NORTHWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES

Programs

1. Puget Sound Program: NWEA focuses on restoring the water quality of Puget Sound and its tributaries by reducing pollution from sources permitted under the Clean Water Act to discharge from pipes and from polluted runoff from nonpoint sources. NWEA represents the public interest in protecting clean water and protected species by petitioning state and federal agencies providing public comments on agency proposed actions conducting public outreach and bringing litigation under federal and state laws to encourage federal and state agencies to take their responsibilities seriously. Our work benefits the interests of approximately 4 million people in the Puget Sound area including Treaty Tribes.

   $27,050 spentof which $20,000 as grants
   33% of program spending

2. Columbia River Program: NWEAs work to protect and restore water quality in the Columbia River Basin focuses on improving the water quality programs in Oregon Washington and Idaho through public participation and litigation. Over 13 million people live in Oregon Washington and Idaho combined. NWEA continues to work to assure cold-water refuges for salmon and steelhead migrating through hot waters in the Columbia River through federal litigation. Commercial and recreational fishing businesses and treaty tribes rely on migrating salmon and the private and public investments in protecting these threatened and endangered fish is undermined by high water temperatures.

   $25,000 spentof which $20,000 as grants
   31% of program spending

3. Regional Clean Water Program. NWEA uses state and federal laws in Oregon Washington and Idaho to reduce water pollution. The goal of our work is to protect public health and aquatic life including but not limited to threatened and endangered species such as salmon orcas and amphibians. Because so many aspects of the Clean Water Act are ignored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the states we seek to improve the implementation of this law. Generally activities of this program include the following: 1 submitting public comments to agencies on regulatory proposals; 2 assisting members of the public who are seeking information on how to protect water quality and habitat; 3 obtaining and analyzing documents from agencies through the Freedom of Information Act FOIA and state public records laws; 4 bringing enforcement cases against agencies and polluters; and 5 general outreach and education through website newsletter emails etc. NWEA seeks to ensure that s

   $25,000 spent
   31% of program spending

4. National Clean Water Program. In its national efforts to reduce toxics in waterways NWEA is focused on regulating the discharge of currently unregulated toxic chemicals. We continued to advocate for the NWEA petition submitted to the EPA in 2023 to update the Clean Water Acts Toxic Pollutant List to which no pollutants have been added for 47 years despite EPAs legal obligation to add chemicals to the list from time to time. The Toxic Pollutant List drives the laws pollution control requirements to curtail toxics in the nations waters. As the result of EPAs failure to update the list most of the thousands of chemicals used in todays manufacturing offices and homes-that end up in lakes rivers and streams-are not regulated.

   $2,500 spent
   3% of program spending

5. Regional Energy Program. In 2024 NWEA continued to work for a sustainable energy future free of nuclear power including a proposed new nuclear reactor at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Addressing the regional need for new generation and the impacts of data centers. Working with local and regional organizations and maintain a dedicated website. Most work is done by volunteers.

   $1,876 spent
   2% of program spending

The 5 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990-EZ. Program spending in total: $81,426.