June 26, 2026 - Monthly FOTC Board Meeting via ZOOM
July 6, 2006 - FOTC Working Retreat
July 24, 2026 - Monthly FOTC Board Meeting via ZOOM
August 21, 2026 - Monthly FOTC Board Meeting via ZOOM
September 25, 2026 - Monthly FOTC Board Meeting via ZOOM
October 23 - Monthly FOTC Board Meeting via ZOOM
November 27 - Monthly FOTC Board Meeting via ZOOM
December - No Board Meeting
Friends of Toppenish Creek held our Annual Meeting on Friday, April 24, 2026 in Wapato WA from 0800 AM to 12 noon
Agenda
Friends of Toppenish Creek 2026 Annual Meeting
Opening Prayer
Election of Board Members and Officers
Review of Minutes for 2025 Annual Meeting
Review of Bylaws
February Minutes
Budget
Report on Mabton Research – Jean Mendoza & Maria Fernandez
Report on Well Water Testing in the Lower Yakima Valley – Ron Sell
Report on Social Behavior Modification in White Swan – Joshua Tsavatewa
Review of 2025 FOTC Activities – Jean Mendoza
Plans for 2026
Board Packet for the 2026 Annual Meeting
Part of that meeting will involve evaluation of FOTC Activities in 2025
January: Engaged in efforts to get Yakima County to accept nominations to Position 3 on the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency Board of Directors. We succeeded in getting the Yakima County BOCC to accept nominations, but they ultimately selected their first choice, Dr. Steven Jones.
January: Meeting with ELLA and Tebbutt Law to discuss LYV groundwater
January: Began participation in Ecology Advisory Group meetings that analyze Environmental Justice and Offsets
January: Sent Letter to the Office of the Columbia River regarding groundwater withdrawals by LYV dairies. See Doc A1
January: Letter to YRCAA regarding potential violations of YRCAA Administrative Code Part A. See Doc B 1
January: Request to make a presentation to the Yakima County BOCC regarding the YRCAA. Request denied.
January: Sent a White Paper regarding LYV groundwater pollution “Who Pays?” to WA Legislators. See Doc C1 & Doc C2
February: Began talking with Philanthropy Northwest and Central WA University about a grant for research in water issues in the Mabton Area
February: Began meeting with Earth Justice and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) regarding WA Ecology rulemaking, especially WAC 173-448
February: Spoke to Yakima County Democrats on Environmental Issues
February: Formal complaint of permit violations by Fryslan Calf Ranch to Yakima County Code Enforcement. See Doc D1
February: Letter to Kathy Taylor, Program Manager for Ecology Air Programs re YRCAA. See Doc F1
February: Letter to WA Dept. of Health, Health Tracking Network regarding absence of data regarding the impact of agriculture on public health. See Doc G
February: Meeting with Commissioner Kyle Curtis
March: FOTC Annual Meeting for 2025
March: Began meeting with Friends of the Earth and others regarding concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)
March: Posted and shared document regarding gallons of water per day per milk cow. See Doc H
March: The WA Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB) ordered Ecology to rewrite major portions of the NPDES permits for CAFOs. See Doc I
March: Request to YRCAA to discuss WAC 173-448. Ignored. See Doc B2
March: Letter Response from Kathy Taylor at Ecology re YRCAA. Ecology will not take action but will talk with YRCAA. Recommend talking to an Ombudsman at the Attorney General’s Office. See Doc F2
March: Meeting with the Health Disparities Mapping team from DOH
April: Letter to WA AG Ombudsman re YRCAA. See Doc F3
April: Presentation to the Sierra Club Water & Salmon Committee with an update on CAFOs in the Lower Yakima Valley
April: Meeting with people from the Dept of Health to discuss Washington’s Health Disparities Map
April: Sent a new grant application to Philanthropy Northwest for Mabton groundwater research
April: Note to WA State Auditor re YRCAA. See Doc B3
April: Reply from Auditor. See Doc B4
April: Letter to Yakima County Code Enforcement – we should be included in meetings with Fryslan. See Doc D2
April: Informed key policy makers about violations by Fryslan Calf Ranch
April: Introductory meeting with ELLA and Raul Almeida from the Governor’s office.
April: Reply from Yakima County re Fryslan Calf Ranch. See Doc D3
April: Sent analysis - YRCAA Revenue and Expenditures Trends to YRCAA Board. See Doc B4
April: Letter to YRCAA Board of Directors regarding 2025-26 Budget. See Doc B5
April: Letter to Dept of Health, Yakima Health District and Ecology regarding cumulative risk assessments. See Doc J
May: Participated in May Day event in Sunnyside
May: Met with EPA Region X Regulators – Ed Kowalsky and Ricardi Duvil
May: Poop tour for people from the WA Environmental Justice Council
May: Public Records Request for employee complaints against YRCAA
May: Informational letter from Ecology re YRCAA. See Doc F4
May: Sent more information to Ecology re YRCAA. See Doc F5
May: Letter to YRCAA re 2025-26 Budget. See Doc B5 & Doc B6
May: Letter of Concern re YRCAA to Yakima County BOCC. See Doc B7
May: Response Letter from Ecology re air quality. See Doc F6
May: Request to present information on YRCAA to Yakima County BOCC. See Doc B8. Request rejected.
May: Sent comments on the 2025-26 Budget to the YRCAA. See Doc B9 & Doc B10
June: Meeting with Yakima County Planning, Tommy Carroll and Jason Earles, re Fryslan Calf Ranch
June: Update from Food & Water Watch – EPA is not moving on our petition under Section 1431 of the Safe Drinking Water Act
July: Sent a statement of permit violations by Fryslan Calf Ranch to the Yakima County BOCC. See Doc D4
July: Meeting with EPA Region X Air people
July: Meeting with Larry Matson from Ecology’s Office of the Columbia River regarding LYV water quantity. See Doc A2
July: Yakima CAFO planning group begins meeting
July: Meeting with WA Ecology & ELLA regarding permitting and pollution at Nutrien and Windmill Mushrooms. See Doc F7
July: Testified at hearings regarding Washington’s Clean Fuel Standard
July: Comments at Ecology’s Listening Session regarding Overburdened Communities
July: Comments during Dept. of Commerce Listening Sessions for the HEAL Act
July: Participated in filming for ELLA documentary
July: Asked YRCAA to add an agenda item related to compliance with YRCAA Administrative Codes A & B. See Doc B11. The Board said they would look into revisions to the code but they did not follow through. See Doc B12
July: Sent the YRCAA documentation of the inadequacies in dust permits for heifer feeding operations. See Doc B13
July: Informed the YRCAA regarding required “consultation between clean air agencies and the WA State Dept. of Ecology regarding implementation of RCW 70A.65.020 – Environmental Justice Review” No response from the agency or the board.
July: Philanthropy Northwest notifies us that funds have been unfrozen and grant planning can move forward.
July: PRR to YRCAA for air permits and inspection reports for Nutrien Solutions, Greenwood Mushrooms, Sage Brush Ranch, Fryslan Calf Ranch. In September the YRCAA replied “No records of orders of approval for Nutrien Ag Solutions, Sagebrush Ranch, or Fryslan Calf Ranch for the period specified were found” for the period between Jan1, 2020 and July 2025.
July: Signed on to a Columbia Riverkeeper complaint against Darigold Sunnyside for violating their permit under the Clean Water Act. See Doc K
July: FOTC signs on to a letter from Earth Justice and other NGOs regarding WAC 173-448 with emphasis on “avoided methane” See Doc L
July: Message to Yakima County re Fryslan Calf Ranch. See Doc D5
August: Met with EPA Region X leadership in Seattle
August: Met with EPA Region X Air people
August: met with ELLA and attorneys to discuss a possible Writ of Mandamus for Fryslan Calf Ranch
August: Sent Concerns re Fryslan Calf Ranch to Governor Ferguson and Director Sixkiller. See Doc D1
August: Submitted comments re rulemaking under WAC 173-424. See Doc F8
August: Request for YRCAA to discuss Title V permits at the next community forum. Forum was cancelled.
August: Notification of grant award for Mabton research from Philanthropy Northwest
August: Sent a white paper, “Under Reporting of Hazardous Pollutants” to Ecology and Commerce. See Doc F9
September: Met with Ricardi Duvil from EPA Region X re water issues
September: Met with Ecology Water Resources Division, Heather Simmons and Ryan Murphy, re Mabton water
September: Began meetings with Kingsly McConnell from Center for Food Safety
September: Met with Environmental Justice Community Engagement Rep, Courtney Cecale, from Ecology
September: Met with Ricardi Duvil from EPA Region X
September: Conversations with Heather Patt at Ecology re Compliance with NPDES permits for CAFOs. See Doc E1, Doc E2 & Doc E3
September: Filed an ERTS complaint against Fryslan Calf Ranch for withdrawing too much groundwater. See Doc D6
September: Helped present a Community Forum at Sunnyside. See Doc M
September: WSDA Response to FOTC Questions. See Doc N
September: Sent a list of YRCAA Concerns to Ecology and the Governor. See Doc B14
October: Presentation to Wesley Methodist Group on LYV Groundwater
October: Conversation with UW law students Environmental Law Society
October: Conversation with Public Justice regarding discharges from the Washington Beef facility in Toppenish
October: Informed Ecology that YRCAA does not investigate ERTS complaints.
October: Signed on to additional comments on WAC 173-448 along with Earth Justice and other NGOs. See Doc F14
October: Meeting with Center for Food Safety, Food and Water Watch, & Farmstand regarding rulemaking under WAC 173-424 – the Clean Fuel Standard.
November: Screening for ELLA documentary “The Price of Plenty” in Sunnyside
November: Met with Tebbutt Law regarding enforcement of Consent Decree with DBD/SMD
November: Poop Tour with Jon Kenning Program Manager for Ecology Water Quality
November: Met with Sunnyside community members re discharges from Klompe Dairy
November: Asked Yakima County Code Enforcement for updates on Fryslan Calf Ranch
November: Comments on rulemaking for WAC 173-424 the Clean Fuel Standard. See Doc F10 & Doc F11
November: Note to YRCAA Board of Directors regarding complaints of a hostile work environment and loss of two employees. See Doc B15 & Doc B16
November: Note to Jon Kenning, Water Quality Manager for Ecology re LYV CAFOs. See Doc F12
December: Comments at Ecology Listening Session re Overburdened Communities
December: Met with Northwest Animal Rights Network and other groups re CAFOs
December: Began attending meetings with Climate Solutions re WA legislation
December: FOTC’s appeal of WAC 173-424 provisions was rejected by Ecology
December: Fryslan Calf Ranch received a 60 day extension to allow them to complete paperwork for new CUP application
January: Sent LYV GWMA Groundwater Data Analysis to legislators, agencies and policy makers. This document shows that groundwater nitrate levels are worsening in the LYV. See Doc O
January: Appeal to Governor Ferguson of Ecology’s rejection of appeal of WAC 173-424.
February: Comments at Ecology Listening Session re Overburdened Communities
February: Meeting with ELLA and Tebbutt Law re groundwater pollution in the LYV
February: Meeting with Toni Ball from Senator Murray’s office and other groups from the Alliance for the Common Good
February: Community Meeting in Mabton re CWU research on groundwater
February: Meeting with people from Earth Justice re LYV groundwater
February: Participated in screening of “The Price of Plenty” in Richland
February: Meeting with Front and Centered re the Clean Fuel Standard and CAFO pollution
February: Meeting with Rep. Manjarrez and staff from Senator King’s office
February: Met with Cristina Gonzalez Torres and Tatiana Brown from the WA Environmental Justice Council
February: Signed a Columbia Riverkeeper Letter requesting a public process and meeting regarding the demolition process for the 324 building at Hanford.
February: Letter to Outlook Elementary School and others regarding high nitrate levels in a monitoring well near the school. See Doc P & Doc Q
February: Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency posted a Draft Notice of Approval for the Sunnyside biodigester. A public hearing was scheduled
February: Presentation to the Sierra Club Water and Salmon Committee re LYV CAFOs
February: Note to YRCAA regarding obligations under WAC 173-448. See Doc B17
February: Talked with Sara Gersen and Cheryl Laskowski from Earth Justice about the Clean Fuel Standard
March: Governor Ferguson rejects our appeal of WAC 173-424 revision
March: Fryslan Calf Ranch receives a pause on their application for a new Conditional Use Permit
March: Comments at a Listening Session on the HEAL Act
March: Met with Mabton Mayor Martha Gonzalez
March: Comments at Ecology Listening Session regarding the NPDES permit for CAFOs
March: Comments at YRCAA public hearing regarding the Sunnyside manure methane biodigester
March: Submitted comments regarding the YRCAA Order of Approval for the SS RNG biodigester. See Doc R
March: Interviewed by Humberto Rodriguez for a podcast on LYV water
March: Met with Friends of the Earth community engagement person for Washington
April: Presentation on LYV Water at a PoderLatinX forum at YVCC
April: Presentation to the Mabton City Council re water issues
April: Darigold agrees to a $2 million settlement for violations of the Clean Water Act. See Doc S