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You are here: Home / What We Do / Issue Action Teams / Environmental Justice / Key Issues Overview

Key Issues Overview

Columbia River Treaty

This is a treaty between the U.S. (State of Washington) and Canada over uses of and responsibilities for the Columbia River, which has its headwaters in the Columbia Lake in British Columbia and empties into the Pacific Ocean near Astoria, Oregon. Read and engage more here.

Snake River Dams

In 1945, Congress enacted the Rivers and Harbors Act that would lead to the construction of the four lower Snake River dams (Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental and Ice harbor) between 1957 and 1975.  The construction of the dams occurred despite the documented arguments that the dams would have an adverse impact on salmon and other fish stocks.  By the mid-1980s, coho salmon in the river were extinct and sockeye salmon were facing extinction.  By the mid-1990s, all of the river’s salmon populations were protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA).Our Tribes and Nations have also been devastatingly impacted, being denied Treaty rights and witnessing the decimation of their Treaty rights and cultures. “As each dam was constructed, the tribes objected, calling on the government to reconsider – pointing out that these actions were contrary to the Treaties the United States had signed with them, and predicting adverse consequences for the salmon – and for their tribal peoples. Each time, these tribal objections were ignored, given little weight, or actively opposed by non-Indian interests – and tribal salmon harvests continued to decline.”  Tribes, Nations and environmental organizations have been opposing the dams for several decades with the most recent actions coming from the Earthjustice lawsuit National Wildlife Federation, et al., v.  National Marine Fisheries Service, et al., calling for the breaching of the dams in order to restore fish populations and honor Treaty rights.

Juliana v. U.S.  

Represented by Our Children’s Trust, UU Levi Draheim of Florida is one of 21 youth plaintiffs suing the federal government for violating the “Plaintiffs’ fundamental constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property by substantially causing or contributing to a dangerous concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, and that, in so doing, Defendants dangerously interfere with a stable climate system required by our nation and Plaintiffs alike.“  Among other things, the youth are asking the federal government “to prepare and implement an enforceable national remedial plan to phase out fossil fuel emissions and draw down excess atmospheric CO2 so as to stabilize the climate system and protect the vital resources on which Plaintiffs now and in the future will depend.”  The case was filed in 2015 and has been facing legal challenges by the Department of Justice and the Administration (covers multiple presidencies).

Fossil Fuels

In more recent years, the Pacific Northwest had become a focal point for the fossil fuel industry.  Fossil fuel projects from tar sands to drilling to refining and shipping/pipelines have plagued Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and British Columbia.  While the Pacific Northwest communities have been able to fend off many fossil fuel projects, the struggle continues with the with the fossil fuel industry.  In addition, concerns are being raised over the current proposal of eight storage facilities calling the Pacific Northwest the “hydrogen hub.”  While this may help in our goals to hold back climate change and reducing of fossil fuel production and consumption, it’s already posing its own set of problems.  Ongoing projects to be aware of:

    • Trans Mountain Pipeline,
    • Gas Transmission Northwest (GTN) Express project,
    • Tacoma LNG plant,
    • Goldendale Energy Storage Project and
    • Alaska LNG.
Southern Resident Orcas

In 1999, the Chinook Salmon was listed under the Endangered Species Act.  NOAA cited habitat loss and degradation, harvest rates, hatchery influence and dams that impede migrations.  Shortly thereafter, in 2005, our Southern Resident Orcas were also listed under the ESA, NOAA cited reduced quantity and quality of prey—the Chinook salmon being their preferred prey, persistent organic pollutants that could cause immune or reproductive system dysfunction, and noise and disturbance from vessels.  Despite allegedly being protected under both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Southern Resident Orca population is continuing to decline.  They were said to have numbered at least 140 animals but in the 1970s, fifty of the Southern Residents were captured for transfers to marine parks, including Lolita/Tokitae/Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut (who passed away in captivity on August 18, 2023).  In 1974, the SR Orca population was down to 71 orcas.  Today they number 73-74, with the presumed death of new born J-60 in January 2024.

Climate and the Pacific Northwest

The list of climate change impacts is long here in the Pacific Northwest.  From rising sea levels, to raging wildfires, from rising temperatures to drought, from declining mountain snowpacks to ocean acidification, the Pacific Northwest, once thought to be a haven from climate change, is now succumbing to the adverse impacts of the climate crisis.  Both Washington State and Oregon are working in various capacities to reduce and mitigate climate impacts; however, the question remains, will it be enough? Oregon’s “Climate Resilience Package” (2023) and Washington’s “Climate Commitment Act” (2021) set goals to significantly reduced emissions by 2050.  Both Idaho and Alaska have climate legislation, but are lagging behind in implementing them.  Alaska is still trying to protect and exploit its fossil fuel resources and Idaho is still battling climate deniers in positions of power.

Federal Legislation

  • Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
  • Farm Bill (2018-2024).  The currently proposed bill

WA State Policies and Legislation

  • Oppose i2117 and i2066

 

Environmental Justice

  • Environmental Justice
    • Key Issues Overview
      • Columbia River Treaty
      • Lower Snake River Dams
      • Climate Justice
        • Juliana v. U.S.
      • Food Security
  • Environmental Justice Events
    • • 2023 Enviro Legislative Summit
    • • 2022 Enviro Justice Summit
    • • 2022 Legislative Summit
    • • 2020 Enviro Justice Summit
    • • 2019 Youth Climate Strikes
    • • 2018 Climate Justice Summit
  • Environmental Justice Resources
    • Environmental Justice Books and Publications
    • Environmental Justice Films and Videos

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