Green Caucus Saturday, September 17, 2011 SeaTac Doubletree
ATTENDING: Dan Petruso, Morton Alexander, Juvenile Rehabilitation; Carol Dotlitch, Bob Overturf, stationary engineer; Leigh Molinda, Local 573; Debbie Haigh, L&I, Spokane; Alia Griffing; WFSE staff, Legislative and Political Action; Kerry Graber, Ecology; Sue Hendrickson, E-Board; Mike Carlson, L&I, Local 443; Jim Wavada, Ecology, Spokane; Kim Loftness, Local 341; Laurie Valeriano.
9:15 Opening remarks and Introductions, Agenda Review, Introductions
Last meeting was mostly planning and goal setting and planning for convention. Monthly phone calls have helped us figure out how we are going to operate.
9:30 Legislative Session – Alia Griffing
It’s going to be the fight of our lives. Revenue forecast says were $1.4 billion. Ten percent plans will be implemented; but Governor doesn’t want to do across-the-board cuts. Some agencies will be targeted.
Our position is that you can’t do it with cuts alone. Now the House D’s are talking about revenues. Senate is collection of individuals – harder to read. Seems like both houses and both caucuses are talking about revenue. We’re going to be pushing hard to stop the cuts and for revenue.
In odd numbered years, bills that did not pass in earlier legislature can be reactivated where they are.
One bill that will see renewal will be Hydraulic Project Approval – charging more for hydraulic permits (water rights).
Pre-tax deduction for transit and parking (another bill from House). HB1518. This bill would encourage trip reduction programs and save state money.
We could get actively involved in promoting each of these bills and asking to sit in on negotiations for the crafting of these bills.
Would some of us be willing to be sounding boards for legislative ideas and are willing to lobby legislators?
Encourages us to have a Green Caucus Lobby Day.
Wavada proposed that we gather feedback/intelligence on emerging legislation from local jurisdictions and forward that to Alia and ask for feedback from her on who we should be working with on that issue.
Alia responded that it’s important to stick to lunchbox issues with all of our efforts.
Kerry added that we should not do anything to add to Alia’s workload.
Carol urged us to encourage the purchase of Discover Passes, because they aren’t selling and that means parks may be forced to close.
Morton asked Carol about status of WMS cutback issues. Carol responded with caution per the recent effort that resulted in creation of new EMS positions and filled them with bargaining unit employees. Governor is working on LEAN process.
10:15 Laurie Valeriano, Washington Toxics Coalition -- How do we work with them and other
organizations?
Gave an introduction of Coalition’s legislative work, BPA bans, regulation of lead in children’s toys. 70,000 chemicals are grandfathered in to situation where no legislative review is required.
Chemicals in children’s products is biggest recent piece of work. Now working on disclosure requirements and requirement for identifying safe alternatives to toxic chemicals. They are looking for people who are personally impacted and willing to share their stories.
They look to outreach with others to advance larger policy initiatives. Talked about Environmental Priorities Coalition, 25 groups, who review and prioritize proposals brought to them. They are very issue focused. We typically do issues like Puget Sound health and cleanup. Another big issue is climate change. Climate Solutions, (Jessica). Washington Conservation Coaltion. Land Council, Nature Conservancy are other organizations to whom we should reach out. Earth Ministries? Very connected with faith community through Earth Ministries. Sierra Club as potential partner on energy issues.
NOTE: Contact her for database with contact information for outreach.
Climate Solutions is developing an initiative to change Initiative 937 (verify). They work on green jobs and Green Economy.
Talk to Bill Robinson (Nature Conservancy) and Mo Broom (Environmental Council), best to work with on Parks funding issue. Coalition can help us tell stories that help to get the word out through blogs and other media. Joan Crooks (Washington Environmental Council), Mo works for them.
11:00 Q&A with Alia and Laurie:
Groups submit written proposals. Then Coalition narrows down list in mid-October. Time to work with groups begins in Summer. Important to understand the longer-term policy objectives of your partners.
Laurie: We are seeing proposals to protect 937, and another energy proposal to incentivize energy efficiency in homes. Proposal on PCB’s (disclosure on use of PCBs in products). Children Safe Products. Oct. 7th Washington Conservation Voters (Clifford Traisman, lobbyist for them and Washington Environmental Council) annual breakfast is place where the larger environmental agenda gets discussed.
Discussed the possibility of the Green Caucus replacing some of the “connective tissue” that PEER used to provide in terms of ethics, the protection of scientific conclusions, and whistleblowers.
Laurie talked about the unequal playing field that agency stakeholder processes because they can’t put the resources into it that polluters and manufacturers can. So they dominate the process.
Kerry talked about union’s issue with contracting out facilitation processes for public policy events. Kerry concerned about a fundamental agency bias against advocating for the environment.
Debbie reported on struggles keeping business associations from exercising undue influence on L&I enforcement policy. Talked about new MSDS disclosure statements. Talked about privatization efforts for industrial insurance. Business packs are contributing to politicians at 11:1 ratio to unions.
Kerry asked how they fund themselves. Private foundations (Bullitt, Russel), national foundations, Merk Foundation, Marisol (?) Foundation. Individual memberships and donations from mailings and events. WFSE could consider becoming a member organization. Fundraising auction in May.
Molinda explained that Blue/Green Alliance is focusing on green jobs and environmental protection at Washington State Labor Council level. Carol: It’s mostly a political lobbying effort. How are they meeting? Dedicated to expanding jobs in green industries.
National Caucus of Environmental Legislators. Contact info coming from Laurie.
12:15 Brainstorming – talked about convention coverage of our Green Caucus table and sessions at
Convention. Morton will check his schedule t see if he can cover some times and so will Mike Carlson.
NOTE: I am facilitating 1:30 pm Workshop on Green Caucus Plan on Friday at the Convention Oct. 7th. Tour of Green Buildings at 4:15 on Oct. 7th. Must also be at Saturday Noon brownbag lunch. Get Liz Larson to duplicate Green Caucus fliers to leave in workshops. Need posters for place finders to que up people in Convention Center lobby. Liz Larson will do poster as well.
1:00 Brainstorming follow through from morning session:
· Share our stories
· Letter of interest to all environmental groups, especially Conservation Voters
· Bill tracking for Toxics Coalition
· Lobby Day arrangements
· Connect to local organizations and efforts—trickle up
· Support for Parks
· Blue/Green Alliance
· Process for navigating potential conflict between blue and green on specific projects or legislative issues. Significant discussion on how we navigate competing demands for support labor versus environment. Kerry pointed out that these are often contrived conflicts. Debbie wondered if we shouldn’t pick three or four items to work on as a Caucus.
· Bob Overturf: training, mission statement, education of area reps. Get in front of each local’s member meetings with 5-minute presentation. Promote our successes on advancing a limited agenda.
· Kerry, maybe we should target at least one member with each of 54 Locals.
· Carol: We need to be prepared to push back on further attempts to cut environmental agencies. We need to sound the clarion call to pay attention to the threat coming their ways. Target the locals of the natural resource policy committee. Let’s get somebody in front of them to talk about Green Caucus and budget peril.
· Don Hall wants a table to sell Discover passes for state park.
· Need fliers that people can put on their work location bulletin boards
· Need a presence at shop steward and lobby training and other events.
· How do we educate our Board and LPA about what we’re doing and wanting to support.
· Speakers bureau from this group.
· We should provide advisors and mentors to environmental clubs at schools.
· Debbie: How do we recruit people in our unions from the perspective of their personal interests.
· Green jobs agenda.
· Climate change agenda.
· Telework language in contract
· Green purchasing.
· Green pension investing.
· Green Pension: Jim W. will bring our presentation on green investing to E-Board and Green Caucus.
1:30 Brainstorming to develop planning strategy
Developed list of priority items and categorized:
Education:
· Bill Tracking
· Climate Change
· Green Caucus Flier
Advocacy:
· Support natural resource agencies
· Green Jobs
· Lobby day
Partnership:
· Recruitment based on interests
· Connection to local organizations
· Outreach to other environmental organizations and locals
Discussed at length how to turn the above list into an action plan.
3:00 Action Planning:
Bill Tracking – Kerry Graber
Serve as a resource to Alia Griffing
Climate Change – Debbie Haigh, Jim Wavada
Green Caucus Flier – Debbie Haigh
Green Jobs – Leigh Molinda
Lobby Day: Bob Overturf
Recruiting based on interests -- Mike Carlson
Outreach to other environmental organizations and other Locals -- Wavada, Dan Petruso, Don Hall
Support Natural Resource Agencies – Scott Mallery
At future meeting, we will put one of these items on the agenda for discussion. Topic leader would need to submit progress report prior to monthly teleconferences.
3:30 Green Caucus Flier and Poster:
Flier format in terms of color and design will be made consistent with Green Caucus button design. Discussed several options for content. Lots of discussion of content and style for poster and flier.
