Our proposal to the Snohomish County Charter Review Commission for an Office of the Watershed Advocate was our main focus in early 2026, to carry the voter intent in Everett into Snohomish County governance in a lasting way. As we engaged in the once every 10 year process for the County, it became increasingly clear that something wasn’t right. The same organized opposition that fought the watershed rights initiative in Everett has strong influence in both the formation and operation of the Commission. The level of dysfunction was appalling and we felt an obligation to inform the broader public about what we were observing. The legitmacy of the resulting charter amendments are compromised before they even reach the ballot.

Had our Snohonmish River’s Rights law passed by citizen’s initiative survived a legal challenge by the well-funded Master Builder’s Association it could have ensured BP paid full remediation for their Olympic Pipeline spill.

In the lawsuit filed by the Master Builders against the Snohomish River Rights law, the judge didn’t rule on the merits of the ordinance, the Snohomish County Superior Court held that the initiative exceeds the scope of local initiative power.