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TAKING SOUND!ACTION
February Update
 | | It's Legislative Action Time for Puget Sound! |
If it's February, that means the State Legislative Session is in full swing.
Last month we announced that ace policy advisor Naki Stevens had joined the Sound Action team. With that, in addition to our HPA review work, we have been working hard down in Olympia to support bills that provide Puget Sound protection and watchdog the ones that don't.
We hope you're ready for some good old fashioned grass roots ACTION... because we need your help!
LEGISLATIVE ALERT: SAVE THE FORAGE FISH, SAVE THE SOUND
WANT TO SAVE THE SALMON, SEABIRDS AND ORCAS IN PUGET SOUND? THEN HELP SAVE THE FORAGE FISH THEY FEED ON. Before February 17, we need you to contact the members of the Senate Rules Committee listed below and ask them to send SSB 6072 for a vote on the Senate floor. SSB 6072 makes it possible to know how healthy the forage fish population is in Puget Sound. Forage fish (surf smelt, sand lance and herring) are not glamorous, but they are THE essential link in the food web in Puget Sound. Forage fish are eaten by marine birds and by salmon which are eaten by orca whales. More science about the health of forage fish is key to saving the Sound! Please call or email the following Senate Rules Committee members by February 17 and ask them to send SSB 6072 to the Senate floor for a vote. Senator Sharon Nelson: (360)786-7667/[email protected] Senator Andy Billig: (360)786-7604/[email protected] Senator Maralyn Chase: (360)786-7662/[email protected] Senator Karen Fraser: (360)786-7642/[email protected] Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles: (360)786-7670/[email protected] Senator John McCoy: (360)786-7674/[email protected] Senator Christine Rolfes: (360)786-7644/[email protected] (Bill Sponsor)
Here's some information on other bills we are working on:
- We are also working on HB 2457 (Rep Hansen), which would strengthen the Department of Natural Resources derelict vessel removal program by imposing a moorage fee on commercial vessels, proceeds of which go into the derelict vessel removal fund. The bill also requires vessel owners and moorage facilities to carry insurance to cover costs of removing vessels that become derelict, as well as other important provisions, such as barring the sale of unseaworthy vessels.
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Sound Action is also working to defend Puget Sound from the impacts that would arise as a result of two bad bills related to floating homes, HB 2581 (Rep Tarleton) and SB 6450 (Sen Pedersen). These bills would would amend the Shorelines Management Act in ways that expand the definition of water-dependent, setting a dangerous precedent and opening the door to many more over-water structures in the nearshore. The shading from these structures is damaging to eelgrass and other important nearshore resources and needs to be reduced, not increased.
Welcome new Sound Action board member Sue Patnude! Sue lives in South Puget Sound and joined our board in January. She has extensive work experience with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and with the Washington Department of Ecology and is currently an independent consultant AND executive director of the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team (D.E.R.T.), working to restore the Deschutes River to a healthy estuary. Sue says she's happy to join in on the work Sound Action is undertaking and we're thrilled to have her energy and expertise.
Will you help us connect with others who want to see Puget Sound protected and restored?
Being able to keep in touch with others who want to save Puget Sound is critical to the grass roots work that we do. Please help us expand the team by asking 5 friends to join this email list by sending them to www.soundaction.org/join-us to click the sign up button. Or by asking them to join our facebook page at www.facebook.com/soundactionnw
Share your thoughts with us: Sound Action wants to hear from you about your thoughts, stories, hopes and dreams regarding this great place we live in called Puget Sound. Click Here to send us an email comment via our web site.
For the whales, the salmon, the forage fish and for all of us who call Puget Sound home, thank you for standing with us as we work to save the Sound.
Amy Carey, Executive Director
Sound Action
Sound Action Board of directors
Susie Kalhorn
Mike Sato
Claire Dyckman
Whitney Neugebauer
David Bain
Emily Burns
Sue Patnude
[email protected]/(206)745-2441
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