Category: Action Alerts
-
San Juan County’s Critical Areas Ordinance Update: Why It Matters and how to get involved
San Juan County is in the process of updating its Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO), a set of regulations designed to protect sensitive environmental areas such as wetlands, aquifer recharge zones, geologic hazard areas, and fish and wildlife habitats. The update aims to incorporate the latest science and meet state Growth Management Act requirements, with opportunities…
-
Washington’s Bottle Bill: A Common-Sense Solution to Reduce Pollution and Protect the Salish Sea
Washington’s recycling system isn’t keeping up with waste, and billions of bottles and cans end up polluting shorelines, waterways, and the Salish Sea each year. The state legislature is considering Washington’s Bottle Bill (HB 1607/SB 5502), a refundable container deposit program designed to boost recycling, cut litter and climate pollution, and shift recycling costs from taxpayers to…
-
Tell Whatcom County to Require a Thorough Environmental Review!
Whatcom County proposed a Mitigated Determination of Non‑Significance for 33 fossil fuel projects at the AltaGas ALA Energy Ferndale terminal — including many built without permits — instead of a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Together with a coalition of regional groups and hundreds of community comments, Friends of the San Juans is urging the…
-
Oil Tanker Traffic Is Rising—Act Now to Protect Southern Resident Killer Whales from Oil Spills
Speak up by July 31st! Help shape Washington’s oil spill response planning requirements and improve protections for Salish Sea wildlife, waters, and communities. Issue Overview Oil tanker traffic through the Salish Sea has surged since the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion was completed in May 2024. Washington State’s oil spill contingency plans need to be updated,…
-
Community Voices at the Center of Comprehensive Plan Updates
Friends of the San Juans facilitated community listening sessions — including with underserved groups — so island residents can share feedback and help shape San Juan County’s Comprehensive Plan update, influencing land use, water, housing, and more for the next 20 years.
-
A simple solution to pollution!
Washington’s proposed bills HB 1652 and SB 5519 offer a practical fix to a major pollution source in the Salish Sea. By requiring low-sulfur fuels and ending the use of scrubbers that discharge toxic waste into our waters, these bills would protect marine ecosystems, safeguard community health, and support a cleaner future for the region.
-
Help secure the Islands’ Future: Get Involved with Comprehensive Planning!
San Juan County and the Town of Friday Harbor are updating their Comprehensive Plans—long-term roadmaps for growth, land use, climate action, housing, and community resilience—and Friends of the San Juans is calling on residents to get involved. Public input now can help shape policies that protect natural resources, embed climate resiliency, and guide the future…
-
Ban Discontinued Dispersants and Update Oil Spill Response Plans
Did you know the chemicals used to clean up oil spills can be as harmful as the spills themselves? Stockpiles of discontinued chemical dispersants with known health risks are still approved for use in Washington waters. These toxic dispersants threaten marine life, human health, and shoreline communities near the Salish Sea. Friends of the San…
-
The Recycling Reform Act (SB 5284 solid waste management)
Washington’s Recycling Reform Act (SB 5284/HB 1150) is a major update to the state’s recycling system that shifts responsibility for packaging waste to producers, aims to reduce plastics and unnecessary packaging, and expands recycling access across communities while protecting local ecosystems.
-
Reject Roberts Bank Terminal 2!
Friends of the San Juans calls for rejection of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project, highlighting its significant risks to Southern Resident killer whales, salmon, and the broader Salish Sea ecosystem due to increased shipping traffic, habitat loss, and pollution impacts.
