South Tacoma Mega Warehouse
A major campaign in 2023 was advocating against the Bridge Industrial Mega Warehouse from being permitted in South Tacoma. This warehouse complex would pave 125 acres of what is currently wetlands, that sit on top of an important aquifer recharge area. South Tacoma is a formerly redlined neighborhood, already overburdened by pollution and experiencing massive health disparities, including a 25 year lower life expectancy than Tacoma neighborhoods with the highest concentrations of white residents. If built, it could bring an additional 12,000 vehicle trips a day through residential streets. We mobilized testimony for street vacation hearings and permit comment periods, were plaintiffs in a legal appeal of the Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance, hosted community planning calls, and worked in coalition with a number of organizations.
Five Years of Stewardship at qʷiqʷəlut (“little marsh”)
We celebrated five years of stewardship at qʷiqʷəlut (“little marsh”). Since 2018, with the support of City of Tacoma Environmental Services, 350 Tacoma has hosted work parties to restore this long-neglected but resilient site located deep in the industrial Port of Tacoma, nestled between a fossil fuel terminal and a container shipping yard, on the ancestral tideflats of the Puyallup Tribe. Sign up to get alerts about our quarterly work parties here!
Save the Cottonwoods!
We fought hard to save a small forest of Cottonwood Trees in the Port of Tacoma. Without many greenspaces left in the Port, (which was a thriving estuary prior to colonization) this tiny forest is an important refuge for birds, insects and small wildlife, while providing important shade & relief from heat island effect as well as filtering air pollution. Unfortunately, our comments fell on deaf ears and the forest is slated to be demolished and paved to create another place to store empty shipping containers. So far the trees still remain, so we hold out hope for something unexpected to happen that changes the demolition plans.
Overburdened Communities in Tacoma
We mobilized comments and helped prepare talking points for listening sessions with the Department of Ecology. As part of implementation of the HEAL Act, the DoE was creating criteria and identifying communities that are already overburdened by pollution. With long term goals of addressing climate injustice, decreasing existing health impacts, and safeguarding against additional polluting projects in overburdened neighborhoods. We were successful in getting South & East Tacoma on the official list of already overburdened communities. Next steps towards these long term goals will take time and state budget allocation.
Amazon: Deliver Change!
In our work as part of the Clean Mobility Collective, 350 Tacoma supported the International launch of the Amazon Deliver Change Campaign. The goal of this campaign is getting Amazon to commit to zero emissions last mile package deliveries, to reduce both climate & health-harming vehicle emissions. Many Tacoma community members carpooled up to Amazon’s HQ in Seattle for a launch day demonstration that featured youth, dynamic visual displays and speeches. We also created a video for the campaign to use on social media.
350 WA Civic Action Team
We encourage our members to participate in the 350 Washington Civic Action Team (CAT), and advocate for critical climate legislation in our state. This program provides an easy way for people to engage in the legislative process with a small time commitment. Sign up to receive twice weekly email alerts during the next legislative session here.
Opposition to Puget Sound Energy Rate Hike
Puget Sound Energy once again requested to raise rates for residential customs. This time trying to pass off almost half of the construction costs of the Tacoma LNG fracked gas facility. We created talking points, spread awareness and mobilized testimony in opposition.
311 Puyallup Ave as a Community Hub
When we signed the lease for 311 Puyallup Ave in 2019, the vision was always to have it become a hub for grassroots organizing and building community. While the global pandemic and social distancing slowed this goal down, in 2023 we were able to welcome several groups to share the space, including La Resistencia and Climate Alliance of the South Sound (CASS). We hosted monthly potluck meetings, art parties, and educational events. Other organizations/campaigns were able to use the space as needed including Indivisible Tacoma and the Tacoma For All campaign for tenants rights. We held a fundraiser at the space in the spring that included local band The G Street Players, raffle and auction items donated by local supporters, food, and a chance for folks to get acquainted with the space.
Solidarity
350 Tacoma supported local initiatives led by other organizations, including the Tacoma For All Tenants Rights Ballot Initiative, & the push for all Tacoma Art Museum (TAM) workers to be allowed to form a union. Both were successful! We attended solidarity events by La Resistencia focused on shutting down the infamous NWDC for-profit immigrant prison. We tabled at events including The Conversation 253’s annual MLK Jr Redeeming the Prophetic Vision gathering. 350 Tacoma signed onto a number of letters, including one by Seattle Cruise Control, encouraging The Nation news outlet to make this year’s fundraiser on a cruise ship their last because the cruise industry pollutes the air, water and climate while exploiting workers and overwhelming destination communities.
Gratitude
We raise our hands in gratitude to all the volunteers, community members, partner organizations and everyone that contributed to this year’s work. We are grateful to everyone that donated to 350 Tacoma, and the generous support of the South Sound 100, the Clean Mobility Collective and the Stand Up To Oil Coalition.