Cascadia today: ICE seizes wildland firefighters + Kotek says tax EVs + WA book awards
ICE raids active wildfire operation in WA
In an incident that leaves me wondering if the Trump administration actually wants west coast states to leave the union, the Seattle Times reports that two wildland firefighters working on the Bear Gulch fire in Washington's Olympic mountains were arrested by federal border agents.
“You risked your life out here to save the community,” one firefighter said. “This is how they treat us.”
I'll have more on this in my weekly essay, but it's becoming crystal clear that Washington and Oregon could do much more to protect the safety of its residents by becoming independent of the United States.
Case in point: Washington commissioner of public lands, Dave Upthegrove, announced his agency will be protecting 77,000 acres of legacy forests – mature forests that don't quite meet the old growth standard but are critical to functioning forest ecology. I trust Upthegrove knows a lot more about managing Cascadia's forests than the wealthy men Trump appoints who see our lands as profit centers for their friends.
You know, like the Trump administration proposing to revoke roadless rule protections restricting logging and other resource extraction on 58 million acres of Forest Service land, much of it in Oregon and Washington.
Gov Kotek wants to tax EV drivers
OPB reports on a terrible plan by Oregon governor Tina Kotek to help fund her transportation package: taxing electric vehicle drivers by the mile. Tina! This is stupid! Have you heard about something called CLIMATE CHANGE? Do you want to encourage people to stay in gas-guzzling vehicles and not switch to EVs? Cool, this bill does that. Also, while we're at it, let's make sure that we tax people who choose not to buy cigarettes every time they shop at to a convenience store, because it's just not fair that non-smokers aren't paying their fair share.
Kotek's $800 million, two-year transportation plan would – in addition to taxing EVs 2 cents for every mile they travel – raise the gas tax, increase vehicle registration fees, and double the payroll tax dedicated to public transit from .1% to .2%.
BC's Joffre Lakes park to open despite First Nation concerns
According to the Narwhal, the Líl̓wat and N’Quatqua First Nations are angry that the BC government has walked back a deal in which Joffre Lakes Provincial park would be closed for two months to help the area recover from crowds of Instagram-inspired hikers. The park will re-open on Labor Day after just a one-month respite.
“They need to come back, speak with the nations with an open heart and an open mind and be ready to actually collaborate without this back-minded mentality that they are the ultimate decision-makers of our unceded territories." --Casey Gonzalez, director of land, resources and infrastructure for Líl̓wat First Nation
An independent Cascadia should include in its constitution meaningful requirements for consultation and consent between the national government and Indigenous nations in our region, as well as ratification and recognition of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Finalists in WA state book awards announced
The Stranger reports on the 42 finalists for the Washington State Book Awards, which include the categories creative nonfiction/memoir, fiction, creative nonfiction/biography, poetry, picture books, books for young readers, and books for young adult readers. Among those honored are Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe, Ijeoma Oluo, Katrina Carrasco, and Lena Khalaf Tuffaha. Winners are announced on Sept. 16.
--Andrew Engelson
