Stoked to protect Washington's ocean, waves, and beaches, for all people!
March Madness
Spring has sprung! After a long and at-times grueling winter, we've officially made it to the spring equinox, emerging from the darkness of a rough legislative session and into the light of a new season. After a brief period of mourning our bills (more on that below), we are already pivoting towards our federal advocacy efforts, with Coastal Recreation Hill Days coming up fast at the end of April. In the meantime, we're stoked to highlight rockstar volunteers from our Washington network, celebrate the official designation of the Kenai Peninsula Chapter, and take a moment to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Coastal Zone Management Act.
~ Liz Schotman, Washington & Alaska Regional Manager
Pete Steelquist, Washington Policy Manager
Legislative Session Sendoff
The legislative session was fast and furious and ended in wreckage. None of our bills survived this session, and we're not alone - almost no environmental bills passed this year, in part because it was a short session, but budget concerns loomed large and affected every decision. While these losses are disappointing, our collective efforts this year were not in vain - a lot of critical negotiations, relationship building, and policy crafting happened, and we have laid the groundwork for a successful 2027 session!
Activist Spotlight: Diana with the Seattle Chapter
Diana has been an incredible asset to the Seattle Chapter and just a delightful human to work with! She joined the chapter right as it was rebuilding and has been instrumental in guiding it to the thriving, successful crew it has become! She always brings fun stories, bright ideas, technical savviness, creative designs (including the octopus climbing the space needle on chapter swag), and superb vibes!
News From The Field: Frigid Fun Times in The Frontier State!
Temperatures were low but the stoke was high in Homer, Alaska, during the Kenai Peninsula Chapter's annual planning, which I had the pleasure of attending in person. I was also able to present them with their official charter, making Kenai Peninsula the newest Surfrider Chapter in the country! The trip was full of ice, snow, sunshine, women's hockey, ocean trivia, event planning, fresh seafood, wolf and moose sightings, and stellar humans doing amazing things.
The Unsung Policy Protecting Your Favorite Beaches
Washington’s Coastal Zone Management Program isn’t a single law or agency—it’s a collaborative framework that brings together existing state policies and partners across local, state, tribal, and federal governments so that we can collectively manage our shorelines in a way that ensures healthy coastal communities, economies, and ecosystems for future generations.
On Sunday, January 11th, we celebrated two of Surfrider Washington's most dedicated coastal champions, Arnold and Debbie Schouten. Arnold and Debbie were founding members of the Olympic Peninsula Chapter and have been pillars of the conservation community for decades. Dozens of folks turned out to show their appreciation for their work to fundraise for the new Marine Discovery Center in Port Angeles (see below). Thanks to Schouten's philanthropy, this state-of-the-art interpretive center will bring education and understanding about our Salish marine environment, and its shorebirds, for generations to come.
Save the date: Marine Life Center groundbreaking
And speaking of the new Marine Life Center: Looking for an excuse to head to the peninsula this spring? Consider heading to Port Angeles on Wednesday, April 8th, for the groundbreaking ceremony celebrating the new Marine Life Center! The current Feiro Marine Life Center has served as a gateway to the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary for 50 years, providing outreach and education to Washingtonians and visitors alike. While it won't be open to the public until 2028, this newer, bigger facility will be an incredible asset to the region.
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