Widlife Corridors Conservation Act

THE WILDLIFE CORRIDORS CONSERVATION ACT – What You Need to Know

The 2019 Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act.(WCCA) is perhaps the most significant attack on private property rights in decades, perhaps ever.  A simple look at the list of sponsors of the proposed legislation provides plenty of warning about what this new law portends.

The WCCA was  introduced in Congress in May 2019. In the Senate, the bill is being led by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), and was cosponsored by Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D- NJ), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Jon Tester (D-MT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).  The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen  Don Beyer  (D-VA) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL).

REWILDING advocates and their minions in Congress  are ecstatic over what this “ACT” will lead to once it is enacted.  Don’t be fooled folks! This legislation doesn’t SAVE wildlife!  Non-endangered species such as grizzly bears and wolves don’t need your private property or more Federal land to survive.

Clean Water Act Violation Conviction Vacated

July 10, 2019: Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the conviction of Navy veteran Joe Robertson, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $130,000 in fines after he dug fire-fighting ponds near his home in Montana. Sadly, Joe passed away in March, but his wife, Carri Robertson, continued his legal battle.

“We are very pleased that the Ninth Circuit agreed that Joe’s convictions should be vacated and very pleased for Carri, who will no longer have a $130,000 federal judgment hanging over her head,” said Tony Francois, a senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation. “It has been an honor to represent Joe and now to be able to complete his vindication on behalf of his wife, Carri.”

Federal regulators said that Robertson polluted a “navigable water” — a small ditch with a trickle of water — when he dug the ponds. The Environmental Protection Agency said the ditch was a federally protected waterway under the Clean Water Act and required a federal permit — even though his home is 40 miles from the nearest navigable waterway.

In April, the U.S. Supreme Court granted Joe Robertson’s petition to review his Clean Water Act convictions, and immediately vacated the Ninth Circuit’s judgment in the case and sent it back to the Ninth Circuit for further review.

Pacific Legal Foundation Press Release

Jul 25: Dinner Speaker John Powers Executive Director Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA)

Our July 25 Dinner Speaker will be John Powers,  Executive Director Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA).

“Kitsap’s economic future is bright and growing stronger with each generation. Our future is clearly centered around the strength and stability of Kitsap’s core industries: defense, manufacturing, maritime, health care, professional services, and tourism; as well as emerging sectors such as technology. And from my perspective, Kitsap’s economic opportunities are also tied to the dynamic, vibrant future development of the entire Seattle regional market … and the ever expanding and important role Kitsap plays in our region’s future.”

Here are ten highlights that profile Kitsap’s critical role:

Final Resolution Louisana Dusky Gopher Frog Property Rights Case

New Orleans; July 3, 2019:Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana ruled that Louisiana property owners Edward Poitevent and his family, along with Weyerhaeuser Co., are the winners in a long-running national battle over property rights and the reach of the Endangered Species Act.

The plaintiffs’ victory represents the ultimate resolution of a case that reached its climax in November with the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous rulingin Weyerhaeuser Co. v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in favor of private property rights.

Today’s settlement marks the complete capitulation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and invalidates its wrongful 2012 decision to designate the family landowners’ and Weyerhaeuser Co.’s property as critical habitat for the endangered dusky gopher frog, a species that did not even live on their property.

Conservatives are Nudging the Supreme Court to Dismantle Affordable Housing Policy

When it comes to conservatives and the U.S. Supreme Court, abortion and labor rights are often considered among their prime targets. Brett Kavanaugh’s ascension to the court last fall, though, opened the road for a host of other challenges for which conservatives have quietly been laying the groundwork for years. This month, the Pacific Legal Foundation, a conservative law firm based in California, made moves on one of those fronts, asking the Supreme Court to take up a case challenging the constitutionality of inclusionary zoning — a popular tool cities and states employ to increase affordable housing and promote residential integration.

Inclusionary zoning generally works by requiring real estate developers to reserve a certain number of units in new housing complexes for tenants who live on more modest incomes; some jurisdictions also allow developers to alternatively pay a fee so the city can construct more affordable housing elsewhere. Conservatives argue that the policy effectively violates a provision of the Fifth Amendment that says private property cannot be taken without just compensation.

June 27: Kitsap Alliance Dinner Speaker Liz Willams Kitsap County Long Range Planner

Our Dinner Speaker for June is Kitsap County Long Range Planner Liz Williams. She has embarked on a program to streamline and revise the County Zoning Codes and Use Tables.

The goal of the program is to streamline the requirements for what can be built in your neighborhood and the process to obtain approval to build. We want to understand where you feel housing, businesses, and services should be built across the county. Your feedback will help the Department of Community Development draft proposed changes for further review later this year.

​The goals for this project include:

• Modernize and streamline the requirements for what can be built in in your neighborhood and across Kitsap County.
• Reduce the level of permit review, where appropriate.
• Remove barriers to investment.
• Reduce surprises during the permit review process and clarify development standards.
• Ensure consistency and predictability across sections of the Kitsap County Code.

This project will NOT include updates to site design and development standards. For example, setbacks, density allowances, building height, and parking standards

The dinner will be at our new location of Dennys 5004 Kitsap Way, Bremerton at 5PM on Thursday May 30. For more information call More info? Pat Ryan at (360) 692-4750 pat.ryan58@comcast.net

Jul 25 : Dinner Speaker John Powers Executive Director KEDA

Our July 25 Dinner Speaker will be John Powers, Executive Director Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA). To learn more about Kitsap’s economy, its role in the region and its bright future, join us at5 PM Thursday July 25 at the Bremerton Dennys 5004 Kitsap Way, Bremerton.  For more information call Pat Ryan at (360) 692-4750 pat.ryan58@comcast.net