Earth Ministry / Washington Interfaith Power & Light

Earth Ministry/WA IPL

For a Just and Sustainable World

Recent News

Coalition Statement on Governor Jay Inslee’s Letter of Opposition on GTN XPress Proposal

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“The GTN Xpress fracked gas pipeline expansion goes against our values and threatens vulnerable communities and the environment. Faith communities across Washington are committed to caring for our neighbors, and we thank Governor Inslee for speaking out to FERC against GTN Xpress, joining nearly 300 Washington faith leaders who are also asking FERC to deny the project." - Rev. AC Churchill, Executive Director of Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power & Light

Calling Faith Leaders in ID, WA, and OR: Tell FERC to protect our communities from the GTN Xpress pipeline expansion

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Calling all faith leaders in ID, OR, and WA! The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will decide to approve or deny the GTN fracked gas pipeline expansion as soon as March 16. In partnership with our friends at Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and Oregon Interfaith Power & Light, we're collecting signatures of faith leaders in ID, WA, and OR on a letter asking FERC to protect our communities and deny the pipeline expansion.

Earth Ministry/WAIPL in the Community

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We've hit the ground running in 2023 when it comes to getting out into the community and having more in-person points of engagement! So far in 2023 we've enjoyed speaking with faith communities in Spokane, Tacoma, Des Moines, Kirkland, and Olympia.

Port Angeles Church’s Work Recognized in Cool Congregations Challenge

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Holy Trinity Lutheran Church of Port Angeles, WA is one of 18 national runners up in Interfaith Power & Light’s 2023 Cool Congregations Challenge, an annual award for leadership and sustainability! The $500 reward for the Cool Planner category went to Holy Trinity for their plan to upgrade their heating and cooling system to a low-emissions heat pump, saving 6 tons of carbon emissions, and for their innovative hands-on education showing congregants how to reduce their energy use at home. 

Community Members and Senator Merkley Urge FERC To Deny GTN XPress Fracked Gas Project at a “People’s Hearing”

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Earth Ministry/WAIPL joined our partners in the Stop GTN Xpress coalition to hold a "People's Hearing" to call on FERC to deny this dangerous gas pipeline capacity expansion proposal. Our board member Naghmana Sherazi spoke about this project's moral implications and why faith communities in Spokane County are concerned about more gas running through their backyards.

Interfaith advocates present overview of 2023 bills

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By Catherine Ferguson SNJM The Fig Tree, Feb 2023 At the 2023 Eastern Washington Legislative Conference on Jan. 21, legislative advocates from three faith-based organizations shared insights on bills that address issues of concern to faith communities during the Washington State Legislature, which is a long session this year running from Jan. 9 to April 23. Many bills being proposed in the legislature have support from the organizations.

Bishops issue statement for care of creation

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by Mary Stamp from The Fig Tree The five Catholic bishops of Washington State developed and signed, "Caring for Creation and the Common Good in the Lower Snake River Region," this fall, reported Sr. Jessica Zimmerle, advocacy director at Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power and Light (WAIPL)—who supports this project with the intertribal nonprofit Se'Si'Le—and the Washington State Catholic Conference. Photo credit: Bureau of Land Management

Tell City of Tacoma: SeaPort Sound DEIS Inadequate

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SeaPort Sound Terminal, a bulk oil and fuel terminal on the Tacoma Tideflats, originally filed for a permit in 2020 to expand their tank storage capacity by 11%. While the city initially indicated that SeaPort Sound would not be required to do an environmental impact statement (EIS) for their project, the community (including many people of faith) spoke up and asked them to study the impacts of the proposal. Photo Credit: Manda Hansen, Unsplash.

Amplify WA Catholic Bishops’ Statement on Lower Snake River

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This fall, all five Catholic bishops of Washington State released a statement proclaiming the need to care for creation and recognize Native Nations as the principal dialogue partners when addressing the endangered salmon population of the Lower Snake River. This statement is especially significant as it is the bishops’ first on Inland Northwest river stewardship in the last 20 years! 

Earth Ministry/WAIPL works within the unceded territories of Northwest Native nations. Our office is on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present. Land acknowledgement is one way to resist erasure of Indigenous histories as well as to honor tribes and the land itself.