THESE CITIZENS ARE WORKING FOR A HEALTHY BAY

It’s safe to say Citizens or a Healthy Bay knows a thing or two because they’ve seen a thing or two when it comes to Commencement Bay.

That’s because Citizens for a Healthy Bay (CHB) has spent three decades devoted to reducing water pollution and restoration of Puget Sound waterways and deemed to be Superfund sites by the EPA and Department of Ecology and named one of the nation’s most polluted waterways in 1990.

During that time, CHB worked closely with government agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and members of the community to monitor efforts to cleanup these major contaminants and related restoration projects.

“For 30 years we have brought people together to achieve a clean and healthy Commencement Bay that benefits both our community and surrounding ecosystem,” stated Alex Teppert, CHB Director of Communications and Donor Relations.

And, while many of the initial big Superfund sites like the Tacoma Smelter have been restored, Teppert says CHB’s mission still has the same mission they started with “to engage people to clean up, restore and protect Commencement bay, its surround waters and natural habitat.”

First and foremost, CHB is literally the “eyes on the water” and conducts more than 100 Bay Patrols each year on Commencement Bay in “all hours and weather conditions.” Commencement Bay is unique with everything from deep open water to commercial port operations, industrial use, and pleasure boating that all can be sources of pollution.

Citizens for a Healthy Bay also partners with City of Tacoma, the Department of Ecology, and the Port of Tacoma to provide the Water Pollution Hotline (253) 383-2429 that you are encouraged to call if you witness any source or potential water pollution in or out of the bay.

So, besides dealing with derelict vessels, leaking boats, or any suspicious discharges in Commencement Bay, the hotline receives calls on everything from a leaking automobile at the neighbor’s house, to carwash violations or someone pouring paint down a local storm drain.

“We make sure we pass it on to the relevant agency or authority to deal with the issue, then follow up as well,” Teppert added. “Our goal is to make sure pollution or contaminants do not enter our waters in the first place.”

Besides the ongoing Bay Patrol and Pollution Hotline, the very core of Citizens for a Healthy Bay’s work has been mobilizing the community to “push for timely, thorough, and long-lasting cleanup of toxic contamination” in Commencement Bay, including the Tacoma Smelter Superfund site and successful major efforts to clean up Tacoma’s Foss and Hybleos waterways.

And while the bay may be cleaner than the 1980’s and 90’s, “there is still much work to be done,” Teppert admits, and CHB continues to fight for strong cleanups including the former Occidental Chemical site in Tacoma, which is a designated Superfund and still awaiting an official “Cleanup Action Plan” from the Department of Ecology.

For nearly 80 years, Occidental Chemical manufactured dry-cleaning chemicals along the Hybleos Waterway that resulted in a reported pollution plume underneath the Hybleos that stretches the size of five CenturyLink Fields to Marine View Drive and deeper than the Tacoma Dome is tall.

Citizen for a Healthy Bay continues to monitor efforts to develop a final clean-up plan for the Occidental Chemical site that ensures all environmental issues are address and also supports tighter regulations for the tideflats, including a ban on expansions of existing fossil fuel refineries and terminals. These regulations are voted on by the Tacoma City Council every six months and covers the Nalley Valley Industrial area as well.

However, one project not covered by these regulations is a proposed Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) at the Port of Tacoma which is now entering the permit process. Good Citizens for a Healthy Bay opposes the project due to environment and climate change concerns.

Citizens for a Healthy Bay also conducts wetland assessments, habitat restoration, and shoreline cleanup projects each year around the Bay.

Education is also a priority for CHB, they recently added a “Clean Water Educator” to work with schools, youth groups, and local non-profit organizations, including their Student Stewards Conservation Program.

Goal of the program is to “empower the next generation of environmental stewards to forge a greener future” by combining in-depth scientific lectures and hands-on restoration and research activities at local conservation sites.

Their initial four-day program for Pierce County middle school students included two days of in-class lectures and two days of fieldwork on topics of Wetland Health, Habitat Restoration, Field Data Collection, Microplastics Pollution, Salmon Life Cycles, Invasive Species, and Birdwatching.

Earth Corps Local Restoration Global Leadership, Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, Puget Sound Energy, Powerful Partner, and The Russell Family Foundation all sponsored and partnered with CBH on the Student Stewards Conservation Program.

“Local ecosystems aren’t the only ones who benefit from this program, students do too,” Teppert added.

Anyone can become involved with CBH through several ways, from directly donating on their website or volunteer to help in one of their restoration or cleanup projects along Puget Sound.

DINNER & AUCTION IS MAIN FUNDRAISER

Perhaps one of the most compelling ways to help the organization is by attending their annual “Cheers To A Healthy Bay Dinner & Auction” in March.

Citizens For a Healthy Bay hopes to raise more than $100,000 at this event that food and a variety of live auction items that typically include everything from trips, to art, jewelry, dinner experiences, to having lunch with a Tacoma City Council person.

Over the years, the event has included atrip for two on a Holland American Cruise and a week in the Big Island of Hawaii at the Fairmont Orchid, including airfare. Sponsors for the event include Schnitzer Steel, Financial Insights, and Puget Sound Beverage.

“This is always a very popular event so we encourage everyone to visit our website and purchase their tickets online ahead of time,” Teppert requested. “This is one of our most important fund-raising events.”

For more information on how to donate, volunteer, and support Citizens For A Healthy Bay, call (253) 383-2429 or visit www.healthybay.org