- OFCO won its case against Pacific Seafood/Coast Seafood requiring the giant corporation to get a permit to operate in Quilcene Bay. Northwest Watershed Institute and Center for Responsible Forestry received modest payments under a structured environment program as a part of the settlement. Pacific/Coast is still in negotiations with the Washington Department of Ecology on its permit to operate in Quilcene.
- OFCO won its 2022 legal challenge to require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to do a new Biological Opinion on the Habitat Conservation Plan and DNR managed timber lands. OFCO submitted major scientific literature review of recent science on murrelets, forests, watersheds, and climate disruption. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will publish its new opinion by June 2024.
- OFCO’s timber monitoring efforts supported major accomplishments locally in Jefferson County. Along with the Northwest Watershed Institute, the Center for Responsible Forestry, Port Townsend and Jefferson County Climate Action Committee, and the leadership of County elected officials and forester, Jefferson County has adopted an update to its 2012 Forestry Plan identifying major “legacy forests” that should be conserved with Trust Land Transfer program support, and the Natural Climate Solutions Act funding available this year to save 2,000 acres of legacy forests in the state. DNR’s preliminary list of forests to save include over 400 acres of Jefferson County legacy forests.
- Although it’s been a long haul on the Wild Olympics, we are still very hopeful that it passes out of the Senate committee and on to the Senate floor while President Biden is still in office. We owe such gratitude to the incredible dedication and perseverance by Senator Patty Murray, Representative Derek Kilmer, and their corresponding staff. And, of course, we’d never reached this point without the tremendous support of all of you.
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Thank you for your continued support. We hope you consider us once again for an end-of- year donation. Your voice matters to us, to the forests, rivers and wildlife!