2008 Washington State Legislative Session Wrap-up

The Nature Conservancy once again worked with the Washington state Legislature in 2008 to promote smart policies and budget priorities that do good for Washington’s rich natural heritage. We were pleased to collaborate on broad priorities with the broader environmental community through the Priorities for a Healthy Washington group. And we advocated for many opportunities to make a positive difference for native species and habitat. Following is a summary of the results of our efforts. Feel free to contact us with any questions.

A special “thanks” goes to all the members of the Friends of Our Natural Heritage and the many other folks who called their representatives in Olympia this winter.

Environmental Community Priorities:

Climate Action and Green Jobs: HB 2815
Creates a foundation for implementing a comprehensive climate policy. It calls for mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions; a monitoring system for reaching the state’s pollution reduction goals; a report on ways for reducing the amount of miles people drive; a design of a market-based emissions reduction system to be brought back to the Legislature in 2009; and a program to prepare Washington workers for new jobs in the clean energy economy.

Local Solutions to Global Warming: SB 6580
Directs the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development to assist cities and counties to estimate land use related greenhouse gas emissions; creates a competitive grants program for cities and counties that choose to take immediate action; and convenes an interim taskforce to report back to the legislature on any necessary policy actions to better enable local governments to address climate change.

Local Farms-Healthy Kids: SB 6483
Improves kids' nutrition and creates new markets for Washington grown food by revising the state’s procurement policy to encourage the purchase of local grown food by state institutions and schools, creating a Farm to School Program, and promoting local purchasing.

Evergreen Communities Act: E2SHB 2844
Establishes a voluntary program for cities and counties to improve on their urban forest cover and management plans. The state will provide an inventory of trees, sample ordinances and management plans and financial assistance to any city or county to become designated as an Evergreen Community.

Other Legislation of interest to The Nature Conservancy:

SB 6227 creates the Outer Coast Marine Resources Committee Program to provide support and coordination of outer coast marine resources committees and their projects.

SB 6231 improves the coordination of marine protected areas among state agencies, local governments and nongovernmental organizations by creating a work group to make recommendations on goals, science, and management plans to improve the effectiveness of MPAs.

SB 6805 requires the State Conservation Commission to conduct a feasibility study on the viability of establishing farm and forest-based conservation markets in Washington.

2008 Supplemental Budget items of interest:

The four community priorities (see above) received some funding, so there will at least be some grants to help with local solutions to climate change, fresh food in schools, and improving urban forestry programs.
Funding was provided to implement the other legislation listed above.
The Biodiversity Council was not funded to develop a biodiversity scorecard and local Conservation Opportunity maps.
No additional funds were given to the Estuary and Salmon Recovery Program (ESRP) in Puget Sound – a priority for the Conservancy’s ambitious marine work.
The rescue tug at Neah Bay was funded for year round operation with $3,650,000.
Invasive Spartina removal in Pacific County received an additional $65,000.
Derelict fishing gear removal in Washington waters was increased by $100,000.
Ruckelshaus Center land use policy study received $300,000; the center is dedicated to bridging the gap between rural resource industries and policy makers.
Clean-up of toxic sites in Puget Sound received $2,767,000.
Assistance for replacing home wood stoves that fail air pollution standards funded.
Ebey Island conservation property acquisition received $3,300,000.
Okanogan-Similkameen conservation land acquisition and easements received $3,000,000.
Stimilt Basin conservation property acquisition received $200,000.
The list of Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program farmland preservation projects was approved, thanks in great part to Nature Conservancy leadership.
Payments to local governments in lieu of taxes for all Department of Natural Resources conservation lands (NRCAs and NAPs) supported at $1,245,000.

Learn more about the public programs The Nature Conservancy supports in Washington.

Get involved: Join the Friends of Our Natural Heritage.

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