WEAN's current project areas:

Protecting Forests and Open Spaces – Through timber and farming incentive programs like Designated Forest and Open Space, Washington State grants landowners tax breaks of up to 90%. Through the Public Benefit Rating System (PBRS),  Island County gives much lower tax reductions for keeping land in open space or forest for the "public benefit". That system is broken and we are working to fix it so people who keep their trees and steward healthier forests get a tax reduction, and those who harmfully log their land do not. 

Watchdogging Island County Agendas – various committees and commissions make rules for how the county works. We're working to get to know county staff, public servants, and others. We track the county's activities and participate when necessary to protect our collective rights to clean air, soil, and water and to advocate for healthy conditions for human and other-than-human life on Whidbey and Camano Islands.

Monitoring DNR Logging Practices – The State Department of Natural Resources is the agency which oversees logging. Many commercial timber practices are scaled for commercial forests in the thousands of acres, ill-suited to the topography and community needs of Whidbey Island. We keep a close eye on logging permits, committees, and rulemaking. We look for opportunities to improve policies and practices, and to hold DNR and loggers accountable to follow the law.

Shaping Legislative Agendas – We’re working to introduce a bill to protect our forested wetlands by closing a loophole that allows DNR to skirt local critical areas protection ordinances when granting permits to log in steep and wet areas. Protecting our forests and wetlands is vital for the wellbeing of our people, trees, and salmon, and Whidbey and Camano residents deserve the right to enforce our own ordinances.

Participating in Comprehensive Plan Updates – The Growth Management Act requires Island County to review and update its Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinances at regular intervals, and WEAN is working to suggest updates to the 2025 Plan now, during the early review process. We take particular interest in the Natural Resources, Land Use, Shorelines, and Housing elements of the plan.

Protecting Water – Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are “forever” chemicals found in fire-fighting foam at the Navy's facilities, now known to be toxic at any measurable level. We’re joining coalitions of communities harmed by PFAS and asking our local elected officials and staff to understand, and act, where PFAS contamination is found. We're also protecting our aquifer and groundwater by identifying and challenging pollution and runoff sources, by assessing the health and recharge rate of our aquifer, and by advocating against actions that increase the risk of saltwater intrusion into our groundwater.