Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Cage 749
Save Our Summers
Save Our Summers Records
1975-2004
1990-2002
15 Linear feet of shelf space
28 boxes
Save Our Summers (SOS), a nonprofit environmental advocacy group, was organized in 1995 to raise public awareness about the environmental and health hazards of the agricultural practice of grass burning, and to strengthen regulations to protect public health and air quality. The records of Save Our Summers include administrative files, press clipping files about field burning and the group's advocacy activities, research files, and litigation files with materials related to lawsuits brought by SOS.
Collection materials are inEnglish
Save Our Summers (SOS), a nonprofit environmental advocacy group, was organized in 1995 to raise public awareness about the environmental and health hazards of the agricultural practice of grass burning, and to strengthen regulations to protect public health and air quality. SOS was originally formed in response to practices in Spokane County, WA, and subsequently expanded its area of concern to include wheat stubble burning in the Palouse region.
Patricia Hoffman, a retired veterinarian, founded this nonprofit volunteer organization in Spokane. SOS recruited volunteers through membership drives, advertisements in local newspapers, and public meetings. Many members and their families had personally experienced health problems linked to smoke and emissions from agricultural burning. SOS challenged government agencies and farmers to more effectively regulate, reduce, and halt the practice. SOS pursued these goals by holding meetings, writing letters, lobbying government officials, circulating petitions, distributing educational literature, and initiating legal action.
At about the same time, the Clean Air Coalition (CAC) organized separately in Sandpoint, ID, to address similar agricultural burning on the Rathdrum prairie. The two groups made attempts to work together, but because most of the local organizing happened at neighborhood meetings, the geographical separation was problematic. Another group, Safe Air For Everyone (SAFE), was organized in 2001 following some of the worst burns on the Rathdrum prairie. SOS and SAFE worked cooperatively, using the court system in their efforts to end agricultural burning in the region.
SOS filed lawsuits challenging government actions and public policies in Washington and Idaho. In 1999, the group initiated three lawsuits against Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE), and in 2000 filed suit against two State of Idaho departments, Agriculture and Environmental Quality.
SOS filed its first case in Thurston County (WA) Superior Court, the jurisdiction in which the Washington DOE headquarters is located, on March 19, 1999. SOS claimed that DOE had violated the state Clean Air Act by making a voluntary agreement in the form of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) to reduce pollution from field burning. SOS also alleged that the agency violated state rulemaking requirements and failed to fully consider the human and environmental health consequences of this agreement. Judge Richard Hicks observed that he failed to see how an agreement that moved growers in the direction of less burning was harmful. The courts also ruled that since the MOU between DOE and WAWG was a voluntary agreement, failure to reach the goals stated in the MOU were not punishable offenses.
The second suit was filed in Thurston County Superior Court on August 11, 1999. SOS alleged that DOE was in violation of the state Open Records Act for failing to disclose key documents relevant to reduction of agricultural burning. Specifically at issue was a report by the WAWG about their public relations plan to garner support for their deal with DOE. DOE was cleared of wrongdoing, but the judge ruled that SOS was correct in filing the suit and ordered DOE to pay SOS's court costs and legal fees. The judge also directed SOS and DOE to reach an agreement on any additional documents requested by SOS.
The third suit, initiated by SOS with families from Whitman County, WA and Kootenai County, ID, was filed in U.S. District Court in October 1999. They sought an immediate halt to field burning. SOS argued that DOE was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). They argued that by failing to regulate the smoke generated by wheat-stubble burning, DOE was preventing access to public resources by people suffering from respiratory diseases severely aggravated by the smoke. A final ruling was delayed several times as the judge waited to hear from the U. S. Department of Justice over the question of jurisdiction in the case. Ultimately, SOS and all other parties in the suit agreed to resolution through a mediation process.
The records of Save Our Summers include administrative files, press clipping files about field burning and the group's advocacy activities, research files, and litigation files with materials related to lawsuits brought by SOS.
This collection generally retains its original order, with a few adjustments made during processing to facilitate research use. It is organized in five series:
Series 1: Administrative files, 1995-2002. Includes meeting minutes, mailing lists, newsletters, petitions, grant applications, correspondence, and press files.
Series 2: Research files, 1975-2004 (bulk 1990-2000). Primarily collected material, including agricultural data, articles, reports, and studies on agricultural burning practices and health effects.
Series 3: Washington State Department of Ecology, 1989-2002. Includes records of SOS interactions with the Department of Ecology, interactions with others about the department, and collected materials about the department.
Series 4: Litigation files, 1996-2002. Includes copies of court documents and supporting materials related to SOS litigation: correspondence, research, affidavits, exhibits, and press clippings.
Series 5: Photographs and audiovisual media, 1992-2003. Photographs documenting agricultural burning in the Palouse region, audio recordings of hearings, and video recordings of news broadcasts, committee meetings, and documentary presentations.
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions apply.
[Item Description]
Save Our Summers records, 1975-2004
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections,
Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
The records of Save Our Summers (SOS) were donated to the Washington State University Libraries by Patti Gora in 2008 (MS 2008-21).
This collection was processed by Lee Ann Powell in 2010.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Save Our Summers -- Records and correspondence.
Environmental protection -- Washington (State)
Environmental protection -- Idaho.
Burning of land -- Health aspects -- Washington (State)
Burning of land -- Health aspects -- Idaho.
Smoke -- Physiological effect -- Washington (State)
Smoke -- Physiological effect -- Idaho.
Air quality management -- Washington (State)
Air quality management -- Idaho.
Pressure groups -- Washington (State)
Pressure groups -- Idaho.
Washington (State)
Idaho
Environmental Activism
Environmental Conditions
Laws and Legislation
Series 1: Administrative Files,
1995-2002
1
1
Bylaws, undated
1
2
Chronology narrative, undated
1
3
Meeting minutes, 1995-2002
1
4
Financial records, 1995-2001
1
5
Flyers, 1995, 1996, 1998, and
undated
1
6
Newsletters, 1995-2002
1
7
Contact lists, 2001 and
undated
1
8
Bullitt Foundation grant,
1995-1999
1
9
Grants, 1995-1999
1
10
Bullitt Foundation annual reports,
1995-1996
1
11
Grant applications, 2001
1
12
Petition for limiting grass burning in
Spokane County, undated
1
13
Petition to ban grass burning,
1995
1
14
Field burning pamphlet produced by SOS,
undated
1
15
Communications proposal, 2001
1
16-18
Correspondence, 1995-1997
2
19-23
Correspondence, 1998-2002
2
24
"Strange correspondence," 1999
2
25-27
Email correspondence, 1997,
1999-2003
2
28
Overhead transparencies,
undated
2
29
Zahl letter to Jessernig, 1999
2
30
Smoke complaints, 1996-1999
2
31
Statements by Jeff Krautkraemer,
undated
2
32
Radio advertisements, 1999
2
33
Negotiation handbook, 1999
2
34
Planning and strategies for environmental
groups, 1989-1999
3
35
Smoke complaint logs,
1993-1995
3
36
Smoke photographs and descriptions,
1999-2001
3
37-40
Burn calls, 2000-2004
3
41
Burn diaries, 1999 and undated
3
42
Smoke victims, undated
3
43
Records request submitted to Department of
Ecology, 1998
3
44
Trespassing charges filed against group
members, 1998
3
45
SOS press releases, 1991-2001
3
46
SOS cereal grain best practices proposal,
1998
3
47
SOS website, undated
3
48
SOS grass research meeting presentation,
undated
3
49
Northwest air quality agencies,
undated
3
50
Kootenai County Clean Air Coalition
(correspondence, grass burning survey, flyers, and organizational
history), 1990-1991
3
51
Clean Air Coalition (correspondence,
meeting minutes, flyers), 1997
3
52
Magazine articles on field burning, 1995
and 2000-2001
Press clippings (Capital Press,
Spokesman-Review, Evergreen Daily, Tri-City Herald, Lewiston Tribune,
Bonner County Daily Bee, Pullman-Moscow News, The Coeur d 'Alene Press,
and North Idaho Business Journal)
4
53-62
1990-1997 and undated
5
63-69
1997-2000
6
70-79
2000-2003
7
80
Notes on various topics including
research, contact information, and litigation, undated
Series 2: Research Files, 1975-2004 (bulk
1990-2000)
7
81-86
Capital Press Agriculture Weekly articles
covering a wide range of agricultural topics, 1999-2002
8
87-93
Health and agricultural burning (articles
and studies), 1984-2004
9
94
American Lung Association (pamphlets,
correspondence, and articles), 1992-1998
9
95-96
Spokane County Physicians letters of
support for ending grass field burning, 1996-2001
9
97
Washington State Cancer Registry annual
report, 1997
9
98
Report on premature mortality due to
particulate pollution, 1996
9
99
Results from Spokane Health Study,
1998
9
100
Washington State Department of Health
public health report, 1996
9
101-102
Agronomy (papers and articles),
1995-2002
10
103-104
Grass seed cropping systems (articles,
reports, and conference proceedings), 1997-2003
10
105
Direct seed intensive cropping conference
(proceedings), 1998
10
106-108
Biomass burn emissions (studies and
articles), 1995-2001
10
109
Weed and disease management articles, 1998
and 2000
10
110
Tobacco Free Washington effective media
interviews guide, 1995
10
111
Washington State University Department of
Crop and Soil Sciences field day proceedings, 1995
11
112-114
No till-direct seed cropping (articles and
studies), 1975-2003
11
115
Public television appearance notes (KSPS:
Mike Conley and Washington State University Grass Study),
undated
11
116-118
Farm Policy articles,
1995-2003
11
119
Solid Fuel Burning Device Program annual
reports, 1991-1999
11
120
Hillyard rail yard hazardous waste burning
site (report), 1995
12
121-122
Agriculture economics papers,
1997-2000
12
123-124
Grass seed (studies, reports, and
articles), 1990-2001
12
125-126
Columbia Plateau Wind Erosion-Air Quality
Project reports, 1995-1998
12
127
Conservation Tillage Columbia Basin case
study newsletter, 1993
12
128
Columbia Basin Agriculture Research annual
report, 1995
12
129
Palouse Co-operative River Basin Study
report, 1978
13
130-131
Solution to Environmental and Economic
Problems (STEEP) water and soil protections program (news updates and
reports), 1991-2000
13
132
Air pollution and emissions from
agricultural burning (articles, studies, and reports),
1977-2002
13
133
Moses Lake Conservation District
newsletters, 1989 and 1990
13
134
"Where There's Smoke, There's
Controversy--WSU involvement in grass burning, 1989-1997" (report),
1998
13
135
Propane flaming and reduced fuel loading
study, 1997
13
136
Soil erosion (articles),
1989-1997
13
137
Inland Northwest Field Burning Summit
(correspondence, survey, and article), 1991-1993
13
138
Agricultural Systems Assessment workshop
and field tours (resource notebook), 1995
13
139
Agriculture and Bio-diversity (electronic
discussion list posts), 1999
13
140
Wheat stubble burning thesis,
2001
13
141
Residue data (1995-1998), 1998
13
142
Chemical analysis of grass seed field
straw (reports), 1993 and 1996
13
143
Conservation Reserve Program (guide and
report), 1994 and 1996
13
144
The Nature Conservancy (article about
group), 2003
14
145
Washington State agricultural data,
1997-2001
14
146
Washington State emissions data,
1994-2002
14
147
Washington State University Center for
Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (information about the
center), 1999
14
148
Spring-Winter canola production outline,
undated
14
149
Uses for wheat straw (article and study),
1997 and 2002
14
150
Soil quality information sheet,
1996
14
151
Fertilizer placement information,
1997
14
152
U.S. Department of Agriculture pamphlet on
soil conservation assistance, 1981
14
153
Environmental justice (articles),
2000
14
154
[not used]
14
155
"Amber Waves of Gain" (article about the
Farm Bureau), 2000
14
156
Clean Air Acts (articles and text of
legislation), 1990s
14
157
Field burning in Oregon (data, reports,
and articles), 1978-2002
14
158
Oregon grass seed production reports,
1991-1994
14
159-160
Idaho agricultural burning (Idaho Farm
Bureau and Idaho Department of Ecology documents, smoke management plan,
field burning hearings, and field burning reports),
1999-2002
15
161-164
Idaho agricultural burning
(continued)
15
165
Agricultural burning in California
(newsletter), 1980
15
166-167
California rice straw (reports, handbook,
burning information), 1997-2000
15
168
12 Hour back trajectories maps (Washington
and Idaho), 1999-2000
15
169
Satellite smoke photographs (Washington
and Idaho), 2001
15
170
Coeur d 'Alene Tribe blue grass meeting
(agenda, notes, and resolution), 1997
15
171
Air pollution data from Spokane Crown Z
and Turnbull Wildlife Refuge, 1997
15
172
Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie aquifer
map, undated
15
173-175
Spokane County Air Pollution Control
authority (air pollution public opinion survey, regulations, newsletter,
and meeting minutes), 1991-1999
15
176
Spokane County agricultural burning data
and regulations, 1997-1998
16
177
Whitman and Latah counties air quality
data, 2000
16
178-179
Whitman County burn permits (application,
reports, and permits), 1999 and 2001
16
180-182
Steve Mader burn enforcement case
(photographs, notes, correspondence, reports, and permits),
1995-2002
16
183
Board of Whitman County Commissioners
(correspondence and meeting minutes on field burning),
1998-1999
16
184-186
Environmental Protection Agency (review of
burn permit program, newsletters, best practices guide, stakeholder
forums, burn strategy, pollutant standards index, ambient air quality
standards, air quality criteria for particulate matter, air quality
report
17
186.1
Environmental Protection Agency
(continued)
17
187
Environmental Protection Agency Spokane
hearing notes, 2000
17
188
Upper Columbia River Sierra Club
newsletter, 1998
17
189
Washington Conservation Voters Grass
Burning Survey, undated
17
190-198
[not used]
17
199
Tri-State Perennial Grass Seed Working
Group (meeting minutes and program review report), 1993
17
200
Grass Seed Cropping Systems for a
Sustainable Agriculture 4th annual conference (member list and
conference proceedings), 1997
17
201
Intermountain Grass Growers Association
(correspondence regarding grass burning and report on the utilization of
grass straw), 1975 and 1995
17
202
Franklin county notice of intent to burn,
2000
17
203
Department of Natural Resources burn
management plan, 1995
17
204
Permitted burn acreage (charts, data, and
reports), 1992, 1995, 2001-2002
17
205
Agricultural burn permit summary, 1996 and
1998
17
206
Post burn reports, 1998
17
207
Agricultural burn enforcement data,
1999-2000
17
208
Washington State agricultural burning laws
and bills; 1989, 1999-2000
17
209
Yakima County Clean Air Authority emission
standards data, undated
17
210-212
Washington State Association of Wheat
Growers (group finances, correspondence, press releases, press
clippings, resolutions, and annual meeting proceedings, and newsletter
articles), 1994-2001
17
213
Research notes (author unidentified;
various topics related to field burning and SOS), undated
Series 3: Washington State Department of
Ecology, 1989-2002
18
214-217
Correspondence (incoming, outgoing, and
internal), 1989-2001
18
218
Press releases, 1998-2000
18
219-222
Agricultural Burning Practices and
Research Task Force (meeting minutes and agendas, task force history,
workshop schedule, correspondence, reports, and member lists),
1992-2002
19
223
Agriculture Burning Practices and Research
Task Force (continued)
19
224
Project description and work plan for best
practices manual, 2001
19
225
Grass seed field burning alternative
certification, 1998 and 2006
19
226
Burning responsiveness report,
1995
19
227
Lawrence Peterson harassment
charge
19
228
Tom Fitzsimmons remarks at wheat growers
convention, 1998
19
229
Research on alternatives to field burning,
1998
19
230
Budget and program overview report,
2000
19
231
Agricultural burn permit program audit,
2000
19
232-233
Agricultural burning evaluation panel
(meeting agenda and reports), 2002
20
234
Burn penalty summaries,
1999-2000
20
235
Burn information (requirements,
restrictions, and applications), 1990-2001
20
236
Symposium on particulate matter (presenter
information), 2000
20
237
Air quality data, 2002
20
238-239
Alternatives to burning grant proposals,
2002
20
240
Air quality program (brochure, plans,
report, and notes), 1995 and 2000-2001
20
241
Public outreach and education (brochures),
2002
20
242
Environmental Protection Agency review of
burn program (correspondence and reports), 1999-2000
Series 4: Litigation Files,
1996-2002
20
243
Washington grass seed field burning
emergency rule, 1999
20
244
Request to Environmental Protection Agency
for review of field burning, 1999
20
245-247
Save Our Summers suit against Department
of Ecology, challenging memorandum of understanding with Washington
Association of Wheat Growers (court documents, MOU drafts,
correspondence, reports, testimony, and supporting evidence),
1997-1999
21
248-249
Save Our Summers suit against Department
of Ecology (continued)
21
250
National Environmental Education
Foundation report on Wheat Growers-Department of Ecology MOU
controversy, 2000
21
251-252
Save Our Summers nondisclosure suit
against Department of Ecology (court documents, timeline of SOS pursuit
of missing documents, lists of Freedom of Information Act document
requests, correspondence, and supporting evidence, primarily DOE
correspondence)
21
253-255
Save Our Summers Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) suit against Department of Ecology (court
documents, affidavits, exhibits, notes, witness lists, reports, and
Department of Ecology exhibits and evidence), 1999-2001
22
256-262
ADA suit (continued)
23
263-264
ADA suit (continued)
23
265
Mediation and settlement agreements
between SOS and DOE (correspondence and mediation and agreement
documents), 2000-2001
23
266
Save Our Summers rule request for stubble
burning (correspondence, drafts of rule request), 2000-2001
23
267
Clean Air Act and environmental protection
cases, United States Supreme Court, 2000
23
268
Supreme Court ADA cases, 2001 and
2002
23
269-270
Save Our Summers v. State of Idaho (court
documents, correspondence, and exhibits), 2000 and 2002
24
271-272
SOS v. Idaho (continued)
24
273-276
Litigation research organized for an
unidentified case, 1996-2000
Series 5: Photographs and audiovisual media,
1992-2003
25
Photographs showing smoke from
agricultural burning on the Palouse, 1998-2003 and undated
26
Audiocassettes of hearings on agricultural
burning, 1990-1996 and undated
27-28
Video recordings (VHS format; newscasts,
committee meetings, and agricultural burning information), 1992-1998 and
undated