Jared Paben at the Bellingham Herald covered the Washington State Board of Natural Resources (BNR)approval of the trusts exchanges in the Lake Whatcom watershed.
state-board-approves-lake-whatcom
state-board-approves-lake-whatcom-watershed-area-trust-land-redesignations
more-details-reactions-on-state-board-decision-to-redesignate-watershed-trust-lands
I get quoted mostly because I called Jared to let him know how the vote went and Jared knew that this is an issue I have been working on for a really long time. Yeah, I am very happy about this. My experience with BNR votes has led me to expect delay BNR Punts. But after a very clear presentation by DNR staff with no caveats or alarms, the Board voted 5-0 to approve an exchange between the various state trust lands within the Lake Whatcom watershed.
While, perhaps not pleased that the County will be seeking to reconvey 8,900 acres from Department of Natural Resources (DNR) management to County management as a forest reserve park, the BNR through approval of the exchange ensured that the lands that will still be DNR managed will be the easiest to log lands and that the County park land will be in the areas of the watershed that would present much greater difficulty to log and areas where logging poses the greater risk of causing sediment loading problems for the lake.
The Board did here testimony from those opposed to the parks. The opposition was primarily backed by forest industry folks with a seasoning of various political groups using the name Freedom and Heartland. I little of the testimony is a bit off on the facts. You can hear the testimony HERE. The testimony starts at 35:00. My bit is at 64:25.
Previous posts: whatcom-county-council-moves-forward and lake-whatcom-reconveyance
state-board-approves-lake-whatcom
state-board-approves-lake-whatcom-watershed-area-trust-land-redesignations
more-details-reactions-on-state-board-decision-to-redesignate-watershed-trust-lands
I get quoted mostly because I called Jared to let him know how the vote went and Jared knew that this is an issue I have been working on for a really long time. Yeah, I am very happy about this. My experience with BNR votes has led me to expect delay BNR Punts. But after a very clear presentation by DNR staff with no caveats or alarms, the Board voted 5-0 to approve an exchange between the various state trust lands within the Lake Whatcom watershed.
While, perhaps not pleased that the County will be seeking to reconvey 8,900 acres from Department of Natural Resources (DNR) management to County management as a forest reserve park, the BNR through approval of the exchange ensured that the lands that will still be DNR managed will be the easiest to log lands and that the County park land will be in the areas of the watershed that would present much greater difficulty to log and areas where logging poses the greater risk of causing sediment loading problems for the lake.
The Board did here testimony from those opposed to the parks. The opposition was primarily backed by forest industry folks with a seasoning of various political groups using the name Freedom and Heartland. I little of the testimony is a bit off on the facts. You can hear the testimony HERE. The testimony starts at 35:00. My bit is at 64:25.
Previous posts: whatcom-county-council-moves-forward and lake-whatcom-reconveyance
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