April 2023 Updates

April 2023 Updates

Washington State Legislature passes important budget items taking next steps towards restoring endangered salmon in the Lower Snake River and honoring long overdue treaty obligations to tribal nations.

The Washington State Legislature took important steps on Sunday April 23rd 2023 when they passed the state budget to close out their 2023 session. Governor Inslee and legislators followed through on commitments made, and funding was included in the final 2023-25 budget, to begin the necessary planning to transition the services of the lower Snake River dams. More to come on this in the coming days from our Lower Snake River Dam advocacy and science leaders.

WCTU successful state hybrid meeting to pass new fiscal year budget!

On March 25th WCTU held its State Meeting using our new “meeting owl” technology to offer hybrid capabilities.

Many Thanks to all the state council and chapter leaders who took time to attend the important state budget meeting on Saturday March 25th. We had 8 chapters out of 10 present, so we were able to pass the budget with the required quorum. This was our first Hybrid meeting using the newly purchased Owl Meeting tool. The Owl gave a panoramic view of the room to those attending virtually. We have received some good feedback from those of you who attended virtually and we will make adjustments accordingly for better audio next time. Overall we are extremely pleased to have the Owl for all our future meetings.

This meeting was of huge importance as it allowed us to pass our next fiscal year budget which began April1, 2023. We also focused on CX3 and welcomed a guest speaker Judi Sittler (grassroots board of trustees for TU) member from PA who joined us remotely and spoke about why it’s rewarding in so many ways to attend CX3.

We saw two excellent films supported by the WCTU "All In The Water" & "A Steelhead Story: The Legacy of Bill McMillan" and overall the meeting was very successful!! We are happy to be able to offer the state meetings in a hybrid model now so all can attend without travel barriers.

Many thanks to Penny Mabie for facilitating the meeting, and Three Rivers Chapter for hosting the meeting at Penny Mabie’s Community Clubhouse in Maple Valley. What a great facility!! Thanks to 3 Rivers Chapter for the lunch and Judy Ronning Larson for picking it up! If you would like more information about the meeting and our new Fiscal Year budget please contact us HERE.

Next Executive Council Meeting is scheduled for Thursday June 15th, 2023 - please save the date if you are part of the EX Council.

Due to CX3 being held in Spokane 9/17/2023-10/1/22023 the next WCTU State Meeting with officer elections will be held October 14th, 2023 from 8:30am-4:00pm at Red's Fly Shop on the Yakima River in the Lodge Conference Room. More to come on this in the early fall, but SAVE THE DATE!!

Stand Up For Clean Water

Take Action NOW - Click Here

The US House cleared a resolution to block the new "Waters of the United States" rule, which restores key protections for millions of miles of streams and millions of acres of wetlands. Now, an important vote is set for this week in the U.S. Senate, so we still need to make our voices heard on this issue. The new rule would bring back basic common sense: we all live downstream, and we need to protect the small streams and wetlands where clean water starts its journey.

Please take a moment today to urge your senators to stand up for the Clean Water Act and oppose efforts to roll back the "Waters of the U.S." rule.

PS: While you're at it, take a moment to thank those House members who voted last week to defend America's bedrock clean water law.

WCTU ANNUAL AWARDS - Need 3 volunteers to help serve on the Awards Committee

2023 Awards will be presented at our October annual meeting. Nominations must be in by Aug.1, 2023. If you know a TU member or Chapter or Alternative Engagement Group (AEG) that fits the criteria for one of these awards, please nominate them.

The Chinook Awards for Conservation/Advocacy

The Chinook Award to a WA Trout Unlimited member
The Chinook Award to a WA Chapter or Alternative Engagement Group

The Steelhead Awards for Special leadership/commitment to excellence.

The Tim Gavin “Steelhead Award” to a WA Trout unlimited member.
The Phoenix “Steelhead Award” / to a WA Chapter or Alternative Engagement Group

Our AWARDS Chairman is Larry Hill - WCTU will need 3 more volunteers to serve on this committee to review the nominations. They will be using a point system criteria for judging nominations to decide the winners.

Please email us HERE if you are interested in serving on this committee.

For more information on the awards and the criteria visit HERE.

Nominations should be submitted to the State Council no later than August 1st, 2023. Nominating forms can be requested and completed nominations returned with all supportive documents to the council email HERE

CX3 is the new name for Trout Unlimited's National Meeting & this year it's here in Spokane!!

Start Planning Now to Be There!

COMMUNITY ×

A celebration of

COLDWATER × coldwater &

CONSERVATION

conservation.

Beautiful Spokane nestled on the Spokane River - Photo credit by Clay Elliot on Unsplash

Volunteers from Spokane Falls Chapter and the WA Council are hard at work helping staff plan the coming CX3 event held in Spokane 9/27/23 - 10/1/23.

The WCTU is asking Chapters to budget now to help at least one or two members of your chapter attend this amazing event right here in our state. We won't get this chance again for a very long time, and it means showcasing what WA Trout Unlimited is all about! The CX3 event will feature fun for all and is a family event. The website is being updated often and is now live for registration. So keep checking and visit often to get registered. GO HERE

Here is a great opportunity to get half off the admission price of the meeting, which includes all your meals and all the events. Just volunteer and work 4 hrs or more at the event and receive $175 off of the $350 fee for the entire event. That's a great deal and if you are interested you can put your name on the list by contacting Bruce Merighi HERE. Don't forget if you just want to attend any of the conference sessions without eating those are free!

You can also register for CX3 under the free category which Includes access to all conference sessions, presentations and free activities. Individual meals, fishing trips and other special events can be purchased separately. View full event lineup HERE

Chehalis Basin Dam Alternative Update

Read the report: Preliminary recommendations for a Basin-wide flood damage reduction alternative

Chehalis Basin residents can download and learn all about preliminary recommendations for a comprehensive, Basin-wide approach to flood damage reduction in the new LAND Preliminary Recommended Alternative report, created by the Chehalis Basin Strategy’s Local Actions Non-Dam (LAND) Steering Committee with input from people across the Basin.

The LAND Preliminary Recommended Alternative report proposes a combination of new and extended levees, Chehalis River channel modifications, a voluntary flood-proofing and relocation program, as well as restoration efforts and policy changes that would work together to reduce flood damage. Read more HERE

WCTU Advocacy Committee is following these headline issues:

Click on the blue or green links for information on each topic.

*Lower Snake River Dam Removal - Salmon and Steelhead recovery

*Chehalis River Habitat Restoration & Dam Proposal

*Gill nets in the mainstream Columbia River - big success in budget

*Salmon Recovery & SMA/GMA

*Coastal Steelhead Regulation Changes

*6ppd quinone & Salmon Mortality

*Warm Water Fish Policy

*Enloe Dam Removal TU Feasibility Study

*Nelson Dam Puyallup River

*Electron Dam

*Puget Sound Net Pens OUT

*Tongass Roadless Rule - AK

*Green River Valley Alliance working to legislate mineral withdrawal.

If you would like to join the advocacy team and represent your chapter or just find out more about all these issues in our state; please contact the

WCTU AC Co-Chair - Andrew Kenefick Here

Get on the TU calendar of EVENTS!! The calendar is linked to WCTU website, and chapters can also link events to their websites. Keep reading to get started using TU's Eventgroove which puts your events all in one place on the national TU website; then link it to your chapter website or Social Media sites to help promote your events. We encourage each chapter to start an account and use this event tool to advertise your events and help us all find fun and engaging TU events around the state. The following chapters are already using it.......

Spokane Falls - Spokane Women on The Fly -

Yakima Fly Fishers - Yakima Headwaters - WCTU

Check it out HERE and get started!!

Then your events will appear HERE

We want to share your chapter events and important conservation work in this newsletter. Spread the word across the state about fun and informative events you are hosting. Let us know how your events turned out so we can share your stories!!

Engagement is the way to Grow your chapter!! Learn more HERE

Not a TU Member Yet?

Support your cold water conservation for future generations and become a Trout Unlimited member today! Your membership helps support so many conservation efforts around our state. First time annual memberships start at $17.50.

Click HERE to find out more. If you don't know your local chapter name just put unknown and you will be placed in your closest chapter.

Washington Council Of Trout Unlimited