 We promote sustainable communities and protect the health of northwestern Washington’s people and ecosystems through application of science, education, advocacy and action.
Protect shorelines from climate impacts  Our valuable shorelines — relied upon by oysters, clams, herring, salmon, even orcas — are in urgent need of protection, and we have a chance right now to update the Shoreline Management Program that governs Whatcom's shores. Whatcom shorelines provide habitats that are essential for endangered salmon and orcas‘ survival. Can you help us protect Whatcom’s waters? Clean a beach after Fourth of July!  Friday, July 5th 12:00 - 2:00 PM, with Surfrider Northwest Straits Chapter Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve (Ferndale) Saturday, July 6th 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, with the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve Citizen Stewardship Committee Gulf Road Beach, Ferndale (map). Contact Lilya Jaeren with any questions, lilyaj@re-sources.org Fourth of July celebrations can leave a lot of trash around the marine environment. Help clean up our local shorelines! Join us for a post-Fourth of July beach cleanup at Locust Beach! Cleanup supplies will be provided along with light snacks. Please RSVP (Bellingham cleanup here, Cherry Point cleanup here) so we know how much cleanup supplies to bring. Bellingham waterfront cleanup tour: Central Waterfront More info. Contact Kirsten McDade with any questions, kirstenm@re-sources.org Get connected with Bellingham's waterfront and its history! This is your chance to learn about and give input on the future of a cleanup site along Bellingham Bay after its 100+ year legacy of industry left toxic contaminants in the soil, groundwater, and sediments. RE Sources for Sustainable Communities will lead a public tour of the Central Waterfront site, which holds contamination from industrial activity like lumber mills, bulk fuel terminals, foundry operations, a landfill, and more. Staff from the Department of Ecology, City of Bellingham, and Port of Bellingham will be present to answer questions and encourage public comments on the cleanup plan released by Ecology (how to comment on the cleanup here). Hold fossil fuel industry accountable for impacts to the Salish Sea and communities
 Public Hearing: Final Moratorium Extension Tuesday, July 9th Whatcom County Council Chambers 311 Grand Ave, Bellingham (map) 6:15 PM: Sign up to speak 7:00 PM: Council meeting and hearing We have a rare opportunity in the coming weeks to hold oil companies accountable for the impacts of their fossil fuel projects. At the same time, the Whatcom County Council will also vote on extending (for the seventh time) the temporary moratorium on risky new fossil fuel shipment projects at Cherry Point. On June 18th, the Whatcom County Council released a draft of new code amendments aiming to protect our communities from dangerous fossil fuel expansions. But the draft is weak, and does not hold existing oil refineries to high enough standards. We already have enough hazards from oil trains, tankers and pipelines here — it’s time Whatcom County set legally enforceable standards to protect public safety and the environment. The Council has indicated they may vote to pre-approve the weakened code amendments on July 9th. Come to the July 9th public hearing, wear red, and speak up for a stronger set of protections that'll actually keep people, the Salish Sea, and our air safe! Statewide wins for orcas, clean energy, and more in the 2019 legislature  The health of the environment and Washington residents depended heavily on lawmakers’ choices this year — from a dwindling southern resident orca population to devastating wildfires exacerbated by a changing climate. After a four-month session full of community members calling on their lawmakers to tackle these issues, 42 laws related to environmental and community wellbeing passed! Read about the successes here, including going 100% clean electricity statewide, sweeping protections for orcas, expediting toxic cleanups, protecting families from pollutants, better oversight for seasonal farmworker programs, and much more. In collaboration with the Environmental Priorities Coalition, we advocated for and tracked several issues of significance to the people and ecosystems of the North Puget Sound. See the what the final status of key environmental priority bills we watched here. Salish Splash! Watch us jump for joy (and orca recovery) This year, the Washington State Legislature passed a critical package of orca recovery bills that address the many threats faced by Southern Resident orcas. Together, we celebrated this win with Salish Splashes in several cities along the Salish Sea! We challenged friends, family, and colleagues to jump into Bellingham Bay with us — What better way to show your support and enthusiasm for orca recovery than by jumping for joy into the water? Last year, we celebrated Puget Sound being designated a No Discharge Zone, prohibiting boats from dumping raw or partially-treated sewage right into the water. See the video here. Bellingham’s waterfront: New public spaces, new hope for orcas Balancing Water Supply Demands It takes a team effort to keep Whatcom County’s water clean To keep Whatcom County special, we need to be vigilant. We need to be careful. And we need to take action when pollution does taint our precious waters. That is RE Sources’ job, and we’ve done it for 35 years – upholding standards of respect, integrity, and always keeping an eye toward the future we are creating for our grandchildren. They deserve a future in which a prosperous community and clean water continue to coexist. Read more. Waterkeeper Alliance member If you see pollution, report it! Call the Pollution Hotline: (360) 220-0556. Please take photos and be prepared to discuss location and details about the pollution.  Special thanks to our cornerstone sponsor, Recycling & Disposal Services Inc (RDS), local, privately owned transfer station in Ferndale with progressive waste management practices. As a 501(c)(3) organization, RE Sources does not directly or indirectly influence any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office. RE Sources for Sustainable Communities tax ID number is 91-1243957. |
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