After four years of renewing temporary protections every six months, in November 2021 the Tacoma City Council passed long-term Non-Interim Regulations that ensure that no new fossil fuel facilities can be built on the Tideflats. Though not as strong as we wanted, it is a win that existing fossil fuel infrastructure cannot expand unless it’s part of a “Cleaner Fuels” blend, and even then expansion is limited. We look forward to continuing to engage on this issue in new ways through the Tacoma Tideflats Subarea Plan. Many thanks to the faith community and activists in Tacoma for advocating for strong protections for multiple years.
We are disappointed that the City of Tacoma did not listen to the Puyallup Tribe of Indians’ recommendations during the tribal consultation process on the Non-Interim Regulations. Meaningful tribal consultation must include implementation of changes suggested by tribes.