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.

Plover nests usually contains three tiny eggs, which are camouflaged to look like sand and are extremely difficult to see. Photo: USFWS Pacific Southwest Region.

Historically, western snowy plovers were widely distributed along the Pacific coast, but in recent years their populations have steeply declined and they are now listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and endangered by Washington State. Climate change is placing these and other beach-nesting birds in further jeopardy, as rising sea levels threaten to inundate their habitat.

Today, Washington’s only population of western snowy plovers nest along a 60-mile stretch of ocean beach in the Seashore Conservation Area, extending from the mouth of the Columbia River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Indian Reservation—an area managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.  But severe budget shortfalls are making it increasingly difficult for State Parks to continue their important work—placing plovers and many more wildlife in peril.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Lisa Lantz, Stewardship Program Manager at the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, who has worked with western snowy plovers for more than 11 years:

What do you see as the biggest threats to the survival and recovery of western snowy plovers?

Habitat loss is the biggest threat. When you visit our beaches, you see a series of dunes, but those did not historically form here. In the early 20^th century, the Natural Resources Conservation Service introduced non-native invasive plants, including European beachgrass, to bind the sand and form the dunes. This caused loss of habitat for snowy plovers, which need unvegetated, open sand above high tide for nesting.

Human activities such as jogging, running pets, and kite flying can frighten plovers and destroy nests, which are very difficult to see. These disturbances, along with garbage left on the beaches which attracts nest predators such as crows and ravens, are key factors in the ongoing decline in breeding sites and populations.

What are the conservation efforts that State Parks is working on to protect western snowy plovers?

For the last decade, State Parks has worked cooperatively with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to recover and protect western snowy plovers. We have been posting signs and putting up fencing in nesting areas, which are effective in discouraging people from disturbing important habitat for plovers.

We’ve also recently begun restoration work that includes removing invasive dune grasses that encroach upon the open sandy areas plovers need for nesting.

How have budget cuts already impacted State Parks’ work and what impacts would further cuts have?

Some of our Beach Ranger positions have already been eliminated and we expect to see additional staff reductions and potentially closure of some parks unless we receive funding to support our core operations. Beach Rangers are critical to restoring and protecting plover nests, educating the public, and organizing volunteer efforts. Without additional support, we cannot maintain our parks, which will have a cascading effect on our natural resources and wildlife throughout the state.

The work to protect and recover western snowy plovers is just one example of many important services that State Parks provides all across the state. But without adequate funding for the agency to continue their work, these unique habitats and species are at risk of disappearing forever.

Live in Washington? Help protect western snowy plovers by urging your state legislators to support critical funding for Washington’s state parks.

“Your Power is Turning Our Darkness to Dawn…”

A River Lost: The Life and Death of the Columbia

Today our attitudes about dams have changed; while we still use and enjoy the power that comes from hydroelectric dams we regret other changes that dams have wrought, especially decreased salmon runs.

The Seattle Times just published an Op-ed about bringing salmon back to the Cle Elum in the Yakima River Basin by Virgil Lewis, titled “Celebrating and supporting the return of the Cle Elum Sockeye.” Check out National Wildlife Federation’s work with American Rivers and other conservation groups on the Yakima River Basin here.

So while we still need electricity and stored water, agencies and non-profits are working to bring back salmon runs and healthier river ecosystems, whether it’s by tearing down dams or by improving fish passages around dams.

Meanwhile, in Alaska, plans are underway to build new hydroelectric projects such as one planned on the Susitna River. You can learn more about this project here.

Our questions about “A River Lost: The life and Death of the Columbia” from last month are repeated here, and in addition to the questions posed last month, we’d like to request some thoughts from you, the reader, about hydroelectric power and irrigation projects in the Northwest and around the world.

Discussion Questions (please join the discussion in the comments below):

• The might of the Columbia now produces clean, cheap energy which helps reduce the impact of many Northwest cities. This clean energy comes at a price, however, as the dams have compromised our salmon runs. Is this reward worth the impact on our salmon?
• Like many great rivers the Columbia’s water has been used to bring agriculture to the desert. Without the dams, agriculture would not be able to thrive in these areas, but is comes at a great cost, reducing the amount of water in the river and in the case of some it means that these great rivers have run dry. Is this an appropriate use of our rivers or should we ensure that they are able to thrive along side of us?

January/February’s Book: Shell Games

“Forget CSI—this is the real deal, tracking down the greediest kinds of criminals as they plunder the planet’s future.” – Bill McKibben

Shell Games: Rogues, Smuggler and the Hunt for Natures Bounty

While the big bust in September was focused on poachers of game like deer and elk, and even the restaurants buying and serving the game, poachers go after all types and sizes of fish and wildlife, as long as there’s a market. Even clams.

Apparently, geoduck poaching is a problem here in Puget Sound, and “Shell Games” features the story of undercover operatives who try to catch these shellfish poachers. (Geoducks are a type of clam.)

As long as there is a market for illegal fish and wildlife products, this battle is likely to continue, but government agencies and non-profits are doing what they can to educate the public about this growing problem, here and around the world.

Questions for your consideration as you explore this topic:

• Poachers can be motivated by different goals, some want to make money; others take fish or wildlife for food on their own tables. Some simply want trophies. Are any of these reasons acceptable to you? Why or why not? Does it depend on the relative health of the species in question?
• Enforcement is limited due to budgets and the sheer size of the areas to patrol. Would you like to see more revenue going to support enforcement?
• Have you ever eaten game meat in a restaurant? If so, did you ask where it came from and whether it was legally obtained?
• Do you know how to report poaching, and how to stay safe while doing so?

NWF’s Yakima River salmon and ecosystem restoration project in Washington state, led by Steve Malloch,  is a good example of how this kind of engagement with local communities pays off.  As this editorial by the conservative Seattle Times points out, the conservation community has negotiated a very promising deal with farmers and the Native American tribe in the Yakima basin.  Declining snow pack and other impacts of climate change on local hydrology poses huge threats to the livelihoods of farmers as well as to the future of the salmon that the Yakima Nation tribe depends upon. These threats caused everyone – the farmers, the Yakama Nation, conservationists and government at all levels – to take a new look at how to manage the water.

Yakima River

This formula for achieving  broad support of a new water management policy may not work everywhere, but in this basin, it is the only way to create a more resilient ecosystem and economy – good for fish, farmers, forests and families.

On a trip around Sucia Island off the coast of Washington, a kayaker pauses to appreciate the early morning view from a rock ledge. Photo by Tyler Davis. 2010 National Wildlife Photo Contest entry.

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Savannah sparrows are easily distinguished from similar looking species by the distinctive yellow patch in front of their eyes. Maggie Bond photographed this Savannah sparrow perched on lupine in Union Bay Natural Area in Seattle, Washington.

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.

The young babies–five from one nest and four from another–are being hand-fed until they are strong enough to eat on their own. The first four were brought to WSU on April 13 at roughly one week old. Just four days later, the second group arrived at only a few days old.

“We’ve had great horned babies before, but in 10 years, I’ve never had any this young,” said veterinarian Nickol Finch, who oversees WSU’s Raptor Rehabilitation Center. “Pretty much all they’re doing is eating and sleeping.”

It’s rare for humans to get a glimpse of baby great horns. Their parents usually nest high up in trees and are aggressive protectors of their young. Considering they possess talons powerful enough to cart off animals five times the bird’s weight, most people are wise enough to keep their distance.

As for WSU’s nine owlets, the first four survived a fall to the ground near Colton after someone unknowingly cut down a tree where they were nesting, said Finch. The younger ones were brought to a veterinarian in Lewiston and then transported to WSU after their nest was destroyed inside a chimney during a home remodel.

Meet the baby owls in this clip, then learn more at NWF’s great horned owl page:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Symbolically adopt a Great Horned Owl today through NWF’s Adoption Center!

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.

Hiking up a steep slope with skis. Photo by: Bryn Fluharty

This past weekend I bundled up and headed out for a cross country ski adventure right outside of Mt Rainier National Park. The park and surrounding areas offer an abundance of opportunities for getting outside. A couple of friends and I had rented the High Hut cabin through the Mount Tahoma Trails Association and we were out for a weekend of skiing and snowshoeing through the National Forest land.

Snow Covered Trees photo by: Bryn Fluharty

The weather around Rainier can change moment by moment and soon the cabin was shrouded in a thick cloud which brought visibility outside down to only a couple of feet. The cloud cover stayed above us but by the next day the visibility was much improved offering the ability to do some back country skiing, dipping and weaving through forest and brush, lunching at the edge of a frozen lake and enjoying the spectacular beauty of the forest.

Mt St Helens at Sunset. Photo By: Bryn Fluharty

Looking out at Mt Rainier as the Sun Rises. Photo By: Bryn Fluharty

Turning to leave and head back home was a difficult move. The air was warm for this time of year and the sky the type of brilliant blue that you can almost forget can happen during the winter in Seattle. The trip down the steep slopes was a lazy one full of birds chirping and the sound of melting snow dripping from evergreen branches.

Rainier followed me back home as an ever looming presence in the rear view mirror reminding me that even as I headed back to the city it will always be a short distance away.

The beauty of Rainier and the other mountains in the Cascades is threatened by Climate Change. Due to continuing warming of the planet the majestic glaciers are melting at accelerated speeds. Mt Adams is a prime example of what is happening and why we need to do all we can to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and help mitigate the effects of climate change. If we don’t the beauty of the mountains will be changed forever.

Have your own outdoor adventure this winter! Be Out There and enjoy the great Out of Doors. Where is your favorite place to get out in your area?