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Washington State faces escalating risks from drought, wildfires, extreme heat, and coastal flooding, which threaten its economy, ecosystems, and critical US military installations. While federal agencies like NOAA and FEMA provide essential forecasting, funding, and disaster recovery services, the report argues that recent and proposed budget cuts for FY2026—including the termination of key research laboratories and the reduction of grant programs—significantly degrade the state's capacity to prepare for and respond to these hazards.

The document argues that the draft NPDES permit for the City of Everett Water Pollution Control Facility fails to meet legal requirements under the Clean Water Act and state law. It specifically demands the establishment of effluent limits for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus). The authors highlight a 'hot spot' of PBDEs in the lower Snohomish River that impairs the immune systems of juvenile Chinook salmon, and they call for stringent pretreatment requirements for industrial users, including Boeing, landfills, and industrial laundries. The statement also advocates for a halt on the land application of biosolids until they are sampled for these persistent toxics.

The Yurok Tribe, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, and Puyallup Tribe of Indians petition the EPA under TSCA Section 21 to prohibit 6PPD in tires. They argue that 6PPD transforms into 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-q), a highly toxic chemical responsible for 'urban runoff mortality syndrome' in coho salmon and other salmonids. The petition highlights that 6PPD-q is ubiquitous in urban runoff and sediments, threatening species protected under the Endangered Species Act and undermining Tribal cultural and economic interests. It asserts that the EPA must act because the tire industry has not prioritized alternatives and stormwater treatment is insufficient to remove the toxin.

The report examines pathways to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete in the Northeastern US, emphasizing the role of government procurement in driving market demand for low-carbon alternatives. It details technical solutions like supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), the process and cost of carbon reporting via EPDs, and the associated economic and health impacts.

The fact sheet explains the structure of revolving loan funds (RLFs) as self-replenishing financing tools that lower financial barriers for environmental improvements. It highlights the Maryland Shore Erosion Control (SEC) RLF, which shifted from 'hard armor' to 'living shoreline' projects, and a feasibility study for a similar RLF in Puget Sound, Washington, aimed at armor removal and structure relocation to combat sea level rise and erosion.

The document describes revolving loan funds (RLFs) as self-replenishing financing mechanisms that provide low-interest loans to help property owners and municipalities fund environmental improvements. It highlights the Maryland Shore Erosion Control Revolving Loan Fund, which has provided approximately 700 loans over 52 years to support 'living shoreline' projects. It also discusses a feasibility study for a proposed RLF in Puget Sound, Washington, aimed at funding armor removal, soft shore protection, structure relocation, and structure elevation to combat sea level rise and coastal flooding.

The document is a transcript of a congressional briefing on West Coast coastal resilience. Experts from the USGS, California coastal agencies, and the Puget Sound region discuss the physical drivers of sea level rise, the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, and various adaptation strategies. Key discussions include the 'coastal squeeze' effect on beaches, the use of nature-based 'soft shore' stabilization in Washington, and the implementation of regional planning and environmental justice policies in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The document argues that the Port of Seattle improperly used a SEPA categorical exemption to avoid environmental review for an interim lease of Terminal 5 to Foss Maritime. The authors contend that using the terminal as a home port for Shell's Arctic drilling fleet—including vessels like the Noble Discoverer—would change the site's use from a container terminal to a shipyard, risking toxic runoff and water pollution that could harm threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon. The letter further highlights Shell's poor safety record in the Arctic and the broader climate implications of Arctic oil exploration.

Waterkeepers Washington and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations are urging the Governor of Washington to establish protective water quality standards based on actual fish consumption rates. They argue that the current rate of 6.5 grams per day is inadequate and fails to protect citizens, particularly high-consumption communities, from toxic pollution in waterways like the Duwamish and Columbia rivers.

A coalition of environmental and health organizations petitions the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to move beyond project-specific reviews and undertake a comprehensive area-wide Environmental Impact Statement for proposed coal export terminals in the Pacific Northwest. The petitioners argue that the combined capacity of approximately 100 million metric tons of coal per year creates systemic risks to rail infrastructure, public health, and global climate that cannot be adequately assessed on a site-by-site basis.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is implementing a wide range of energy efficiency and renewable energy strategies across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. These initiatives aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower long-term costs, and enhance mission effectiveness by decreasing dependence on liquid fossil fuels. Key goals include achieving 'net-zero' energy for numerous installations by 2020 and 2030, increasing the use of alternative fuel blends for aviation and naval vessels, and deploying diverse renewable technologies—such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass—at domestic and overseas bases. The DoD's efforts are guided by internal strategies, a 2010 Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Energy, and federal mandates including Executive Orders 13423 and 13514.

The document asserts that U.S. Supreme Court decisions in 2001 and 2006 effectively broke the Clean Water Act by interpreting its protections as applying only to "navigable" waters. This interpretation has allegedly led to the loss of safeguards for up to 60 percent of streams and rivers and 20 percent of wetlands, affecting watersheds that supply drinking water for over 110 million Americans. The author advocates for the Clean Water Restoration Act, which would replace the term "navigable" with "waters of the United States" to restore broad federal protections. The text notes that since 2001, an estimated 10,000 water bodies have been polluted or destroyed without federal limits, and the EPA has failed to pursue over 300 pollution cases following the 2006 ruling.

The document details how rising temperatures in the Northwest are reducing springtime snowpack and shifting streamflow timing, which threatens water supplies, hydropower production, and salmon populations. It also highlights risks of increased forest fires, pest infestations, and coastal erosion due to sea-level rise, particularly in the Puget Sound region.

The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, in collaboration with RMI and the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, held a workshop to address environmental impacts and operational inefficiencies in container shipping. Participants identified 44 ideas categorized as leadership, partnership, or 'Blue Sky' opportunities. Key recommendations include the electrification of yard hostlers, the creation of a centralized transportation information system, and the implementation of a lease-to-own financing model for drayage truckers to acquire cleaner vehicles. The report also explores long-term 'NuPort' concepts, such as unmanned ships and wind-powered vessels, to minimize total energy expenditure in the global supply chain.

Following the decision to expand its Everett, Washington facility for the 777 program, Boeing was required by the City of Everett to pay over $50 million in environmental and social mitigation costs. These requirements, mandated under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), included $47.46 million for off-site transportation improvements, as well as site-wide erosion control, wetland replacement, and low-income housing investments. The case highlights a conflict between Boeing's management accountants, who argued for expensing the costs as they added no measurable value to assets, and external auditors and tax groups, who argued for capitalization because the payments were a direct condition for obtaining necessary construction permits.

The document describes a scenario where MultiPaint, Inc. (MPI), a company marketing itself as "environmentally friendly," discovers significant toxic contamination at its idle downtown paint plant. The case explores five strategic options for the site: self-cleanup and sale, contracting a third-party cleanup, selling the land "as is" at a discount, donating the land to the city, or re-opening the site to produce lead-based paint for an international contract. It further examines the internal conflicts arising from a previous $100,000 EPA fine for RCRA violations in the Stain Division and the external pressures from banks, auditors, and the press following news leaks about the pollution in Puget Sound.