Sustainable Tri-Cities July 2026 Newsletter

Free Fare month on BFT! Celebrate summer and America’s 250th Anniversary with FREE rides in July on Ben Franklin Transit Fixed Route Buses, Dial-A-Ride, and CONNECT.

Seasonal Weeding at Badger Mt. Regular weeding crews will be out on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday mornings. All of this is completed by volunteers, and we could use your help. Training is included for anyone who wants to join in. Check friendsofbadger.org for more information.

July 9. Little Explorers: Down by the River. Children will discover river animals and nature through stories, songs, and hands-on activities 10:15 am. REACH Museum.

July 11. Walking with Nature 10:30 am.  The walk will Master Gardeners will focus on its mental health benefits. Demonstration Garden, 1620 S Union St., Kennewick.

July 14. Benton PUD Public Hearing. 9 am. Administration Office Commission Room, 2721 West 10th Ave, Kennewick. See Actions below.

July 18. Bike Rodeo. A great opportunity for riders of all ages to practice important bike safety skills and learn how to stay safe on the road. Families can enjoy interactive activities, meet local first responders, and take-home valuable safety information.  Chief Joseph Middle School Parking Lot. 10 am -12:00 pm.

July 24. TC Chapter Citizens’ Climate Lobby monthly meeting. 7 pm. Shalom UCC church Zoom . Participate in climate solution teams: Carbon Pricing, Healthy Forests, Building Electrification and Efficiency, and Clean Energy Permitting Reform, and help plan local educational events.

July 25. Coffee Chat and STC monthly meeting.  We will meet at Bill’s home Sat., 7/25/26, 10 am. Contact  sustainabletricities1@gmail.com for directions. Agenda: accomplishments, more action  opportunities, the BF Health District short survey, and planning next tabling events and projects.

More events on our Face Book page and website.

Actions for July

WA Dept. of Ecology’s updated Community Engagement Plan “describes new processes and practices that will help us make sure everyone impacted by our work can have a say in how decisions are made.” Ecology is interested in hearing “how your community wants to engage with us and our environmental work”. Forums will be on Zoom. July 14, 5 – 6:30 pm Register here or July 22, 4 – 5:30 pm Register here

Hanford Sitewide Permit, Revision 9A.  Tell Ecology what is important to you for the cleanup of Hanford. Learn more about the Sitewide Permit and how to comment at ecology.wa.gov/REV9A  Deadline Oct. 27.

Richland Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Plan: to guide investments in parks, recreation, trails, open spaces, and public facilities over the next six years and beyond. Review the draft and submit your comments by July 8, 2026 at richlandwa.gov/PROSPlan.

Benton PUD just released a new Strategic Plan (10-year horizon). It gathered public comment on its Clean Energy Implementation Plan and now seeks comments on its 2026 Resource Plan. Local feedback is being accepted through public hearings, online comment forms, and directly to the Clerk of the Board to help shape the transition to 100% clean electricity by 2045.  Benton PUD Public Hearing July 14, 9 am. Administration Office Commission Room, 2721 West 10th Ave, Kennewick.

BF Health District  Environmental Health Assessment Community Survey: what matters most to you about your environment – the places we live, work and spend time- and how it impacts your health. At the message, click “cancel” to go right to the survey.   This short survey is open through July 2026.  

Comprehensive plans comment opportunities continue.  Great ideas for state/ local policies:

WA State Plan: Climate Partnership’s Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) No need to comment now. https://waclimatepartnership.org/en/ We recommend that you select from the table of contents then dive into the most interesting sections.

Local Comprehensive plan updates: Benton and Franklin County and each city is working on updating their comprehensive plans, which are due December 2026, including adding a climate element. The plans guide decision-making for the next 20 years. STC suggested comments HERE.

• Pasco Comprehensive Plan Contents of the plan Here. Email comments to Carmen Patrick .
• Richland Comprehensive Plan update Send comments to Mike Stevens, Planning Manager.
• Kennewick Comprehensive Plan  Send comments to matt.Halitsky@ci.kennewick.wa.us   
• Benton County Comp Plan Updates.   Send to  planning.department@co.benton.wa.us  Due July 2.
• West Richland Comprehensive Plan  Email comments to  Eric Mendenhall .

 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 June

• Benton-Franklin Council of Governments Regional Transportation Plan 2050: online interactive prioritization exercise on our region’s long-range transportation investments for the next 25 years.
• Submitted comments on the Benton County comprehensive plan. (new deadline July 2). See suggestions for comments on the  STC website under “News”.
• Signed the Climate Solutions petition to update and improve WA state building energy codes.
• STC monthly meeting, Saturday June 27, at Lora’s house. Planned summer and fall events and actions.
• Earth Day 2026 and 2027 information was added to the STC website. Planning for 2027 has begun.
• We have a team working to learn what is currently recycled locally to make improvements and educate the public.  Contact us to join in the effort. Jenni is providing Rivers Edge students with volunteering opportunities, including litter pick up.
• Submitted a Reading list in July Tumbleweird, under Boots in the Basin.