The NWTCC has hosted annual summits for its members since 2005. Please see the listings below of summit session topics. Agency staff was invited to participate in many sessions of the summits. The summits provide opportunities for the coalition members to meet up, network, and engage with invited speakers and agency staff. University of Washington Superfund Research Program has helped support the NWTCC Summits for nearly a decade.
NW Toxic Communities Coalition Summit 2023
Heroes of Our Time
Northwest Toxic Communities Coalition is proud to present our Annual Summit on Saturday, May 6th from 9 AM – 3 PM. The Summit, titled Heroes of Our Time, celebrates the efforts of Dr. David Carpenter and attorneys Charlie Tebbutt and Marc Zemel.
The Annual Summit will be online.
2023 Annual Summit Highlights
Dr. David Carpenter
Dr. Carpenter will discuss results of his ecological studies about the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), his testimony on behalf of communities affected by PCBs, and the ensuing backlash from Monsanto and his ultimate triumph over corporate intimidation.
Marc Zemel
Mr. Zemel will discuss Sierra Club vs. EPA, which successfully forced the EPA to develop a cleanup plan for PCBs in the Spokane River.
Charlie Tebbutt
Mr. Tebbutt will discuss his work on CAFOs (concentrated animal feed operations) that began with the Halloween 1997 notices of intent to sue 10 dairies in the Lower Yakima Valley. That work has now been featured in two books: Animal Factory, David Kirby (St. Martin’s Press 2010): and This Moment on Earth, John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry (Public Affairs, 2007).
NW Toxic Communities Coalition Summit 2022
Held March 26, 2022
See event information and watch the webinar.
NWTCC 2021 Summit
Chemical Mixtures and Synergistic Effects
Held April 24, 2021
See event information and watch the webinar.
NWTCC 2018 Summit
NWTCC 2016 Summit Topics
- Grass roots organizing 101
- Air particulates
- Multiple chemical exposures
- Mapping toxic sites
NWTCC 2013 Summit Topics
- Small dose of toxicology — lead, mercury, and other contaminants
- Breadth, depth & impacts from land spreading toxic municipal and industrial sludges
- Citizen involvement
- Government Accountability
- Environmental Justice: State legislation and federal requirements
- Environmental Justice and community involvement
- Q&A with a state legislator, state lobbyist, state EJ coordinator and former mayor
- Award ceremony
NWTCC 2012 Summit Topics
- Agency Accountability Strategies
- Natural Resources Damage Assessment
- Alternative methods of cleanup
- Environmental Justice/Equity under the Law
- Business meeting and next steps
NWTCC 2011 Summit Topics
- History and member introduction
- Discussing strategies to meet with EPA Region 10 Regional Administrator
- Discussion with EPA Region 10 Regional Administrator
- Business Meeting
- Biomass
- Fish Consumption rate – updates from Oregon and Washington
- Feature member oreganization — Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council
- Coalition prioritization of activities for the current year
NWTCC 2010 Summit Topics
- CERCLA: Its mandates for Community Involvement
- Discussion: Non-governmental organization reports on cleanup sites where CERCLA is working
- Discussion with EPA Region 10 representatives: How to collaborate more closely with NGO’s
- Coalition dialogue with non-profit law firms
- Coalition prioritization of activities for the current year
NWTCC 2009 Summit Topics
- Getting over Barriers to Create Inclusive Communities
- Setting goals for 2009
- Website unveiling and webpage (NWTCC website was launched — www.toxiccommunities.org)
- Precautionary assessment
NWTCC 2008 Summit Topics
- “Great Community Organizers” session
NWTCC 2007 Summit Topics
- Organizational Structure — business, election
- Ground rules of the organization
- Brainstorming: What will make NWTCC useful and valuable to you?
- Relationship with government staff and elected officials
NWTCC 2006 Summit Topics
- How can community members/volunteers have meaningful impact?
- Problem solving around agency roadblocks
- Discussion with agency staff from EPA
- Sediment treatment alternatives
- Environmental health organizations and resources next steps
NWTCC 2005 Summit Topics
- Building an effective toxic cleanup organization: structure, coalition-building, and sustainability
- Engaging divers and resident communities in toxic cleanups
- Forging partnerships between universities and community organizations working on toxic cleanups
- Enhancing public participation — transparency, early access to cleanup planning, community leadership
- Collaboration and strategies to move toward sediment treatment