Things move quickly in a short, 60-day session and this year was no different. The 2022 Washington State Legislature began January 10th and concluded March 10th. Aside from being the first-ever fully virtual legislative biennium, the 2021 – 2022 legislative sessions resulted in the largest biennial budget in state history paid for in large part from existing tax collections and … Read More
State Sen. Tim Sheldon to retire
State Senator Tim Sheldon (D-Potlatch), the Washington State Legislature’s longest-serving member, won’t seek another term in the fall. Sheldon announced his retirement the last day of the 2022 Legislative Session. Sheldon, with roots in the timber sector and whose family are private forest landowners, grew up along Hood Canal. It was his lifelong understanding of local priorities and focus on … Read More
An update on the 2022 Legislature
Things move swiftly in a short 60-day legislative session. Last week, the fourth week of session, was noteworthy as it was policy cut off week and essentially marked the midpoint of the session. The cut offs are critical moments on the legislative calendar. Any bill not out of its policy committee of origin by this week is officially pronounced dead. … Read More
2022 legislative session commences Jan. 10th
Monday (January 10th) marks the start of the 2022 Legislative session. Like the previous year, this session will be mostly virtual in response to COVID-19 and the omicron variant. For those wishing to testify, the mostly online session means that committee hearings will remain virtual. This year’s legislative convening, also referred to as a “short” session, will be 60 days. A … Read More
Western red cedar planted on West Capitol Campus honors Mark Doumit
Former Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) executive director and Washington State legislator Mark Doumit was quoted as saying: “It’s an act of faith when a farmer, a tree farmer, plants a tree.” Doumit, a former small tree farmer and state legislator, served in the Washington State Legislature from 1997 through 2006, where he served three terms as a state representative … Read More
Remembering Mark Doumit Public Gathering at Wilcox Family Farm 2pm 7/13/21
Integrity, kindness, savvy, wisdom, generosity and fun-loving are the oft-used words that people used to describe beloved friend, colleague, lifelong public servant and forestry sector supporter Mark Doumit. The Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) lost a dear member of its family and the forestry sector one if its most passionate champions with the announcement that Mark passed away unexpectedly June … Read More
State legislature approves funding to test benefits of biochar facility
Okanogan County could soon be the test site for a pilot project that aims to transform thinned trees, logging slash and other organic waste into a carbon-sequestering agricultural product while supporting forest health efforts. The Methow Valley News reports that the Washington state Legislature set aside $160,000 in funding in the biennium budget for a pilot project that would convert … Read More
The 2021 Washington Legislature as Seen by Private Forest Landowners
The 2021 Washington legislative session wrapped up in late April after an historic 105 fully virtual days. The session began promising restraint and a focus on only a handful of policy issues. Indeed, the total bill count was lower than any session since the 1980’s. That said, many of the bills that did pass contained monumental and long sought-after policy … Read More
Rural Democrats make a case for balanced natural resources policies
A proposal by two former public officials to end timber harvests on state trust lands managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has drawn swift criticism from a current lawmaker, former Democratic state legislator and others. State Sen. Kevin Van De Wege (D-24th) and former State Rep. Brian Blake (D-19th) both penned op-eds in different print publications criticizing … Read More
HB 1055 offers a glimpse into bipartisanship
Just reading headline stories can leave the impression that legislative bodies are nothing but gridlock and partisan squabbling. The reality, however, is that most measures that pass through a legislature are good government bipartisan bills that achieve near-unanimous support. The Washington Legislature is no exception. A prime example of this comes from the forestry world and the lone WFPA-requested bill: HB … Read More
Proposed legislation would dedicate resources to support wildfire response, forest health
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz is urging the Washington State Legislature to commit dedicated state resources into wildfire prevention and forest health efforts. Last week, along with primary bill sponsor Rep. Larry Springer (D-Kirkland), Franz introduced legislation that would create an account to support wildfire response, forest restoration and community resilience efforts throughout the state. In addition to the … Read More
COVID-19, economic recovery will dominate 2021 Legislative Session
(State Rep. Mike Chapman, photo courtesy of Washington State Legislature) The 2021 legislative session, scheduled to begin on January 11th, will be unlike any in history as the state continues to feel the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The leadership from both chambers announced in late 2020 that the 2021 session will, for the most part, be conducted virtually. … Read More
Op-ed urges lawmakers to invest, support forest health and wildfire plans
Unhealthy forests and climate change played a significant role in this year’s wildfires, but state lawmakers can help prevent the catastrophic damage and devastation from future massive wildfires, according to an opinion piece authored by leaders representing private forestland owners, the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and an environmental organization. In an op-ed penned by Washington Forest Protection Association … Read More
The 2020 Washington Legislature: As seen by private forest landowners
The 2020 Washington legislative session was, as expected, short and fast-moving. The Legislature wrapped up all business around 8:30 PM on March 12th. Of course, the last few weeks of the session were colored by the growing disruption of the coronavirus. Gov. Jay Inslee held the press conference that limited all public gatherings on the last day of the session, … Read More
Gov. Inslee signs forestry industry carbon bill
Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law on Wednesday, March 25th legislation that recognizes the essential role Washington state’s forestry industry and working forests play in removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The legislation formally establishes a state policy recognizing and supporting the complete forest products sector as a climate solution, which includes landowners, mills, bioenergy, pulp and paper, harvesting and … Read More
Gov. Inslee approves forestry industry carbon bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Olympia, Wash. (March 25, 2020) – Today, Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law ESSHB 2528, legislation acknowledging the essential role Washington state’s forestry industry and working forests play in removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and affirming it is in the public’s interest to support all aspects of a fully integrated forest sector in the state. The … Read More
Gov. Inslee presented with bill to recognize forest sector as part of climate solution
A bill recognizing the important role working forests play in removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere is set to become law. Washington lawmakers passed SB 6355 and HB 2528 in early March, sending the legislation to Gov. Jay Inslee for signing. Once enacted into law, state agencies would recognize and support efforts by timber companies to sequester carbon through reforestation … Read More
State Senate considers recognizing the timber industry as a carbon sequester
Olympia lawmakers are considering legislation that would distinguish the wood products and timber industry as a vital part of Washington state’s global climate response. The Senate Ways & Means Committee held a public hearing on Substitution Senate Bill 6355 earlier this week on Monday and an executive session the following day to hear about the unique role the forest products … Read More
Forest products sector can help mitigate climate change
A tree’s ability to capture and store carbon long-term throughout the life of the tree and in wood products can be a significant contributor to our state’s climate change mitigation solutions. In Washington, we are blessed with one of the best places in the world to grow and harvest trees, and manufacture carbon-storing wood products, which all support more than … Read More
Legislature recognizes value of working lands in new tax policy
One of the significant new tax policies coming out of this recent legislative session involves the real estate excise tax or REET. This is a tax paid by the seller of all real property. The rate has historically been flat. Which is to say, one rate applied to all sales regardless of the sale value. The Legislature has changed that with … Read More
Legislature Connects Dots Between Rural Economic Development, Environmental Outcomes
The environmental headlines of this past legislative session have focused on two big topics: orca whales and carbon emissions. The 2019 Legislature passed numerous high-profile bills to address these two seemingly disparate issues. E3SHB 1324 progressed well below the radar yet manages to marry both issues in a package that also helps secure Washington’s most extensive rural manufacturing base for … Read More
2019 legislative session results overall good for forestland owners
The 2019 legislative session wrapped up with a flurry of activity during the final days of the session. Around-the-clock legislating happened as lawmakers worked to conclude on time. A whopping 2,208 bills were introduced over the course of the 105-day session. Things moved fast; capacity was stretched thin. But from that hard work, groundbreaking new policies in environmental law, tax … Read More