North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection – Upcoming Events and Updates
A notable webinar is on the horizon. On Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition team up with the Northwest Environmental Defense Center to present a webinar titled “Beyond the High Water Mark: A Call for Floodplain Management Reform to Ensure Compliance with Federal Law and Bolster Community Resilience to Flooding and Climate Change.” Registration for this free event is available at https://oregonshores.org/?post_type=event&p=51628&preview=true.
With recent atmospheric river activity and the critical decisions facing cities and counties about the three FEMA floodplain code options, this webinar will be especially timely.
During the session, participants will explore the history behind Northwest Environmental Defense Center et al. v. Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has driven Oregon communities to revise their floodplain management codes. You’ll learn why comprehensive updates are essential to ensure that local governments, developers, the State, and FEMA all comply with federal law while participating in the National Flood Insurance Program. The discussion will also cover how protecting floodplain habitats can support building more resilient communities capable of withstanding increasing flood events.
The webinar aims to equip local governments with context on the reforms’ history and rationale, while offering grassroots perspectives on the opportunities and implications of each pathway. The conversation will emphasize science-based decision making that supports climate resilience and aligns with obligations under the Endangered Species Act and the National Flood Insurance Program.
Leading the discussion will be Mary Stites, Staff Attorney at the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, a Portland-based nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding the Pacific Northwest’s natural resources. A graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School, Mary has contributed to a range of efforts, including Clean Water Act enforcement, endangered species protection, and preventing the siting of harmful industrial activities in sensitive areas.
NCCWP Astoria Chapter News: Our monthly gathering is scheduled for Wednesday, December 17, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Due to holiday events, we will not convene at KALA, our usual venue. Instead, the meeting will be held at Necessary Magic, located at 333 10th Street in Astoria.
Looking ahead to January, our next in-person meeting will happen on Tuesday, January 13, beginning at 4:00 p.m., where we’ll discuss talking points for the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Forest Management Plan (FMP). This session will occur in Astoria at KALA, with a virtual attendance option as well. (Chili and beverages will be available for purchase at the event.) A week later, the ODF will hold an in-person meeting regarding the FMP on Tuesday, January 20, at 5:30 p.m. at the Tillamook ODF offices, 5005 3rd St., where testimony may be offered.
Save Our Wetlands – LUBA Update: LUBA No. 2025-069 Nedonna Development v. City of Rockaway Beach. You can watch the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals oral arguments on Tuesday, January 13, at 10:45 a.m. The proceedings will be streamed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@landuseboardofappeals8802/streams.
Background at a glance: The Rockaway Beach City Council voted unanimously to overturn prior approvals for a 28-lot Planned Unit Development in Nedonna Beach. Nedonna Development LLC has appealed that decision to LUBA. The intervenors in the case — Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition and North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection — will be represented by the Crag Law Center.
New Resource: Interactive FERNS Pesticide Application Map – Beyond Toxics has introduced a cutting-edge map showing pesticide applications on Oregon forestlands from 2014–2024. This tool, created in collaboration with the University of Oregon’s InfoGraphics Lab and using data from the Forestry Electronic Registry Notification System (FERNS) via the Oregon Department of Forestry, lets users filter by chemical type, application method, date range, and more. Access the interactive map at https://www.beyondtoxics.org/work/pesticides-and-communities/pesticide-map/. Beyond Toxics commits to updating the data as new information becomes available.
If you missed Beyond Toxics’ December 9 webinar unveiling the FERNS map, a recording is available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UnJRO763ggM.
Recommended read: The Science Demonstrates Glyphosate Should Be Banned.
A note of thanks: This month, North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection extends appreciation to the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, Beyond Toxics, the Wild Salmon Center, and the Crag Law Center for their collaboration. NCCWP remains committed to preventing logging and pesticide use in community drinking water sources, irrespective of land ownership, and to ending pesticide applications near places where people live, work, and play. Safe drinking water and clean air are public trusts we all deserve. Help NCCWP protect and restore our drinking watersheds.
Visit us at www.healthywatershed.org or follow www.facebook.com/NCCWATERSHEDPROTECTION for ongoing updates.
