January 2026 Newsletter
A Letter from DERT's New President, Keith Dublanica!
Hello DERT supporters, and a belated Happy New Year to you all.
As the recently elected DERT president for the 2026 calendar year, I wanted to reach out with thoughts of progress and process made to date, and our aspirations and resolve for our continued commitment to addressing impacts to Capitol Lake and restoring our estuary. Major kudos to out-going president Dave Monthie for his tenure(s) as president, and we grateful for his continuing presence. Thanks also to board members and staff who have provided the due diligence necessary for a positive and proactive 2025.
We had a successful 6- week run of Community Envisioned Deschutes Estuary (CEDE) workshops last winter, and last June the WA Legislature transferred estuary restoration project management to the Department of Ecology with certain mandates required in a proviso. WECY reviewed a 60% bridge design and budget modification to be shared at a virtual DERP OPEN HOUSE on February 12th, and subsequent site tours March 7th. The first Deschutes Watershed Symposium was held at TESC – House of Welcome in November, as was DERT’s well-attended yearly auction gathering with dinner, music, and donor appreciation. These efforts, along with board and staff transitions, were all part of the previous year. We are looking forward to other activities this year including the Festival of the Steh-Chass in August, hosted by the Squaxin Island Tribe.
But 2025 also saw an administration that has brought havoc, heartache, and suffering to many in our republic, while challenging our global identity as a democratic society. We have witnessed atrocities performed in the oxymoronic guise of legal enforcement of illegal executive orders. Alignment of values, morals, respect, and compassion are critical as our communities move forward, while acknowledging our constitutional rights of free speech, right to assemble, publicly dissent, and due process. Showing up, making your voice heard in various ways, while challenging illegal authoritarian practices being meted out is truth to power. As people take the time today to contemplate what has happened, and how these efforts need to be remedied, we can take comfort that this IS what democracy looks like. Governor Ferguson and Attorney General Brown have stated their continued efforts to not let happen in Washington State what has happened elsewhere.
You may look forward to similar sentiments from other board members, staff, and contractors in this space. Thank you.
Sincerely and sustainably,
Keith Dublanica
Make Your Voice Heard
DERT observed the national strike and blackout yesterday, and now we encourage anyone who is able and willing to attend today's protest at Tivoli Fountain.
DERT's Official Comments on Department of Ecology’s CR-102 Rulemaking
The Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team (DERT) hereby submits these formal comments per the Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) CR-102, dated November 18, 2025, with regard to the proposed amendments to WAC 173-513 (Deschutes River Watershed), under the purported authority of RCW 90.94.030(4) (chapter 90.94 RCW, the Streamflow Restoration Act, or “Act”).
DERT previously submitted comments (dated October 17, 2025) to Ecology on the same rulemaking. During the public hearing on these rules on January 6, 2026, the presiding officer stated that comments submitted during the informal rulemaking would not be considered as part of the formal rulemaking file. Accordingly, DERT resubmits those comments (a courtesy copy attached), and incorporates them by reference into these formal comments.
We believe that the proposed rules do not reflect the work done by the Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Committee (WREC) from 2018-2021, or its recommendations, in violation of both the letter and spirit of the Act. The projected 2616 new exempt wells to be constructed in the watershed by 2038 will have a negative impact on streamflows and habitat, without (under the proposed rules) any metering, monitoring, or mitigation of those impacts. Moreover, we believe that the process used by Ecology in this rulemaking violates the letter and spirit of the both the Streamflow Restoration Act and the Administrative Procedures Act (chapter 34.05 RCW) (APA) in that (1) the proposed rule revisions purport to follow the recommendations of the final WRIA 13 Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Plan, but that Plan (developed unilaterally by Ecology) simply suggests consideration of these rule changes, but not adoption; (2) the proposed rule revisions do not include other recommendations of the WREC, which although unilaterally moved by Ecology from the text of the Final Draft Plan to an Appendix are still part of the Plan; and (3) the process used by Ecology for this rulemaking does not comply with the provisions of the APA in that Ecology did not perform the required prior consultation with stakeholders, did not develop and consider alternatives, did not perform an economic analysis of impacts (particularly on Thurston County, and (4) did not complete or include in the rulemaking file an implementation plan.
Finally, we agree with the Squaxin Island Tribe, in its prior written comments to Ecology, that Ecology’s failure to address the existing instream flow rules violate both the Tribe’s treaty rights and the obligation of the state to engage in government to government discussions.
For all the foregoing reasons, we request that Ecology suspend the accelerated rulemaking that calls for adoption of the rules by March, engage in meaningful discussions with DERT and other stakeholders, and come forward with proposed rule revisions that actually reflect the wishes of people in the watershed.
We're excited to share the first post of our new blog series, "Dishing the DERT!"
"Dishing the DERT" will be a semi-regular blog run by DERT staff. “Dishing the DERT” is for DERT staff, board members, and community members to submit op-eds and academically driven pieces based on current events in the wider world of environmental justice and local educational events that you might have missed.
If you're interested in submitting a piece to us, please email our Communication Coordinator, Jesika Westbrook, at jesika@deschutesestuary.org.
Climate Justice and Gaming
Written By: Jesika Westbrook
On Wednesday January 21st, I had the pleasure of attending Evergreen’s Center Climate Action and Sustainability’s Climate Lecture Series, “Gaming for Change: The Role and Power of Games in Education and Climate Justice.” There are plenty of people that hear gaming and their minds go to the stereotype of the day, whether it be first-person shooters or the ever-popular Fortnite. Growing up in the tech boom that brought us from 8-bit games to 4k hyper-realism, the most common association was “waste of time.”
Simply put, gaming in the modern sense has not uncommonly been seen as a poor use of time and the realm of basement dwelling nerds who can’t tear themselves away from the seductive glow of an LED screen. This is a view that perhaps lacks imagination for the usefulness of the craft.
Departing from my soapbox, this lecture “feature[ed] Evergreen faculty Sam Saltiel and leading game designers, including…local alumni business owner of Heart of the Deernicorn. As well as indigenous game designer Andrew Gross, creator of the Solarpunk TTRPG Fully Automated.” Unfortunately, the designers of the indigenous futurist RPG Coyote and Crow were unable to join the panel.
