By Janine Bogar and Shealy Thompson
The SSBA Conservation Committee is hard at work tracking and commenting on local, state, and even federal proposals that would impact birds and more. The committee is busy reading environmental assessments, tracking dockets, writing and submitting comments, and listening and testifying at hearings to make sure SSBA members’ voices are heard on proposed actions that could impact birds and their habitats. Below is a summary of some of the committee’s recent work.
Chehalis River Basin Flood Damage Reduction Project.
Flooding in the Chehalis River Basin is a problem that needs addressing. However, there are significant concerns with the current proposal which would “construct a flood retention facility and associated temporary reservoir on the Chehalis River near Pe Ell, WA and make changes to the Chehalis-Centralia Airport levee to reduce flood damage in the Chehalis-Centralia area.” SSBA recently commented on adverse environmental impacts in several areas:
- impacts to existing sensitive aquatic and terrestrial habitat, including wetlands;
- impacts to more than 100 species of flora and fauna, some threatened or engendered;
- impacts to wetlands, surface water, and groundwater.
The proposed dam construction and reservoir inundation would destroy some 800 acres of natural flood mitigation, such as wetlands and buffers, along with 18 miles of streams (including 1.25 miles of the Chehalis River). Water quality would be impacted due to increases in temperatures and turbidity and decreases in dissolved oxygen.
Fifty species of birds, including ten sensitive, threatened or endangered species (such as Bald Eagles and Marbled Murrelets) would be impacted by this proposal. The project would temporarily or permanently remove forested areas relied on by these and other birds, with 800 acres slated for clear-cutting. Mammals, fish, reptiles, and amphibians would also be affected, including Oregon Spotted Frogs, pocket gophers, and salmon, to name just a few.
The mitigation measures proposed for this project include re-vegetation, habitat enhancement, long-term monitoring of the impacts, and transporting fish and other animals from the impacted areas to other habitats. However, newly acquired habitats do not compare to established habitats, and typically take decades to turn into suitable habitat. Moving fish and other species is extremely stressful and often not successful in establishing the species in a new area. The Conservation Committee believes the mitigation measures to be insufficient in reducing the significant harm from this project.
Based on the significant and irreparable impacts to endangered, threatened, and sensitive wildlife and habitats, along with surface and ground water, the SSBA strongly recommends finding more environmentally sound methods of addressing the flooding issues.
SSBA members can learn more about the Chehalis River Basin issues at the Office of Chehalis Basin and stay informed about proposed solutions to recurring flood issues at the Washington Department of Ecology’s Chehalis Strategy Projects website. The public comment period is currently closed. However, based on the environmental impact study and strong public resistance, the project will continue to require monitoring.
The Federal Endangered Species Act
Recently, the committee submitted comments on proposed changes to the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). The ESA is a cornerstone of our national environmental protection policies, and though imperfect, has been responsible for helping to save many species. Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Whooping Cranes, and the Red-cockaded Woodpecker are just a few of the many success stories.
The proposed changes to the ESA from November 2025 would weaken it considerably. Proposals include removing the “Blanket rule,” which currently provides some immediate protections for newly listed species. The proposal, which SSBA opposes, would not put in place any protections until a species-specific program is established, a process that takes multiple years.
SSBA also opposes changes to Section 4 (Determination of Endangered and Threatened Species) and Section 7 (Inter-agency Cooperation). Proposed changes to Section 4 include requiring consideration of economic impact on designated critical habitat, with privilege shown to the energy sectors. Amendments to Section 7 would remove the requirement for other agencies to consider endangered species when implementing projects. All of these proposals would significantly weaken the act and increase the risk of species extinctions.
Contact your federal elected officials easily online through Democracy.io or other means and let them know you support protecting the ESA, so it can keep protecting species.
Wildlife Corridors for Washington State
The Conservation Committee also supports good proposals. In January and February, SSBA testified at committee hearings in support of WA Senate Bill 5203 – Ensuring connectivity for Washington wildlife through safe passages. The bill would create accounts in the state treasury to maintain grant funding for implementing the Washington Habitat Connectivity Action plan. The plan and funding would support more wildlife crossings, such as the one over I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass. Not only do these crossings provide needed corridors for wildlife, they also reduce dangerous and costly collisions between vehicles and wildlife. This bill has passed out of the Senate and is now being heard in the House. Please contact your state representatives and let them know you support wildlife corridors. You can call your representatives at 800-562-6000 or find the link to email them at https://leg.wa.gov/legislators/
These three actions are just a sample of the diligent work currently being done by SSBA’s dedicated Conservation Committee members to help ensure a healthy future for our state’s birds and the environment that we all are a part of. If you are aware of other issues that the committee could address, please contact ConservationChair@southsoundbirds.org. And be sure to check out future newsletters where we will keep you abreast of these and other important issues.
Photo credit: The beautiful Chehalis River, by Rachel Holland.
