In 2006, NWLE continued its tireless efforts as watchdog of the Petaluma Marsh and River Estuary to protect these important wetlands from the Redwood Landfill’s current and potential future negative impacts. Because of our past and ongoing comments on the dump’s expansion plan, the owner of the landfill, Waste Management, Inc. (WMI), stated publicly that it no longer will pursue the grandest of its expansion plans. This was a major accomplishment last year, but the battle is far from over. WMI still intends to expand operations, still intends to build a 16 story garbage mountain on Bay mud teetering on the edge of San Antonio Creek and the wetlands, and its current practices are still harmful to the environment and must be improved. As described in more detail in the attached annual report, our work in 2006 included helping to organize Marin County’s “Counting Down to Zero Waste Workshop,” obtaining a second legal opinion about Marin County’s ability to revisit the landfill’s land use permit, publication of a “white paper” on Waste Management, Inc.’s record as a serial polluter and violator of laws, and continued education of government officials and the public about current landfill practices and the environmental harm they cause.

� In November, after a 4 month debate, we were able to convince the Marin County Hazardous & Solid Waste JPA to appoint 3 environmentalists on their Local Task Force to balance the 4� waste industry representatives.