Friends of Toppenish Creek

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

Groen Stephens Klinge Opinion

Letter to Dr. Spitters

Yakima Health District Response

Letter to Dr. Lofy

Dept. of Health Response

Letter to Dr. Everson

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 Petition

Riverview Letter from YRCAA

Riverview Letter to YRCAA

Riverview Letter from Ecology

Riverview Letter from WSDA

Riverview Soil Maps

Riverview Letter to WSDA

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 FOTC Comments

Tech Note 23 Capper Response

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:

WSDA DNMP Failure to Enforce

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.

ERTS 1

ERTS 2

ERTS 3

ERTS 4

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.

FOTC Letter re QAPP

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


February 12, 2014

Discussion of Purpose Statement and HDR Technical Memorandum #1, Regulatory Review


April 17, 2014

Presentation by Assistant Attorney General Phyllis Barney re Washington Water Law


August 11, 2014

Discussion of funding proposals


November 12, 2014

Planning for Study Sessions

 

December 16, 2014

Planning for presentations. Discussed Questions for Presenters


February 19, 2015

Presentations by EPA, Ecology & DOH. Introduced the Safe Drinking Water Act


February 26, 2015

Review of Study Session #1


April 2, 2015

Discussed Timeline, Elected New Chair


April 23, 2015

Presentation by the Natural Resources Conservation Services


May 13, 2015

Discussed Planning, Goals & Objectives


June 10, 2015

Presentation by WSDA DNMP and the South Yakima Conservation District


August 12, 2015

Presentatino by the WSDA Dairy Nutrient Management Program


September 9, 2015

Presentations on Composting, Biosolids, Underground Injection Wells and the CAFO NPDES General Permit


October 14, 2015

Yakima County Presentation on the Growth Management Act

 

November 18, 2015

Yakima County Presentation on SEPA


 January 13, 2016

Planning & Brainstorming


February 17, 2016

Ecology Presentation on Surface Minining, Atmospheric Deposition, and the WA State Waste Discharge Permit Program

 

March 9, 2016

Presentations by the Roza-Sunnyside Irrigation Districts and the Yakama Nation


April 13, 2014

Presentation by WSDA Chemigation & Fertigation


Work Group Materials


Regulations by Source


General Summary of Regulations


Regulatory Framework Relevant to Irrigated Ag


Regulatory Framework Relevant to RCIM


Regulatory Framework Relevant to CAFO/Livestock


Effectiveness of Regulations

 

A Summary of the Laws Relating to CAFO Livestock




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