Mission Statement: Sustainable Tri-Cities provides opportunities for people of the Tri-Cities to learn about and act on ways to protect our environment for a healthy and rapidly changing future.

EVENTS

Feb. 4. Breaking Dormancy. A discussion revolving around native flora and opportunities to create art inspired by our local shrub steppe ecosystem.   The Columbia Basin WA Native Plant Society meeting is meant to draw inspiration from our unique ecoregion. Richland Public Library, 6:30-8 PM. What to bring: Optional – art supplies, journal, works in progress, etc. You may share what you created during this event by submitting it to their Columbia Basin Chapter newsletter.

Feb. 7. Winter Birds. 9am-12pm. Learn about the birds of migration season, and join in the opportunity to go on a van tour to areas of the refuge that aren’t always open to the public. Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges, 64 Maple St., Burbank.

Feb. 14. Adventures Underground Book Swap. Bring a book, take a book! (Limit 2). On the 2nd Saturday of each month. 10am – 2 pm. 1391 G. W. Way, Richland.

Feb. 19.Tri-Cities Food Co-op. 1420 Jadwin Ave., Richland. New Nutrition Classes Every Third Thursday starting Feb. 19^th. Tickets are available at the Co-op.

Feb. 21. STEAM Workshop: Nature’s Engineers. 10am-12pm. Kids work through hands-on building challenges, design experiments, and creative investigations that highlight the link between engineering and the natural landscape of the Columbia Basin. REACH Museum, 1943 Columbia Park Trail, Richland. https://visitthereach.us.

Benton Conservation District photo of donated Christmas trees to be used for constructing Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) in Benton Co.  BDAs are an important tool used in conservation projects aiming to restore degraded streams.

Feb. 25. TC Chapter Citizens’ Climate Lobby monthly meeting. 7pm. Shalom UCC church and Zoom. Participate on climate solution teams: Carbon Pricing, Healthy Forests , Building Electrification and Efficiency, Clean Energy Permitting Reform and help plan local educational events.

Feb. 28. Sustainable TC work party.10am. Join us at the Tri-Cities Food Co-op, Richland. We will work together to help pass bills in the WA legislative session, which ends March 12. See the Action section below. If you are aware of other opportunities, bring them with you to share. Let’s grab a coffee, shop, and collaborate.

Feb. 1. Registration begins for the March 20-22 Sandhill Crane Festival. Othello, WA. “See thousands of Sandhill Cranes, ducks, and geese as they gather against the stunning backdrop of the Saddle Mountains and sprawling cornfields. We have a fantastic lineup of wildlife viewing opportunities, along with engaging talks, fun tours, hikes, and workshops for everyone to enjoy. “

Inhabitants, an award-winning feature documentary exploring Indigenous land stewardship across North America. March 5, 2026, 6–8 pm. Free. Seating is first-come, first-served. Donations help support REACH Museum education and community programs. Following the screening, guests are invited to stay for a moderated panel discussion and audience Q&A with local tribal land management professionals.

Actions for February

Franklin County Comprehensive Plan Climate Element – position open. Franklin County will create a climate element for their 2026 Comprehensive Plan update. To help guide this process and to ensure that the climate element reflects our community’s priorities, we are forming a Climate Policy Advisory Team (CPAT) consisting of local stakeholders and subject matter experts. We anticipate holding at least three meetings between February and June. If you are interested in joining the CPAT, you need to fill out the volunteer board application. Contact Alex Hall ahall@franklincountywa.gov . It needs to be returned no later than Friday, February 6th at 5pm. Responsibilities of the CPAT will include:

• Providing input throughout the draft process,
• Reviewing potential goals, policies and regulations, and
• Performing other related duties as needed (i.e. participating in a Franklin Co. Planning Commission meeting). 

Volunteers to Track City Council Meetings. We need people to keep an eye on what is on the agenda so we will know when to gather people to attend (in person or online). All cities. Let us know if you will help!

The WA State 2026 Legislative Session ends March 12. STC is following the priority bills of the WA Citizen’s Climate Lobby, the Environmental Priorities Coalition, and the WA League of Women voters environmental issues team (Agriculture, Climate & Energy, Forests, Waste Management).  Taking a few minutes can help amplify the voice of all of these people working to pass bills to protect our natural areas and inhabitants. Here are a few bills STC is following, that you will likely support. Either click on the bill number below or enter it at Bills, meetings, and session. Then choose to comment or sign up to testify.

HB 2215  Climate Commitment Act compliance obligations for fuels supplied or otherwise sold into WA.

SB 5466/HB 1673 – Improving reliability & capacity of the electric transmission system in WA state. Also HB 1819  Increasing transmission capacity.

SB 5982/HB 2245. Address climate impact of data centers. Updating provisions for consumer-owned utilities…under the Clean Energy Transformation Act. Closes loopholes. Also HB 2515/SB 6171.

HB 2170/SB 5999 Protect older forests. Expand revenue generation & economic opportunities from natural climate solutions & ecosystem services. Gives WA Dept of Nat Resources a better way to protect.

HB 2275 Wildfire prevention & creating the WA wildfire prevention & protection council. $30 mill to restore the wildfire resilience funding commitment (HB 1168) in the gov’s ‘26 sup operating budget. Funded by CCA.

SB 5965/HB 2233 Plastic Bag Bill. completely ban film plastic bags at checkout and increase the charge for paper bags. Also, HB 1607/SB 5502 Beverage deposit aka Bottle Bill.

HB 2316.Land use development when vegetation associated with shrub steppe is present in the urban growth areas. It is sponsored by local legislators and includes language stating that shrub steppe is not habitat in urban areas and will not be protected.  The LCB Audubon Society urges you to register your opposition to this bill.

Please contact me if you want the whole list, and if you have any questions. Sustainabletricities1@gmail.com

2025 Tri-Party Agreement Public Involvement Survey. Jan. 12th – Feb. 26th, 2026. Share your thoughts on Hanford Site cleanup communications and public involvement.

2026 Park Partnership Program. Richland Parks & Public Facilities Dept is now accepting applications for up to $40,000 in matching grant funds to support community-driven park and recreation projects. If you have an idea to improve a City park, trail, or recreational facility apply by 5pm, March 2, 2026.  Presentations to Parks Commission: April 9, 2026. Learn more and apply at richlandparksandrec.com/ParkPartnership

Reminders…………

See the Sustainable Tri-Cities Resource Directory  and let us know what needs to be added.  

Send your events and volunteer opportunities to SustainableTricities1@gmail.org  so we can post them on our website and put them in this newsletter.

WHAT WE DID in January

Monthly planning meetings for Earth Day 2026. Jenni, Bill and Debbie are on the planning team. Jenni is creating an Earth Day Resource Guide to promote the event. (Please help us distribute it.)

Richland Parks 2^nd survey to help shape the future of Richland’s parks and recreation. Closed Jan. 2.

Off-Street Parking City of Richland public hearing Jan. 6. Lora attended and asked to reduce required parking spaces and for more tree shade. The Richland City Council adopted Ordinance 2026-01 on Jan. 20, 2026.  The amendments to eliminate the minimum number of off-street parking spaces required in the central business district and the Columbia Point north waterfront district became effective Jan 26, 2026.

Sustainable Tri-Cities Planning Meeting. Met January 12, at Jenni’s. Plans for 2026 will focus on Earth Day at the REACH Museum, Saturday April 18. We will also table at the CBC Earth Day event on April 22 and Riverfest in October. There will be many other opportunities depending on how many volunteers!  We will meet monthly on Saturday morning for coffee, discussion, and to amplify the voice of like-minded advocates, focusing this year on our local county and city comprehensive plans. Last year STC shared over 14 opportunities for public comment, not including the bills during WA legislative session.

Climate Action Element in City and County Comprehensive Plans: “Benton County and the Cities of Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, and West Richland are working to update their comprehensive plans by the end of 2026. As required by state law, they will be adopting policies to support resilience to natural hazards worsened by climate and to reduce emissions and vehicle miles traveled. In 2025, these jurisdictions partnered to develop the Tri-Cities Regional Climate Element. Each jurisdiction will now integrate the Tri-Cities Regional Climate Element into their local comprehensive plans.” See Climate Change | BFCOG . They are required to offer public comments. STC will help prepare people interested in participating.

Last month Bill started working with BFCOG and WSU-TC students on developing a way to collect data that will be needed by the jurisdictions when reporting meeting the climate element requirements.

NEWS and THINGS to READ

Bridging divides to tackle climate and defend democracy Opinion By Steve Ghan Special to the Herald Jan. 25, 2026.

Boots in the Basin – December Tumbleweird magazine:

Pg. 19. Community-based strategies & climate mitigation. North American Association for Environmental Education.

Pg. 19. Vista Field Cleanup Action Plan available for review & comment until February 10. By the Port of Kennewick

Pg. 20. Hope from the Inhabitants. By Pauline Schafer.

Pg. 35. We need better ‘training’ By Steve Ghan. “Imagine traveling to another city at 125mph in comfortable seats while watching the scenery pass by. So fast, safe, and relaxing!”

“Rail electrification, as proposed in this remarkable book, is that rarest of things: a genuinely new idea, and one that makes immediate gut sense.”  ~ Bill McKibben

“A brilliant solution to our simultaneous need to cut carbon emissions and improve our transportation infrastructure. Brilliant!” ~ Thom Hartmann