Stoked to protect Washington's ocean, waves, and beaches, for all people!
April Showers, Activist Powers
It's been a busy spring that's quickly ramping up into a fun-filled summer! It feels like legislative session ended only a few weeks ago, and already we've completed the biggest Hill Days ever, visited our amazing Alaska crew at the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, and crashed two conferences, all while continuing our programmatic work to ensure clean water and healthy beaches for all!
~ Liz Schotman, Washington & Alaska Regional Manager
Pete Steelquist, Washington Policy Manager
Coastal Recreation Hill Days: Complete!
This April saw our largest Coastal Recreation Hill Days ever, with over 180 activists from 28 states and territories meeting with their Congressional leaders to advocate for clean water, healthy beaches, and resilient coastlines. Our WA and AK delegations held eight meetings foucsed on the need to fund vital NOAA programs, stop new offshore oil drilling, and fund the BEACH Act, which directly supports our Blue Water Task Force program. Huge shout-out to our amazing volunteers who make this important advocacy possible!
Another amazing CHRN meeting in the books! This gathering of coastal resilience nerds continues to expand each year, alongside the growing threats and impacts from rising seas and worsening storms. Planning for the future cannot happen in isolation, and we're grateful to the organizers at CHRN for creating the space to connect, share, and brainstorm solutions together.
News From The Field: Surfrider returns to the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
Our Policy Manager, Peter Steelquist, just returned from an amazing visit to Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, where he helped host a cleanup and raised awareness about the threat of offshore drilling. Set amidst the backdrop of beautiful Homer, it was a stark reminder of what we have to lose if the proposed offshore lease sales move forward, and a great reminder of why advocacy like our Coastal Recreation Hill Days is so important!
Ocean Acidification Sentinel Site Symposium Success!
Say that five times fast! Earlier this month, coastal scientists, Tribal leaders, resource managers, educators, and advocates gathered in Ocean Shores for the 2026 Olympic Coast Ocean Acidification Sentinel Site (OASeS) Symposium — a powerful reminder that the future of our ocean depends not only on good science but on relationships, stewardship, and shared responsibility.
