Dear Governor Inslee, the people of Washington State are aware of the massive fossil fuel expansion projects in our Evergreen State; even at a time when 11,000 scientists have declared a Global Climate Emergency, the health of our children and elderly are ravaged by wildfire smoke, and our salmon and orca relatives are poisoned and starving--we are demanding that you take action by declaring a Climate Emergency in order to honor the supreme law of the land placed inside of the tribal treaty rights of the Coast Salish Peoples, regarding detriment to our salmon populations.

While the Arctic recently experienced unprecedented 87-degree heat waves and more than 40 million acres burned in colossal wildfires, Washington State continues upon a path of illegal climate system degradation. By expanding fossil fuel infrastructure, our government is breaking all of the treaties with Washington State Tribes by contributing to climate chaos that is causing the shallowing and warming of our rivers and estuaries which in turn is causing salmon populations to go into shock and die. Our Southern Resident Orca population is down to just 73 surviving members that are struggling to reproduce, anemic, and have gone peanut-head from starvation after swimming as far as California in search of salmon. Please take action while we still have time: An ancient Duwamish prophecy: “If the qal̕qaləx̌ič (Orca people) were ever to be absent from the x̌ʷəlč (saltwater) then so would the human people be absent from the land”. The time for bold action is now.

As our Governor, you bear the responsibility to uphold the supreme law of the land laid out in the treaties between the US government, US citizens and Washington Treaty Tribes by deescalating the largest existential threat to all life — our current Climate Emergency, which is resulting in the displacement and cultural genocide of indigenous peoples around the globe. Ensuring that indigenous sovereignty and Treaty rights are upheld is a benefit to all of us, and has proven to be a mighty defense against climate degradation and habitat loss.

Washington state should not be putting the interests of corporations above the legal rights of Tribal Nations and the inheritance of future generations - especially corporations that make their money selling fossil fuels, an industry with a long history of violating treaty rights, disturbing sacred sites, poisoning water tables, causing serious health and safety risks to nearby communities, destroying habitat, and conducting business in a way that is hurling us towards climate system collapse.

We call on you to declare a Climate Emergency in the state of Washington and to convene a special council to build the framework that will guide us through this emergency, away from fossil fuels and harmful practices, and into a livable future. Ensure that this council includes voices from youth, indigenous leaders, and other communities in Washington who are disproportionately affected by climate change.

We are in a crisis. We cannot do what scientists say needs to be done to avoid catastrophe in just 60 days!!! Commit to convening a special session on climate change in the 2020 legislative session. The content of this session should be built in collaboration with the special council. We look forward to changing the course of history together so our children have a future. Nothing is more important than this.

Governor Inslee, you have said yourself, "As the urgency of this issue grows -- touching every community in every state -- we need more voices pushing the issue to the forefront of public debate. Everyone has a stake in a future free from the risk of catastrophic climate change.”

It’s time to act on your words.

Sincerely,