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

July 2 – How Sustainability Enhances Community Benefit and Resilience. 9am-12pm. This Climate Collaborative webinar will discuss how aligning environmental sustainability priorities with hospital charters, stewardship, and mission, fosters employee engagement, retention, and community trust.

July 8 – BFHD Presentation on Toxic Algae. 7-8pm. How to spot harmful algae, health risks, latest research, and more. At the Health District or online. Questions?  jamesc@bfhd.wa.gov

July 11 – Summer Kayak Adventure for Friends of the Refuge, 10am. The Friends of Mid-Columbia Wildlife Refuges and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a guided flatwater kayak adventure on the water bird rich Paterson Slough, Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge. The trip is open to members of the Friends of the Refuge. Join here.  To participate, sign up with Jaynee at jamatola@gmail.com.

July 16 –   Strong Towns Monthly Meeting.  Aub’s Lounge, 710 G WA Way – Suite AA, Richland. Strong Towns of the Mid-Col.

July 17- WA State draft Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, July Public Comment Listening Session (Zoom) 9-10:30 am.

July 17- National Day of Action – Indivisible Tri-Cities event, time & location TBD.

July 19 – Sustainable Tri-Cities meeting, Demo Garden, Union Str. Library. Noon. Bring your lunch & ideas.

July 23 – TC Chapter Citizens’ Climate Lobby monthly meeting. 7pm. Contact Steve .

July 28 – WA Climate Partnership (CCAP) Summer 2025 Quarterly Meeting, 2pm.  The goal of the CCAP is to create an actionable, equitable, and comprehensive plan to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This webinar is designed to share progress on statewide climate planning efforts. Register.

ACTIONS FOR JULY

Clean Vehicles Program Rulemaking comments wanted: Review and provide comments on Clean Vehicles Program rulemaking documents. Due by July 3, 2025. Ecology is considering amendments to Chapter 173-423 WAC, the Clean Vehicles Program rule. Use their online comment form .

Federal Action Needed for Passenger Rail Success

To achieve the goals for Amtrak Service in WA State we need federal funds for Amtrak.  The House Transportation and Infrastructure committee is currently drafting the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill.  Please write to Rep. Newhouse and ask him to let Chair Graves know that robust funding for Amtrak is essential in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill.  The house is writing the reauthorization and will have a draft out in September.  We need to be clear that progress on intercity passenger rail is our priority.  You can submit at his website. Suggested letter for Rep. Newhouse to send:

SUBJECT LINE: Prioritize Rail in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization

Dear Chair Graves,

     The Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill must provide robust funding for Amtrak and competitive rail infrastructure and service grants. Amtrak services communities all across the nation.  Amtrak has seen record ridership in recent years and the success of Brightline Florida demonstrates that the traveling public wants more passenger rail.  US freeways are congested and dangerous, people need a cost effective, efficient alternative to lanes and planes.   As one example, the  Big Sky Corridor Identification grant would restore passenger rail service to Central Washington and provide more service to Eastern WA.

     In addition to helping expand passenger rail service and improve efficiency of the freight service, federal rail grants also make our rail networks safer. For example, the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program helps address safety concerns at grade crossings. This program needs to have continued robust funding.

     Please do all you can to maintain robust funding for Amtrak and maintain the Corridor Identification and Development program.  Excellent passenger and freight rail systems benefit the nation as essential for mobility and supply chain effectiveness.

Thank you,

Your name, Congressional District 4  

Provide comments for the WA State draft Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) through our Public Comment Form (Smartsheet), due August 22, 2025.  Draft CCAP  STC will conduct guided reading sessions to help fill out the form.

Take the Kennewick  visioning survey for their next comprehensive land use plan. “We need your help to confirm our collective vision, community values, and investment priorities. No deadline posted. You don’t have to live in the cities in question to do the survey.

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 JUNE

BF Council of Governments (BFCOG) Regional Pedestrian and Trails Plan – Bill B. was interviewed “to help [BFCOG] align on key priorities, gather input, and ensure that all perspectives are considered.” Bill suggested that paths have shade cover while still considering trail damage caused by roots; one solution was manmade structures that which could have solar collectors on top. And to have premium walk sites linked with transit, and pedestrian-only streets. BFCOG also gathered 71 questionnaire responses at the Richland Farmer’s Market. See the BFCOG Facebook post.

City of Richland Off-Street Parking Regulation Reform. STC attended this virtual workshop, along with members of Strong Towns Mid. Col.  The firm the city has contracted to work on their comprehensive plan gave a presentation on the state of off-street parking in Richland and recent state law capping how much parking local governments can mandate, then asked for public feedback. Project next steps: develop parking code options based on public feedback, SB 5184 requirements, and industry best practice.

Climate Opportunities Action Plan. The (COAP) team, with STC and CCL members, continues to meet monthly. A regional planning group, the CPAT, which includes Bill Barlow (STC) and Steve Ghan (CCL), have met twice, and have two more meetings. There will be opportunities for public comment soon.

STC Core Group meeting- June 20 at the Richland Food Co-op.   Reviewed 2025/26 goals and events: work together for sustainable living by taking advantage of feedback wanted from local and state agencies such as BF Transit, Dept. of Ecology and BFCOG, and for changes to city comprehensive plans. Help implement recycling, littering, and other WA state bills; pursue evening shelters for heat and air quality emergencies.

June 29 – Sustainable TC and CCL Party. Opportunity to work together on a variety of tasks and have fun. Great turnout. Thank you, Bill, for being a great host!

Sustainable Tri Cities Resource Directory . Now available on the STC website. It defines then lists who is working on each topic in our community. The three main categories are Environmental, Economic, and Social Sustainability. Many thanks to STC member Les Stewart for this extensive resource for our community! If you see something to add to it, please let us know.

NEWS and THINGS to READ

July issue of Tumbleweird.

Pg. 13 – Grow local with Tri-Cities Food Co-op by Jessica Jean

Pg. 18 – Boots in the Basin. Digging Deeper with Steve Ghan. By Jenny Rieke.

Pg. 19 – Wildflower Walks. By Renee Struthers, Columbia Basin WA Native Plant Society.

Pg. 21 – Growing Community. By Mikki Symonds, Columbia Basin WA Native Plant Society.

Pg. 24 – Regulations that work for us. By Steve Ghan.

Escape the Heat, Find Some Shade – Urban heat stress can be mitigated with the right shade. Tom Kimmerer. June 24, 2025

Climate action elements for local comprehensive plans. By Bill Barlow. Sustainable TriCities.

The Benton-Franklin Council of Governments was awarded a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support local revitalization efforts. BFCOG’s Brownfield Program Vision is to revitalize vacant and underutilized properties in the Benton-Franklin region.

Trump breaks historic Columbia River deal between U.S. government, tribes, Northwest states. Updated June 13, with a statement from Gov. Tina Kotek. Oregon Capital Chronicle.

Saving Us by Katherine Hayhoe. A climate scientist makes the case for hope in a divided world. The CCL book group is now reading this. Contact us at Sustainabletricities1@gmail.com for more information.

For more news and events, see the Sustainable Tri-Cities website  www.alsctc.org/events and Like the Face Book page