What are some reasons to attend Environmental Lobby Day on February 15th? First and foremost, the terrific news the Spokane Riverkeeper got a bill to restrict the sale of phosphate lawn fertilizer as one of the four environmental priorities in the legislative session. Last year, there was similar legislation passed in the Senate but not yet heard on the House floor for a vote. At the time, Spokane Riverkeeper director Rick Eichstaedt commented “This is critically important in places such as Spokane, which are trying to reach the lowest phosphorus levels in the country.  It’s particularly important for residents along Long Lake, where noxious algae blooms every summer.”

Currently, there are more than 200 lakes and rivers within the state that are listed as impaired for phosphorus under the Clean Water Act. It will also save money since controlling phosphorus discharge costs millions in wastewater treatment upgrades at the expense of local government and business. I'll continue to keep you updated, as will the Riverkeeper, but there is an important legislative workshop in Seattle on Janurary 8th. This is your chance to hear from legislators, environmental lobbyists, and others regarding the community’s Environmental Priorities. 

But there's more reasons to attend environmental lobby day. In true Letterman style, the Puget Sound Partnership has their top ten reasons to attend. To wit:

Reason # 10    The food! (Did I mention breakfast and lunch, vegetarian and non!)
Reason # 9    You can’t stand someone else deciding your environmental future.
Reason # 8    Russian Roulette is not your idea of a state environmental policy.

Reason # 7    Where else can you bump elbows with 400+ pumped up citizen activists?
Reason # 6    Bottomless cups of free coffee, all day!
Reason # 5    Getting your own chartered bus ride, at cost, straight to the Capitol!
Reason # 4    It gives you a reason for visiting Olympia.
Reason # 3    You can’t afford to go to Washington, DC to lobby.
Reason # 2    There is power in numbers – we even pass some bills!*
Reason # 1    It’s the democratic way!!

*    In 2010 the Legislature passed one out of three Environmental Priorities Coalition priority bills.
*    In 2008 the Legislature passed 4 out of 4 priority bills from the Environmental Priorities Coalition! That’s batting 1.00!

YOU ONLY NEED ONE REASON TO BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL LOBBYIST!! PICK ONE AND JOIN US ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2011.Click here for more information and to register

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