2006 Legislative Newsletter
BREAKING NEWS—
Audubon Washington
believes in balance and
responsibility, finding
common ground, and
involving all citizens in
protecting the natural world
and our quality of life.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Breaking News
Page 1
Policy Director’s Corner
Page 1
Audubon Priorities
Page 2-3
Priorities for a Healthy WA
Page 4-5
Budget Priorities
Page 5
Other Issues: Lobby Day
Page 6
Oppose Wetland
Protection Rollbacks
Page 6
Chapter Spotlight
Page 7
Hot Tips for Advocacy
Page 7
URGENT ACTION
Audubon vs. Invasive
Species
Last week Audubon Washington’s
Executive Director, Nina Carter
secured funding and consultants to
support the work of the Invasive
Species Coalition.
After habitat lost to permanent
conversion, invasive species are a
leading threat to birds, wildlife and
habitat.
The Invasive Species Coalition has
several objectives, centered on
curbing and controlling dangerous
invasive species that out-compete
the native flora and fauna in
Washington. In 2005, the coalition
was successful in securing $50,000
in the Department of Agriculture’s
operating budget to support the
Invasive Species Council. This
legislative session the coalition will
work to pass a bill that establishes
an Invasive Species Council.
Unplug Nature Deficit
Disorder - Support Outdoor
Environmental Education
Heath Packard, Policy Director
Remember warm, long days of late
summer and fall? Spent outside
enjoying the best of what Washington something
has to offer, from fishing and
harvesting to hiking? Me? I was
sailing.
On a casual day-sail to Boston
Harbor, we bought wild salmon,
farmed oysters, dropped anchor,
grilled and swam. A magnificent
day, emblazoned on my mental
screen-saver.
January 20, 2006
Legislative Hotline:
1-800-562-6000
Ask your legislators to protect
wetland habitat and oppose HB 2883
& SB 6573 which creates loopholes
for destruction of wetlands without
mitigation! (Related story p.6)
When established, the Invasive
Species Council will provide policy-
level direction, planning and
coordination among agencies and
non-government organizations
working to combat harmful invasive
species statewide.
“Curbing invasive species has been a
priority for Audubon Washington and
our statewide conservation committee
of 26 independent chapters for years”
said Carter. “This critical effort must
succeed if we are going to protect our
birds, habitat, nature-tourism
opportunities and in fact, our farms.”
Disembarking at
Boston Harbor,
I watched a
family
launching their
motorboat and I
witnessed
unsettling.
While mom and dad struggled to
launch the Whaler, junior, with his
back to the beach and Puget Sound,
had found shade under the pier in
order to view his Game Boy screen.
This child is likely suffering from
(Continued on page 6.)
January 20, 2006
Audubon’s 2006 Legislative Priorities—CONSERVE WASHINGTON’S FORESTS
Current Activity: Audubon Supports HB
2368 which, directs the Department of
Community, Trade, and Economic
Development to provide support and 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. On
January 19th, this bill passed out of House Natural
Resources Committee on a party-line vote.
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/
Audubon’s 2006 Legislative Priorities—REDUCE TOXIC LEAD SHOT
Current Activity: Audubon supports
HB 2958, Penalizing persons who
violate rules concerning the use of
nontoxic shot to increase penalties for
hunters convicted of such violations.
Sponsored by Representatives Brian
Sullivan (D-21), Jim Buck (R-24) and several others Nat.
Res. Committee Members, the bill is scheduled for a
hearing on Friday 1/27 in that committee.
Background: Of the 44,000+ waterfowl hunting licenses
issued each year, WDFW estimates an 8% repeat offender
noncompliance rate. This equates to nearly 3,500 hunters
annually who are using toxic lead shot where they
shouldn’t—wetlands.
A substantial proportion of the global population—
Editor’s Note: For questions, comments, or concerns with this newsletter please contact
Audubon Washington’s Policy Office at 360-786-8020 ext. 201 or email lremlinger@audubon.org.
Page 2 of 8
degradation. Between 1970 and 1992 over 2 million acres
of forests were lost to permanent conversion.
Washington's private forestlands account for virtually all
conversions and 76% 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 or recover Washington's Forest Bird
Populations, we must curb or reverse the loss of habitat
on State and private lands.
Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000
Thank House Nat. Res. / Rep. Sullivan for passing
HB 2368 out of committee. Ask your Appropriations
Committee Members to pass HB 2368!
estimated to be around 16,000 birds in the late 1990’s—
spends the winter in the Puget Sound lowlands.
Since 1999, at least 1,200 Trumpeter Swans have died of
lead poisoning in Whatcom and Skagit Counties and
Southern British Columbia. 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. Exactly where the swans are ingesting
the lead is unknown. State and Federal agencies and The
Trumpeter Swan Society are researching lead shot
contamination to instruct future clean up efforts.
Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000
Ask your House Nat. Res. Committee Members to
support HB 2958, to reduce toxic lead shot!
January 20, 2006 Page 3 of 8

Audubon’s 2006 Legislative Priorities—PROMOTE WATCHABLE WILDLIFE

Current Activity: Audubon Supports with friendly Research shows that 71 million Americans watch wildlife;
amendments SB 5005, Relating to nature-based tourism. 46 million say they’re bird watchers. Over the past
Senator Jacobsen reintroduced this bill that ended in decade, bird watching has become the country’s fastest-
Senate Rules last session. (This is where it will begin this growing form of outdoor recreation.
session.)
Wildlife tourism in Washington ranks seventh in the
It was thought that WDFW would introduce this bill as nation – with prospects for growth enhanced by 2003
agency request legislation, but they did not. legislation to promote sustainable rural economic
development through maintaining wildlife diversity. In
Audubon thinks this bill would be improved by 1) linking 2005 Audubon Washington, CTED, WDFW and State
compensation of landowners to their conserving habitat Parks agreed to develop and market wildlife watching in
AND guaranteeing public access to designated areas for Washington.
wildlife-watching (e.g., birding festivals); and 2)
increasing total funds available.
Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000
Background: Economic incentives to conserve wildlife Ask your Natural Resource Committee
can help support the long-term financial health of Members to support watchable wildlife.
Washington. How? Wildlife equals nature-tourism dollars.

Audubon’s 2006 Legislative Priorities—ENSURE SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION

Current Activity: Audubon supports SB 6175, Revise
Surface Mine Act to sustain this essential program.
Audubon also supports appropriations to maintain the
program and enable the department to complete statewide
aggregate resource mapping to help counties with their
growth management planning and designation of mineral
lands of long-term significance.
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 to birds and wildlife. If done well, new
habitat can be created.
Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000
Ask your Senate Nat. Res., Oceans and
Recreation Committee Members to support HB
2958, to sustain this critical program!
Ask them for aggregate mapping funding in the
supplemental budget!
January 20, 2006
Priorities for a Healthy Washington—CLEAN UP PUGET SOUND
Current activity: Audubon
supports HB 1458 / SB 5431
to improve septic system
management in marine areas.
Nutrient loading from failing
septics is causing low
dissolved oxygen and
ecosystem crashes that affect birds and wildlife.
Background: 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 WA’s
Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.
Species like the western grebes suffer a 95% population-
decline an indicator of the health of Puget Sound. One-
Priorities for a Healthy Washington—DEFEND LAND USE PROTECTIONS
Current Activity: There are already
scores of good, bad and ugly bills that
would affect land protections focused on:
Timelines for comprehensive plan
revisions in growing communities should
be frequent so zoning and critical area
updates can accommodate growth and its
pressures.
Best Available Science is fundamental to
planning to protect people and property
through comprehensive plans. Clarifying
BAS will reduce appeals.
Agricultural Accessory Uses can be important to keep
working farms economically viable in our rural and
suburban communities.
Eminent Domain should not be abused for corporate
profits on the shoulders of our citizens, but should be
maintained for the welfare of all Washington's citizens.
Page 4 of 8
third of our shorelines have been damaged, with one-third
of our eelgrass meadows and 75% of watershed wetlands
destroyed.
Last month Governor Gregoire announced her Puget
Sound Initiative a three-pronged approach at cleaning up
Puget Sound by 2020. Included in her initiative is a
proposed $42million supplemental budget appropriation
for clean-up, oil-spill response, ecosystem restoration and
remediation.
Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000
Ask your legislators to fully fund the $42 million
for Puget Sound clean up!
Ask your House and Senate Natural Resource
Committees to support HB 1458 / SB 5431!
For details about specific bills/positions contact Kate
Jackson with Futurewise at (206) 343-0681.
Background: Washington's burgeoning population
growth (approx. 100,000 residents/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
citizen from landslides. They plans also protect birds,
wildlife and habitat from uncontrolled urban and suburban
sprawl.
Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000
Ask your local government committee members
today and ask them to defend our Land Use
Protections.
January 20, 2006 Page 5 of 8

Priorities for a Healthy Washington—

Promote Renewable Fuels Launch Electronics Waste Recycling Eliminate Toxic Flame Retardants

Current Activity: Support HB Current Activity: Support HB Current Activity: Support HB

2738, Rep. Holmquist/SB 6508, 2662, Rep. B. Sullivan/SB 6428, 1488, Rep. Hunter/SB 5515, Sen.
Sen. Rasmussen. Sen. Pridemore. Regala.

HB 2738 received a hearing Jan. 17th HB 2662 is scheduled to get out of Both bills are in Rules, with SB 5515
in the Tech, Energy and the Natural Resources, Ecology, and eligible for second reading.
Communication committee. Parks committee Jan. 26th.
Background: This will remove the
SB 6428 received a hearing Jan. 17th chemicals penta and octa, by 2007,
SB 6508 is scheduled for a hearing in the Water, Energy and and Deca by 2010. Give Ecology
Jan. 24th in the Water, Energy and Environment committee. money to study this issue and require
Environment committee. state agencies to lead by example and
Background: This will promote a purchase PBDE free materials.
Background: This will grow a new shared responsibility model.
biofuels industry by including a Manufacturers will establish and pay For more information
minimum percentage of biofuels in for the collection, transportation and about each priority visit:
the statewide fuel mix, replacing processing system throughout WA,
2.5% of gasoline with ethanol and 2% and retailers, charities, and local www.environmentalpriorities.org
of diesel with biodiesel. govt’s may voluntarily participate.
Audubon’s 2006 Supplemental Budget Priorities

Governor Gregoire released her proposed supplemental
budget in December. Washington actually has a revenue
surplus of more than $1 billion. Gregoire charged the
legislature with spending only half of this surplus this
year, saving the rest for the next biennium. In fact the
administration will not support any budget requests or
bills with price tags that are not in her budget. The
legislature will likely to send a different spending package
with a similar bottom line to the Governor's Desk in
March.
Audubon will champion its budget priorities including:
Department of Fish and Wildlife
• $350,000 -- Landscape Level Wildlife Assessment
Project Forest Practice Board's upland wildlife rules
review.
• $235,000 -Nature Tourism (2 FTEs) to draw tourists
from 2010 Olympics.
• $291, 573 -- Puget Sound Nearshore
Ecosystem Restoration* (1.3 FTEs)
• $250,000 Specialty Wildlife and(1.0
FTE)
$250,000 Personalized License Plate
Spending Authority
Department of Natural Resources
• $763,600 Surface Mining Program**
• $133,700 Forest Riparian Easement Program (1 FTE)-
-small Forest Landowner Program.
* Funding provided in Gov's Budget.
** Policy direction provided in Gov's Budget.
Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000
Ask your legislators to support all of Audubon's
Budget Priorities for 2006.
January 20, 2006
Other Issues—Citizens’ Lobby Day (Thursday, January 26th, 2006)
Join us as we fill the capitol
campus to push this year’s
Priorities for a Healthy
Washington.
This is an all day event that
begins at 9:00 am.
During Lobby Day you can experience:
• Continental breakfast while hearing from champion
legislators
• Lobbying training from top non-profit lobbyists
• Meeting face to face with your elected officials
• Evening reception with door prizes, drinks, and
hors d’oeuvres
If you live in the North Sound area there will be a
Unplug Nature Deficit Disorder cont’d.
Nature Deficit Disorder (coined by Richard Louv’s
Last Child in the Woods). Coming-of-age and learning
in the out-of-doors helps us all appreciate natural
resources, hunting, fishing, farming, forestry, nature,
and the challenging public policy balancing act we all
work on concerning these.
Washington is growing by 100,000 people a year, Puget
Sound, our farms and forests are imperiled by
unbalanced development pressures. In order to conserve
the places we play with a healthy economy, it is critical
to get kids outdoors and away from video screens.
That’s why Audubon supports HB 2910 and SB 6735
Requiring a Study of Environmental Education to
understand how students, families and communities
benefit from outdoor environmental education. I hope
you’ll agree.
Page 6 of 8
FREE chartered bus with stops in Bellingham, Mt.
Vernon, Everett, and Seattle. Contact Hudson Dodd at
800-878-9950 ext. 26 or email
hudson@conservationnw.org to RSVP.
Registration Information
Online at www.pugetsound.org/lobbyday or
contact Jim Dawson, at (360) 754-9177 or
email jdawson@pugetsound.org
Oppose Wetland Protection Rollback!
Oppose SB 6573 and HB 2883.
If you drive around the
Skagit, or spend time with
birders you are likely to
come across the Got farms?
Got Swans! bumper sticker.
Seasonal wetlands on
Washington’s working
farmland provide significant
habitat, foraging and
wintering grounds for waterfowl, and shorebirds.
Unfortunately this could all change with the passage of SB
6573 or HB 2883. Build on environmental rollbacks of the
Bush administration, these bills essentially eliminate
“wetlands converted to agricultural uses prior to 1985”
from any land-use protections (i.e. GMA).
In addition to threatening wildlife habitat, these bills
threaten water quality, water storage, and increase risks of
flooding.
Under the guise of misleading rhetoric of “maintaining and
enhancing the viability of agriculture,” some law-makers
are attempting to roll-back Washington’s long-standing
policy of no net loss of wetlands. Oppose SB 6573 and
HB 2883.
December
January 20,1,2006
2005 Page 67 of 8

Hot Tips for Advocacy - Effective Communication

Lisa Remlinger, Field Coordinator

Many Audubon members are busy What should I include in correspondences to my

with careers, families and local legislators?
volunteer work, yet want to • Name of the legislator
influence their legislators. In our
• Your name and address
growing efforts to facilitate
relationships between Audubon • How does this issue personally effect you
members and their elected
• Why is it important to you
officials, we have pulled together the following
Primer. This should set you on your way to tracking • What do you want them to do
and influencing the legislative issues you care about.
• Thank the legislator
Where can I get an update about a bill I’m
tracking? Keep in mind…
• Visit http://www.leg.wa.gov click on “Bill Info.”
Legislators know a little bit about a lot of issues, if someone
• Enter the bill number and you’ll get a recent
does not take the time to educate them about issues, they
report on the bill’s status and history. may slip by. Don’t rely on other people to advocate for
things that are important to you!
• For an up-to-the-minute update, contact Nina or
Heath at the state policy office.
Chapter Spotlight
Skagit Audubon soars with its conservation
Do you What are the best involvement.
ways to influence
know how to my legislator on a Steve Aslanian, Conservation Chair for Skagit Audubon,
likes to use the Woody Allen quote, “about eighty percent
communicate specific legislative
of success in life is showing up”, and that is what Skagit
issue?
with your In descending order Audubon does.
legislators? of effectiveness:
So far this legislative session, the Chapter has or will be
1. Generate dozens
participating in events such as the Priorities for a Healthy
of individual phone calls, letters or emails from Washington legislative workshop, Citizens Lobby Day and
voters in your district they have been a regular attendee at the Washington State
Audubon Conservation Committee meetings.
2. Meet with your legislator between sessions
3. Make a personal visit to Olympia during session When asked why they answered, “what we can do for our
environment gets reduced to explaining the need to protect
Make a personal phone call ‘common interests’ for our mutual well being. As we
4. Write and send a personal letter/email/fax become more preoccupied citizens, we can't forget about
these public trusts. They need to be defended from
5. Leave a message on the toll free legislative strategically positioned "special interests" that are always
hotline: 1-800-562-6000. eager to proclaim equivalent importance.”
January 20, 2006 Page 8 of 8
Audubon Washington is a partnership of the Washington state office of the
National Audubon Society and Washington's 26 independent Audubon Chapters.

Admiralty Audubon Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Seattle Audubon

Black Hills Audubon North Cascades Audubon Skagit Audubon
Blue Mt. Audubon North Central Washington Audubon Spokane Audubon
Central Basin Audubon Olympic Peninsula Audubon Tahoma Audubon
Discovery Coast Audubon Palouse Audubon Vancouver Audubon
East Lake Audubon Pilchuck Audubon Vashon-Maury Isle Audubon
Grays Harbor Audubon Rainier Audubon Whidbey Audubon
Kitsap Audubon San Juan Islands Audubon Willapa Hills Audubon
Kittitas Audubon Yakima Valley Audubon

Audubon Washington Policy Staff:

Heath Packard Miguel Perez-Gibson Lisa Remlinger
Policy Director Policy Consultant Field Coordinator
(360) 786-8020 Ext 205 (360) 259-7790 (360) 786-8020 Ext 201
hpackard@audubon.org miguelpg@earthlink.net lremlinger@audubon.org

1063 Capitol Way S; Ste 208

Olympia, WA 98501
(360) 786-8020

Mission of the National Audubon Society

To conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on
birds, other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of
humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.

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