Audubon’s Approach Pays Off

Heath Grant Packard is the policy director for Audubon Washington. Heath joined Audubon Washington in the spring of 2001, and splits his time between three program areas: conservation policy, Important Bird Area conservation and environmental education advocacy.

As we wrap up a productive legislative session, the Audubon family can chalk our successes up to four key elements: focus, common ground, chapter activists and competent staff.

You cannot realize a vision without focus. Audubon is more focused in 2006 and this has helped us communicate priorities to legislators, rally activists and concentrate staff resources. The result: successful passage of our priorities!

Common ground approaches to public policy, in otherwise politically contentious times, result in sustainable policies supported by diverse stakeholders. The Environmental Education Study (HB 2910) and creating the Invasive Species Council (SB 5385) are perfect examples of Audubon’s role in this approach.

Audubon’s Legislative Priorities

Audubon and the Cascade Land Conservancy secured funding for two counties to host specific voluntary, market-driven projects that demonstrate how a transfer of development rights program can be used to conserve natural resource and habitat lands.

The final budget sent to Governor Gregoire includes $250,000 for two demonstration projects.

Background: More than 130 of the state’s 317 bird species reside in forests. Of 93 vulnerable bird species in Washington, most rely on our forests and associated habitats.

Forest conversion, fragmentation and degraded forest health are the leading causes of forest habitat loss/degradation. Between 1970 and 1992 over two million acres of forests were lost to permanent conversion.

Washington’s private forestlands account for virtually all conversions and 76 percent of our annual timber harvests. Meanwhile, Washington’s bird populations continue to decline despite 30 years of increasing state regulations focused on water quality for state and private lands.

To stabilize Washington’s forest bird populations, we must curb the loss of habitat on state and private lands.

Audubon championed SHB 2958, a bill that penalizes persons who violate rules concerning the use of nontoxic shot. The governor signed this bill into law on March 15.

Background: Of the more than 44,000 waterfowl hunting licenses issued each year, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) estimates 8 percent repeat offender noncompliance rate. This equates to nearly 3,500 hunters annually who are using toxic lead shot over wetlands.

A substantial proportion of the global population—around 16,000 birds—spend the winter in the Puget Sound lowlands.

In Northwest Washington/British Columbia since 1999, at least 1,200 Trumpeter Swans have died of lead poisoning from ingestion of lead shotgun pellets while foraging for grit to aid digestion. A single pellet can kill a full-grown swan in 30 days or less.

Using lead shot for waterfowl hunting in the U.S. has been illegal since 1991. State/federal agencies and the Trumpeter Swan Society are researching lead contamination to instruct future cleanup.

The Legislature sent a budget to Governor Gregoire that includes full funding for the Olympic Loop of the Great Washington State Birding Trail.

Background: Economic incentives to conserve wildlife can help support the long-term financial health of Washington. How? Wildlife equals nature-tourism dollars. Research shows that 71 million Americans watch wildlife; 46 million say they’re bird watchers.

Over the past decade, bird watching has become the country’s fastest growing form of outdoor recreation. Wildlife tourism in Washington ranks seventh in the nation—with prospects for growth enhanced by 2003 legislation to promote sustainable rural economic development through maintaining wildlife diversity. In 2005, Audubon Washington, WDFW and Washington State Parks agreed to develop and market wildlife watching in Washington.

In many rural communities, nonprofit organizations and private landowners cooperatively organize wildlife-watching festivals, which generate tourist dollars. These festivals and the Great Washington State Birding Trail support Washington’s rural economies.

Audubon supports SSB 6175, the Revised Surface Mine Act to sustain this essential program. This bill has been sent to Governor Gregoire’s desk. We are awaiting her signature. The mining industry has issued some “concerns” at the 11th hour after supporting this policy all along—we fully expect the governor to sign the bill.

Background: Because of obsolete fee structures, Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) mining program is about to go bankrupt. Renewing enabling legislation and providing interim funding is critical to ensure appropriate reclamation of gravel mines.

Sand and gravel are necessary for our roads, homes and office buildings. Demand for such minerals grows with Washington’s burgeoning population.

Mining for sand and gravel occurs in open-pit surface mines that, due to Washington’s geological history, are located in or adjacent to river, stream, riparian and wetland habitats. How these mines are “reclaimed,” returned to habitat or other subsequent uses, can further impact birds and wildlife. If done well, new habitat can be created.

Audubon supported HB 1458 to improve septic system management in marine areas. The governor signed this bill into law on March 9.

Background: Nutrient loading from failing septic systems is causing low dissolved oxygen and ecosystem crashes that affect birds and wildlife. We must clean up Puget Sound and reverse the loss of critical habitats for birds and wildlife. More than 100 species of birds inhabit Puget Sound; 42 of these are considered vulnerable, and 29 are listed as “species of greatest conservation need” in Washington’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.

Species like the western grebe suffer a 95 percent population decline, an indicator of the health of Puget Sound. One-third of our shorelines have been damaged, with one-third of our eelgrass meadows and 75 percent of watershed wetlands destroyed. Toxic chemicals pour into the sound, and Hood Canal and other inlets are suffering from insufficient oxygen to support the food chain.

Governor Gregoire’s Puget Sound Initiative aims to clean up Puget Sound by 2020. Audubon supports her $42 million supplemental budget proposal for Puget Sound cleanup.

Priorities for a Healthy Washington

Audubon was successful in ensuring no rollbacks to the Growth Management Act and other land-use protections. One bill that passed that we supported, and helped to amend, addressed Agricultural Accessory Uses. Agricultural Accessory Uses can be important to keep working farms economically viable in our rural and suburban communities.

Now we are gearing up to provide leadership in defeating I-933, the developers’ loophole initiative which will require local governments to pay for or waive land-use protections when a developer or land owner wants to exercise reckless development that will negatively impact their neighbors or wildlife habitat. See sidebar on page 10.

Background: Washington’s burgeoning population growth (approx. 100,000 residents per year) requires new roads, septic systems, housing, office buildings, factories, retail centers and parking lots. The Growth Management Act helps local governments develop comprehensive plans to manage urban growth, minimize sprawl and protect citizens from landslides. The plans also protect birds, wildlife and habitat from uncontrolled urban and suburban sprawl.

Audubon supported SB 6508, the Renewable Fuels Standard bill that passed the House earlier in session with a strong, bipartisan vote, and the Senate on a somewhat closer 29-19 vote (with one absent) on March 6. This proposal would reduce Washington’s dependence on fossil fuels and provide a new market for Washington crops. This legislation will grow a new biofuels economy by including a minimum percentage of biofuels in the statewide fuel mix.

Audubon supported SSB 6428, which passed the Senate on a strong bipartisan vote of 38-11 on Monday, March 6. The House had recently approved the same bill with a vote of 69-29. This bill will provide safe, free and convenient recycling for the millions of outdated computers, monitors and TVs piling up in our homes, schools and offices.

Audubon supported HB 1488. The bromine industry, which employs no one in Wash. state, hired 12 high-powered lobbyists to defeat this bill. The community was unable to pass the proposed legislation surrounding toxic flame retardants, but it was very close and came down to one Senator not pulling the bill for a vote. Stayed tuned next year.

The Legislature sent a budget to Governor Gregoire that includes funding for many great programs that support birds, wildlife, habitat, education and nature tourism.

Highlights supported by Audubon include:

Puget Sound Cleanup $49,896,000

Birding Trails (CTED) $96,000

Tranfer of Development Rights (CTED) $250,000

Spartina Control (DOA) $50,000

Wildlife Habitat Asses’t (WDFW to DNR) $397,000

Invasive Species Council $169,000

Surface Mining Fees (SB 6175) (DNR) $976,000

Forest Health (SB 5179) $35,000

Small Forestland Mgt. Plans (DOE) $250,000

SPI Environmental Education Grants $150,000

SPI Environmental Education Study (HB 2910) $15,000

Sec. 6 Federal Grants (WDFW) $3,300,000

DNR/WDFW Land Exchange (WDFW) $500,000

Skookumchuck Shrub Steppe (WDFW) $800,000

Old Growth Timber Inventory (DNR) $100,000

Natural Heritage Program (DNR) $200,000

IslandWood Learning Center (SBE) $500,000