Cascadia today: OR & WA approve COVID vaccines + BC fails to greenwash LNG port + totem pole tour for ecology
In case you missed it, this week I wrote about how the United States' descent into fascism compelled me to think of myself not as a resident of America, but Cascadia. Hope you'll have a chance to read it this weekend. I'll be headed out the the Cascades for a long weekend getaway, so Cascadia Journal will resume on Monday.
Oregon and Washington approve COVID vaccines
Oregon Capital Chronicle reports that yesterday governor Tina Kotek and Oregon health officials – following advice from the West Coast Health Alliance – announced that anyone seeking a COVID vaccine can get one. The move comes as the health alliance announced evidence-based guidelines for COVID, flu, and RSV vaccines. The announcement preceded a decision from the United States CDC under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that would recommend – who the fuck knows? – regarding vaccines.
As I wrote previously, the Western Health Alliance is a promising step forward for Cascadia autonomy in defiance of chaos in the United States.
Andrew Engelson
Feds sue Oregon for voter information
Speaking of autonomy, the Trump administration is suing Oregon and Maine for refusing to hand over voter information to the feds, who likely will use it to troll for more hard-working immigrants to disappear in ICE raids.
“If the president wants to use the DOJ to go after his political opponents and undermine our elections, I look forward to seeing them in court. I stand by my oath to the people of Oregon, and I will protect their rights and privacy.” – Oregon and Secretary of State Tobias Read
In related news, ICE apparently broke agreements with Portland on how long it would hold detainee, OPB reports. The city has been debating whether to revoke a land use permit for ICE and this helps make the case that it's not operating within the law.
Washington to replace lost Planned Parenthood funds
In yet another encouraging step toward fiscal independence from the United States, Washington governor Bob Ferguson committed to backfilling all federal funds slashed from Planned Parenthood in the GOP's latest budget cuts, Washington State Standard reports. Of course, at some point Washington, which pays $55 billion more in federal taxes than it receives in services and funding – is going to need to raise revenue to protect its residents. And independence from a massive defense and ICE budget will be the only fiscally responsible path for Cascadia.
Andrew Engelson
BC LNG facility won't be carbon zero soon
British Columbia has been busy greenwashing its new LNG export terminal at Ksi Lisims, but the Narwhal reports that a BC government document released this week admits the methane exporting facility will have “significant adverse effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” and is unlikely to get to net zero emissions by 2030.
Totem pole tour draws attention fed plan to destroy habitat
KNKX reports on how a Lummi Nation-carved totem pole is making eight stops across Washington state in a "Way of the Masks" tour intended to draw attention to the Lummi concept of Xaalh– roughly translated as ecological balance. The Lummi are using the tour to highlight the Trump administration's attempts to roll back protections against road-building on millions of acres of forests and wildlife habitat across Cascadia. --Andrew Engelson
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