What We Do

About Us

The Methow Valley Citizens Council works to raise a strong community voice to protect the natural environment and rural character in Okanogan County. We work to EDUCATE the public and decision-makers on key
about local land, air, water and climate issues; we ENGAGE citizen participation so our collective voice is heard; and we ADVOCATE and, when necessary, use legal tools to ensure environmental laws and regulations are followed.

Okanogan County is a Special Place

The mountains pack with snow in winter, the rivers run cold, and the wildlife and people have plenty of space to move. Farms idyllically spot the landscape, residents know each other when they pass on the street and there is a palpable sense of community. This is a place that has sustained the Methow and Okanogan people for thousands of years.

 This place doesn’t look the way it does today by accident.

Forty-five years ago, committed citizens in the Methow Valley formed the Citizens Council and raised their collective voice against the forces that routinely ruin mountain valleys like this one: uninhibited growth, a lack of planning, and a settler-colonial, resources-first approach that displaces both the natural environment and the memory of cultures that came before. As the organization has grown, it has worked to address issues of environmental justice and equity that extend throughout the geography of Okanogan County.

Water

As the climate warms, snowpack decreases and droughts become more frequent, having enough water to support the fish and wildlife, homes, farms and businesses is a growing concern. The Methow Valley is fortunate to have clean, cold water that flows from the snowpack of the Cascade crest to the Columbia River. For hundreds of generations, Indigenous communities have relied on the river both as sustenance and as spiritual connection. With less water and more users, MVCC works to help our communities plan growth and development that our precious water supply can support. Throughout Okanogan County we work to protect water rights and prevent them from being sold downstream. We continue to support the removal of Enloe Dam on the Similkameen River which would unlock hundreds of miles of cold-water habitat for salmon.
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Land

Over the last 45 years MVCC has developed an expertise in land use—a necessary skill in guiding smart development that is in line with community values and our surrounding landscape. Through this work, we’ve come to recognize that the community fabric we value in this Valley is shaped by the rural and wild character of the place. To that end, MVCC routinely advocates for local and land use policies that protect open space, wildlife habitat and our rural way of life. With the Methow Valley surrounded by public land, we are heavily involved in collaboratively developing strategies for local forest restoration projects. The public and private lands in and around the Methow and Okanogan also support abundant wildlife populations. We work closely with land management agencies to protect and preserve vital populations and their habitats.
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Air

Okanogan County can be one of the smokiest places in our state and country. At night, it can also be one of the darkest. One of our air programs, Clean Air Methow, works on improving our county’s air quality and protecting the health of residents, especially those who are vulnerable or underserved and the most susceptible to the negative health impacts from smoke. To achieve their goals, Clean Air Methow implements a woodstove exchange program, organizes chipping drives and maintains a network of clean air ambassadors and outdoor air monitors.

Our newest program, Methow Dark Sky Coalition, works to keep our night skies free of unnecessary light pollution. They organize star parties, educate about the value of dark skies and help research lighting alternatives for homeowners and businesses.

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Climate

The climate crisis is already impacting the Methow and Okanogan. Hotter temperatures, lower snowpack, an increase in droughts and more frequent severe wildfires have already become part of our lives here. In 2019, MVCC has worked to proactively address this crisis by convening a task force of community leaders in every sector to help the Methow Valley create a Climate Action Plan. After two years and thousands of hours of committed work, this task force released the Methow Valley Climate Action Plan, a comprehensive plan that presents a vision and road map to prepare for the impacts of climate change and reduce local sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Since the action plan was released our climate program, Resilient Methow, has worked to coordinate and implement the Climate Action Plan. They help individuals, organizations and local governments connect with local climate actions that help our communities to become more resilient and carbon-neutral.
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