Advocacy
FOTC engages policy makers, regulators, and the public on a number of environmental issues:
Manure Spraying: We advocate for a ban on spraying manure into the air during episodes of poor air quality. Some of our communications are provided below:
Spraying Manure History of Citizen Efforts
Spraying Manure Petition Statement
Spraying Manure Whatcom County Lit Review
Spraying Manure Response to Lit Review
Yakima Health District Response
Spraying Manure Emails after Sept. 2017
Riverview Dairy: Neighbors have complained about pollution from this dairy for decades. FOTC pushes agencies to enforce laws against pollution from this facility, as shown below:
Riverview Statement of Concern
Riverview Letter to Ecology & WSDA
Tech Note 23: WA Ecology and WSDA told the public in 2015 that they would survey all WA manure lagoons using this document and use that survey to assess the status of the lagoons. The agencies have failed to do so as shown below:
Tech Note 23 CAFO Permit Comments
Tech Note 23 Ecology Answers Questions
Tech Note 23 Lagoon Assessments
Tech Note 23 Abbreviated Lagoon Assessments
Tech Note 23 Failure of Manure Lagoon Assessments
WSDA Dairy Nutrient Management Program (DNMP): In 2003 the legislature handed to WSDA the authority to conduct investigations of manure discharges on WA dairies. WSDA has done an inadequate job as shown below:
Letter DNMP 3-2022 from Shoen-Nessa
Letter DNMP 4-2022 to Schoen-Nessa
Letter DNMP 4-2022 from Schoen-Nessa
Letter DNMP 5-2022 to Schoen Nessa
Letter DNMP 5-2022 from Schoen-Nessa
Environmental Risk Tracking System (ERTS): FOTC shows that enforcement of the ERTS with respect to WA dairies is weak and protects dairies more than the environment. Below ar four legitimate ERTS complants from the FOTC that Ecology and WSDA have so far ignored.
FOTC Letter to Ecology re ERTS
ERTS Spreadsheet for Central Washington
Water Testing in the Lower Yakima Valley (LYV): FOTC attempts to engage Ecology regarding adherance to the scientific process when studying water quality in the LYV. FOTC believes the current process is flawed because the Environmental Information Monitoring (EIM) data base does not gather data from the LYV "Dairy Cluster", and because Ecology does not test for nitrates and nitrites separately.
Ecology Response Letter re QAPP
YRCAA Oversight: FOTC asked WA Ecology to exercise their legally authorized oversight of the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency, as shown in the correspondence below. So far Ecology has declined to do so.
YRCAA Oversight FOTC Letter 2016
YRCAA Oversight Director Bellon Response
YRCAA Oversight FOTC Letter 2019
Dissolve YRCAA: FOTC provides reasons why the Yakima County Commissioners should dissolve the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency. See documentation below:
Arguments for Dissolution of the YRCAA
Yakima Basin Water Study
In 2019 Friends of Toppenish Creek completed a study of water quality in the Yakima Basin. Surprisingly this study showed elevated levels of dioxins and furans in Lower Yakima Valley domestic wells. FOTC shared the data with the WA State Dept. of Ecology and that agency is completing follow up studies. To read the study report click HERE.
As a Public Service, to assist the work of the Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Management Area, Friends of Toppenish Creek will post relevant material for the GWMA Regulatory Work Group on this page.
Meeting Summaries & Presentations for the GWMA Regulatory Framework Group
Discussion of Purpose Statement and HDR Technical Memorandum #1, Regulatory Review
Presentation by Assistant Attorney General Phyllis Barney re Washington Water Law
Discussion of funding proposals
Planning for Study Sessions
Planning for presentations. Discussed Questions for Presenters
Presentations by EPA, Ecology & DOH. Introduced the Safe Drinking Water Act
Review of Study Session #1
Discussed Timeline, Elected New Chair
Presentation by the Natural Resources Conservation Services
Discussed Planning, Goals & Objectives
Presentation by WSDA DNMP and the South Yakima Conservation District
Presentatino by the WSDA Dairy Nutrient Management Program
Presentations on Composting, Biosolids, Underground Injection Wells and the CAFO NPDES General Permit
Yakima County Presentation on the Growth Management Act
Yakima County Presentation on SEPA
Planning & Brainstorming
Ecology Presentation on Surface Minining, Atmospheric Deposition, and the WA State Waste Discharge Permit Program
Presentations by the Roza-Sunnyside Irrigation Districts and the Yakama Nation
Presentation by WSDA Chemigation & Fertigation
Work Group Materials
General Summary of Regulations
Regulatory Framework Relevant to Irrigated Ag
Regulatory Framework Relevant to RCIM
Regulatory Framework Relevant to CAFO/Livestock
A Summary of the Laws Relating to CAFO Livestock
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