News

Working forests play a vital role in supporting a healthy and diverse economy in our state, according to a 2017 study that looked at the contributions of Washington’s timber industry. Washington state is the nation’s second-largest lumber producer. Forestry represents Washington state’s third-largest manufacturing industry, providing jobs in all 39 counties and… Read more

Wildfires remain a concern in Washington state in spite of rainy weather in recent days and less fire activity, say weather experts. The Seattle Times reports that even though July has been slightly wetter than normal, it’s not enough precipitation and moisture to impact the wildfire season overall. Said meteorologist Dana… Read more

Removing culverts and improving salmon passageways must be prioritized, said Gov. Jay Inslee in a recent news release. Inslee announced that the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) would begin repairing or replacing state-owned highway culverts that impede on fish migration promptly. The directive, which is in response to a court… Read more

Promoting a culture of safety for workers in the woods. The post LOGGER SAFETY INITIATIVE appeared first on Washington Forest Protection Association.

Wildfires have been synonymous with Eastern Washington summers for quite some time, said Rep. Tom Dent (R-Moses Lake) during a panel discussion last week at the Pacific Science Center (PacSci). “I can’t remember how long I’ve lived with smoke every summer,” Dent said. “It’s been probably about 30 years.” It was… Read more

Are smoky August skies the new normal? In addition to winter, spring, summer and fall, will the Pacific Northwest have a fifth season – a wildfire season? What are the causes behind the recent catastrophic blazes? These are questions the Pacific Science Center (PacSci) and its collaborative partners hope to… Read more

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… Read more

The smoke that drifted into Western Washington last summer and obscured the Space Needle behind its cloak grabbed the attention of the metropolitan Puget Sound area. However, wildfires and forest health have been a high-profile legislative issue since the historic fire years in 2014 and 2015. This past session was… Read more

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… Read more