Changing WindsDear Friends,

“Which way is the wind blowing?” This questiontook on distinct urgency during our Summer of2017 as wildfire smoke blanketed the Methow Valley. When the winds shifted to reveal bluebirdskies, we breathed deeply and witnessed thestunning beauty of the Methow with fresh eyes.

In many ways, our attentiveness to weatherpatterns mirrors our awareness of powerful forcespropelling change all around us.

Whether it’s massive population growth inPuget Sound, technology’s profound impact onhow we communicate, or global climate change –strong currents are transforming our Valley.

For more than forty years, MVCC has responded to forces of change that have the po-tential to shape our landscape and community.Decades ago, we foresaw that the Valley’s magicalqualities would eventually bring people from farand wide to enjoy this place.

MVCC volunteers and supporters studied thelaws protecting our public lands, waters andwildlife. We learned the ropes of county land useplanning. And we collaborated with many othersto thwart development of an international ski re-sort which would have altered our Valley at a scale

and pace incompatible with the natural environ-ment and rural qualities we value most.

Through working together, MVCC helped establish a legacy of Methow Citizens navigatingthe winds of change.

On the horizonLooking forward, we know that we must rise

to the biggest challenge of our lifetimes: the impacts of global climate change.

With your help, MVCC will take on an array ofcomplex issues – local land use and water supply;

resilient public lands and natural resources; thepotential for mining in the Methow’s head -waters;ATV access; clean air and the impacts of smoke.

There is reason for great optimism. Residentsand visitors alike are increasingly well informedand vocal. MVCC is proud to occupy a uniqueniche at the core of this growing activism. We arepart of an amazing team of professional staff,knowledgeable volunteers and stalwart members.

We’ll be tuning in to the direction and force ofthe wind – from breeze to gale. Because of yourincredible support, we are poised to respond.

Are you ready?If you are already an MVCC member, thank

you! Please consider a special year end donationof $100 or more. If you haven’t yet joined, pleaseuse the enclosed flyer to do so TODAY!

Thank you for your generosity!

Maggie Coon, Board Chair & Brian de Place, Executive Director

Fall 2017

Bob NaneyCraig OlsonJohn OlsonMelanie RowlandGeorge Wooten

Methow Valley Citizens Council ■ Box 774, Twisp, WA 98856 ■ 509 997-0888 ■ mvcc@mvcitizens.org ■ www.mvcitizens.org

MVCC Board of Directors

Methow Valley Citizens Council

“Of all the forces of nature, I should think the wind contains the largest amount of motive power – that is, power to move things.” – ABRAHAM LINCOLN

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Maggie Coon, ChairPhil Millam, Vice ChairDeeAnn Kirkpatrick, SecretarySteve Kern, TreasurerKari Bown

VOICEVALLEYT h e N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e M e t h o w V a l l e y C i t i z e n s C o u n c i l

Since 1976 Fall 2017www.mvcitizens.org

MVCC STAFF recently had the opportunity to aska group of 25 thoughtful neighbors,“What is theone thing you love the most about the valley?”People and community, trails and open spaces,agriculture, wildlife, quiet, dark skies, clean water,

and abundant publiclands topped the list– they always do.

When asked toenvision the best out-come for the valley30-50 years in the fu-ture, these folks fig-ured keeping all ofthose qualities wouldbe great, especially ifwe could also achieveaffordable housing,meaningful jobs, anda healthy agriculturalsector along the way.Tall order? Not yet.

We might alsoneed to accomplish

these things while navigating changes driven by forces far from the Methow: the effects of climate change on our ecosystem being among the most significant, along with the ever-present population pressure from urban centers. In coming years, we will experience changes that are best buffered by planning ahead. MVCC is preparing to meet these challenges head on – through cre-ative advocacy, partnership and local action.

In 2017, the MVCC Board adopted a Resolu-tion, establishing priorities for local actions to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and preparefor the impacts of climate change on the MethowValley. The priorities cut across every level of ourwork, reinforcing the importance of using scienceand including an educated community to informland use planning.

Our community is already involved in discus-sions about future projections for snowpack andriver water, sharing resources among differenthuman and ecosystem uses, and keeping thequalities we most love about this place alive intothe future by setting appropriate limits.

These are difficult conversations. We are set-ting the tone for the very character of this place,beyond some of our lifetimes. Good land useplanning really matters! ■

Keeping our Place

We are setting the tone forthe very character of thisplace, beyond some of ourlifetimes.

LOVE THE PLACE YOU LIVEby Kari Bown

When I am feeling the weight of these times, I go out-side. My dog gets really happy. We walk the ridgesand forest. He knows how to be present.

Love this placewe live: home,Methow Valley,Okanogan Co.,Washington,USA, NorthAmerica,Earth…. Beginwhere you are,again andagain. Go out-side. Listen.Watch the animals, wind, water. Notice beauty(among the challenges) in the world, in our neigh-bors, in ourselves.

All natural systems, our bodies included, strive for bal-ance and healing. Soil itself is a vital thing, creatingliving soil out of decay, turning waste into that whichsupports life and growth. Soil is under our feet, socommon and important. The work of the world iscommon as mud.

With our feet on the ground we can act, again and again. No act is too small. We can love this placewe live.

Kari Bown is an MVCC Board Member, organic farmer and fermenta-tion goddess. She lives with her family in the Twisp River watershed.

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IN OUR MISSION to protect the natural environ-ment and rural character of the valley, MVCCtakes on a lot of big, complicated issues. To ac-complish everything on our plate, we have alwaysemployed an “all hands” approach, using the in-credibly qualified help of dozens of communityvolunteers and board members to help us strate-gize and make the best use of our strong commu-nity voice.

In addition to working at the land use plan-ning level to address our common issues, we alsotake the team approach with other organizations,working together on different scales to address bigissues such as clean air, forest health, public landsaccess, and protecting the Methow Headwaters.

Valley Voice• Fall 2017 •Page 2

We’re in this TOGETHER

NCW Forest HealthCollaborative (NCWFHC)

MVCC closely follows thework of this group, whichincludes a diverse member-ship of timber industry rep-resentatives, conservation-ists, tribal government,elected officials, and local,state and federal land man-agers working together torestore the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

(OWNF) in Chelan andOkanogan Counties.MVCC provides feedbackon restoration proposals inthe Methow Valley.

Methow HeadwatersCampaignThe Headwaters Cam-paign formed in responseto the threat of develop-ment of a large scale open pit copper mine inthe headwaters of theMethow River. MVCC is the central local organization behind thiscampaign, providing operational support, localoutreach and communica-tions in partnership with local, regional andnational conservationgroups. Our goal is awithdrawal of 340,000acres of federal land fromlarge scale mineral extrac-tion, to protect the cleanwater upon which we all depend.

Okanogan OpenRoads Coalition (OORC)

MVCC is a supporter of theOORC, an emerging cam-paign formed by Okan oganCounty citizens (hunters,anglers, families, businessowners and and taxpayers)who are fighting to preventprivatization of importantpublic rights of way that ac-cess public lands and pro-vide escape routes duringnatural disasters.

Enloe Dam Working GroupMVCC works togetherwith this broad collectiveof concerned OkanoganPUD ratepayers and con-servation groups includingColumbiana, Trout Unlim-ited, American Rivers andAmerican Whitewater. Our common goal is thedecommissioning of EnloeDam and the restorationof the Similkameen River, a tributary of theOkanogan River.

It takes all of us to ensure access to clean air, abundantwater and resilient public lands for future generations.

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Clean Air Project (MVCAP) Takes on ‘Four Seasons of Smoke’

THIS PROACTIVE PROGRAM was initiated by Dr. Raleigh Bowden in 2014, in response to the valley’s frequent poor winter air quality. Following our experience during recent wildfires,MVCAP has expanded its scope to address year-round air quality. Now led by toxicologist Liz Walkerand guided by an all-star advisory team, MVCAPworks to provide information to protect our health

MVCAP Collaborators

Lookout CoalitionMethow ConservancyWashington Department

of EcologyTown of TwispOkanogan-Wenatchee

National Forest

Fire District 6WasteWiseOkanogan Conservation

DistrictMazama StoreCarlton StoreKROOT

continued on page 4

Valley Voice• Fall 2017 •Page 3

ComprehensivePlan

It’s Comprehensive!

Establishes a vision for thefuture, creates special planningareas, describes the ordinancesto be used to ensure wateravailability, water quality,agricultural viability and ruralqualities of life, populationgrowth, wildfire safety

Match anticipated growth withwater supplies

Describe how other codes willpromote wildfire safety, protectsensitive areas, supportagriculture

December 2018

Zoning Code

Plan

Prescribes densities, lot sizesand the types of permitted uses in different “zones”

Ensure density does not exceedwater supply, implement firesafety standards, provide buffersto support agriculture

December 2018

“Title 20” Okanogan County’s responseto the “Hirst” decision

Requires a case by case reviewof all new exempt wells toensure there is enough wateravailable

Complete research to figure outhow much water is available,ensure permit decisions aretransparent and predictable,develop standards for wells insubdivisions and “closedbasins”

Ongoing

Shoreline MasterProgram

Protects water quality,ecological function and habitatadjacent to water bodies

Locate development far enoughfrom water to prevent pollutionand protect salmon spawninggrounds

Final Stages of Approval

Critical AreasOrdinance

Protects aquifers for potablewater, wetlands, wildlifehabitat, floodplains andgeologically hazardous areas

Use best available science toidentify, map and regulatecritical areas

2018

What it Does What MVCC is Advocating Timing

SubdivisionOrdinance

Sets requirements for densitieswithin lots, clustering and openspace, emergency access

Ensure density does not exceedwater supply, require wildfire-safe access, protect agricultureand open space throughclustering

2018

PLANS TO WATCH IN 2018!

THE WASHINGTON STATE SUPREME COURT madethe “Hirst” decision, also known as “WhatcomCounty vs. Hirst,” on October 6, 2016. The Courtheld that a county must ensure that a new wellfor a house will not impact others who have a“senior” water right and will not bring streamsbelow the threshold needed for fish habitat. Thisis known as “legally available” water.

This means that when the County plans forgrowth, we have to make sure there’s enough“legal water” to serve new homes – without im-pacting other users, and without impacting fish.As you can see, land use planning becomes evenmore important when thinking about the numberof lots that can be allowed in certain areas:

density needs to be set at a level where there isenough water for each new house. Unfortunately,there are already parts of the Methow Valleywhere there are more lots than legal water.

Okanogan County adopted “Title 20” at theend of 2016 in response to the Hirst decision. It requires a case by case decision about legallyavailable water prior to issuing new building orsubdivision permits. MVCC believes managing our water supply is best done first in the Compre-hensive Plan and Zone Code, where a thoughtfulapproach to density and allowed uses can meetour community’s goal of preserving agriculture,and protecting existing water rights and endangered fish. ■

Water Law – Okanogan County’s Response to “Hirst”

MVCC FINANCIALSWith a 2017 budget of $175,000, the generosity of ourmembership provides over 75% of our revenue. This year,grants from the Icicle Fund, the Conservation Alliance andthe Burning Foundation and other foundations have helpedsignificantly. 89% of these revenues go directly to our advocacy programs.

Leveraging Volunteers. We estimate that countless volunteer hours provide at least $100,000 in additionalvalue. This means that for every dollar you give, we are ableto leverage an additional 60 cents out of it.

Valley Voice• Fall 2017 •Page 4

and find solutions for cleaner air in our valley. Our major pollutant is called PM2.5 (a particu-

late matter of 2.5 microns or smaller in diameter).

The source is predominantly from burning –smoke from woodstoves and outdoor burn piles,and of course wildfires. Inversions hold pollutedair close to the ground where these tiny particlesare inhaled deep into our lungs.

Approximately half of the valley – and anyone with a heart or lung condition – is considered especially sensitive to health effects of PM2.5. Health effects can range from coughing and wheezing, to increased likelihood of developing lung disease, to acutecardiac effects.

How we’re working to improve air qualityIn the past year, MVCAP has conducted

two vegetation chipping drives and assisted thePine Forest community with alternatives to burning. The Project also filled a vital communityeducation gap during the summer’s wildfire and smoke events, providing information tohealth care providers and local preparedness efforts, and coordinating with the Methow Valley School District to conduct indoor air quality testing and facilitate the purchase of HEPA air purifiers.

MVCAP is currently starting a project to createa network of ambassadors and citizen scientistswho will install air quality monitors that reportreal-time conditions in strategic locations acrossthe valley. ■

In 2017 MVCC and Conservation Northwest pre-vailed in our case challenging Okanogan County’s2014 Ordinance opening 600 miles of countyroads to ATVs. The ordinance was repealed andthose roads are closed to ATVs.

The County is now proposing new road open-ings district-by-district and has started with Com-

missioner District 3 (Jim DeTro). Unlike in the 2014ordinance that was repealed, the County has re-moved some roads from consideration and con-sulted with state and federal land managementagencies. MVCC is monitoring the environmentalreview process. We expect that ATV road openingsin the Methow Valley will be considered next year. ■

PUTTING YOUR MONEY TO WORK

ATV Update

Four Seasons of Smoke continued from page 2

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Smoke from regional and local wildfires brought surrealand “Hazardous” air quality to the valley in 2017.