphanies and stories as they unfold in their daily adventures.

While walking along the Oregon coast at sunset, Andrew Lee noticed the sea stars draped over the rocks and braved the tide to capture the scene.

Explore the Pacific Northwest

Travel with NWF to see the gorgeous landscapes and wildlife of Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and the Columbia River Gorge from August 5 – 10, 2012. Learn more and book your seat today >>
 

This Photo of the Day was donated by a participant in the annual National Wildlife Photo Contest. See more photos or sign up for the 42nd Annual National Wildlife Photo Contest.

Train tracks already run along the Columbia. Tracks like these would carry the coal laden trains along the river. Photo: Bryn Fluharty

Having lived in both Washington and Oregon I have many fond memories of the Columbia River. As a child I spent many a vacation paddling along its banks with my brother and scrambling along high cliffs which the river has carved out over a millennia. Recently, I have marveled at its beauty while crossing into Oregon and hiking and climbing through the scrub-land at its banks. I now fear that a new threat from the coal industry will compromise this area and spoil it for future generations.

A Growing Threat

This new threat comes from Arch Coal and Peabody Energy, who want to ship millions of tons of dirty coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and bring it to terminals in Washington and Oregon. Open bed trains full of coal and up to a mile-and-a-half long would wind their way along the Columbia each day on their way to ports along the Oregon and Washington Coast. These trains would leave trails of coal dust in their wake. This dust would settle over our lands and into our lungs causing health problems for local communities and the environment.

Port of Morrow

A serine evening on the Columbia in the Tri Cities, just upstream from the Port of Morrow. Photo: Bryn Fluharty

The coal dust and diesel pollution from the trains are the main concerns. Coal dust from the trains settles on the water, soil and vegetation, harming species like endangered salmon. The salmon runs that are dependent upon the Columbia River are already endangered by habitat loss and would be further stressed from this pollution. Coal dust can have significant impacts on human health as well: lung damage, aggravation of existing respiratory diseases such as asthma, pneumoconiosis, bronchitis and emphysema are all possible results of breathing coal dust.

The Port of Morrow is only the first of the at least six proposed projects, all of which would have similar impacts to our region. If implemented these projects would scar this area, compromising the water and the air of an area that is part of our regional heritage.

Moving Forward

We must take a stand against coal and tell our decision makers that they must stop these projects and promote a healthy environment and healthy communities. If you live in Oregon please contact Governor Kitzhaber and tell him that you do not want dirty coal brought through your communities or you can Take Action through the National Wildlife Federation. You can also learn more about these projects and their possible impacts by attending the rally in Portland – May 7th, 12pm in Pioneer Square, featuring Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

An Orca breaches near Washington State's San Juan Islands (photo: TheGirlsNY/flickr.com)

The United States currently exports about 74 million tons annually, but producers like Arch Coal and Peabody Energy (two of the biggest polluters on the planet) are targeting new and expanded port facilities in the region, which would allow them to double or even triple that amount.

Coal: A dirty business

As you probably know, coal is one of the dirtiest sources of energy on the planet: it has a huge carbon footprint, contains mercury and other toxic materials, and mining is incredibly destructive to wildlife habitat. It certainly doesn’t fit with the clean, green values of many people in the Pacific Northwest; in fact, Washington state recently negotiated a deal to close down its last remaining coal-fired power plant by 2025.

So, understandably, the port expansion proposals have alarmed locals and caused a heated debate on the merits of the projects. Proponents say that it would bring jobs to the area. Opponents point out that coal export terminals employ relatively few people and are major sources of local air and water pollution.

To make matters worse, rail traffic would increase dramatically: if the ports at Cherry Point and Longview are built, local communities would be forced to deal with 40 extra mile-long coal trains rattling through every day, trailing coal dust and snarling traffic — and damaging fisheries, cropland, and other valuable natural resources.

Coal trains like this one contribute to air and water pollution as they pass through habitat (Photo: Paulv2c/flickr.com)

Stand strong with us against increased coal exports

This is a big deal, and it’s happening now. National Wildlife Federation has partnered with several dozen local and national groups opposed to the coal terminals, in a coalition called Power Past Coal. Together, we aim to protect public health, wildlife, and a clean energy future for the Pacific Northwest. But we need your help! Click on the link below to keep Orcas and other wildlife safe from the threat of coal pollution.

Make sure your voice is heard! Sign the petition to stop construction of new coal terminals on the Pacific coast.

For more information on coal exports, visit NWF.org or PowerPastCoal.org.