Audubon Washington - Historic Climate Change Policy Passes Legislature

Heath Packard is Audubon Washington’s policy director.

Washington is the second state in the nation to establish a carbon emissions standard. Senate Bill (SB) 6001, a visionary climate-change policy, was signed into law by Governor Gregoire.

This measure prohibits utilities from entering into long-term contracts with coal-fired power plants that produce excessive greenhouse gases. Audubon worked hard with environmentalists, utilities and industrial companies to arrive at the compromise.

New coal-fired power plants are only allowed under the new law if they are able to inject greenhouse gases (e.g. carbon dioxide) into permanent underground reserves. Utilities are prevented from contracting with out-of-state power generation plants that cannot meet the same standard of 1,100 pounds per megawatt hour or less.

Two currently proposed coal-firing plants are permitted — if they cannot meet their emissions underground, they can mitigate or offset their emissions by purchasing and closing another high-emitting power plant so there is no net gain in emissions.

The measure also establishes in statute, goals that systematically reduce Washington’s greenhouse gas emissions — the same goals Governor Gregoire set forth in a February Executive Order to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020; to 25 percent below 1990 by 2035; and to 50 percent below by 2050 (also 70 percent below 2050 emission projections).

This Executive Order also sets forth a process to develop comprehensive plans and policies to meet these goals. Audubon has been appointed to work groups focused on the role of forests and education in achieving these goals. Recommendations from the governor’s Climate Advisory Team are due in time to craft more legislation for the 2008 legislative session. Audubon also supported the Clean Air /Clean Fuels Bill — House Bill (HB) 1303.

Audubon worked hard to defeat Initiative 933 (I-933) last November because it would allow rampant, irresponsible development of our farms and forests. Throughout this campaign Audubon and others promised to work hard on real land-use regulatory issues impacting viable agricultural and forestry. This session we delivered on that promise.

Audubon was instrumental in the passage of SB 5248 as negotiated with the Farm Bureau — the lead proponents of I-933. Audubon has also delivered on our post I-933 promise through our forestry policy priorities. Audubon led the charge to address the family foresters top priority — the conversion moratorium.

“The Washington Farm Forestry Association has great appreciation for Audubon and other conservation group’s efforts in supporting SB 5883,” said Rick Dunning, executive director of the Washington Family Forest Association. “This legislation will help family forestland owners continue their land use while maintaining strong resource protection in Washington.”

Audubon also helped to broker an agreement on forest health legislation. “Catastrophic fires are on the rise impacting public safety, forest ecosystems, fish and wildlife habitat and the timber industry.

They compound global warming while costing taxpayers millions of dollars,” said Mark Doumit, executive director of the Washington Forest Protection Association. “The prioritization of this common threat by forest landowners and groups like Audubon has ensured careful crafting, passage and funding of SB 6141, which establishes an important new program to promote healthy forests for our citizens, foresters and wildlife.”

Once again Audubon’s balanced approach ensures real solutions to real problems that impact birds, wildlife and habitat.

Audubon leads and coordinates the forest conservation lobby. These Audubon forest policy priorities have passed.

SB 6141: Successful negotiations with the timber industry, Department of Natural Resources and the conservation community resulted in a decent forest health bill that increases science-based decision making, and recognizes ecologically uncharacteristic fuels buildup or infestations as priorities for Department of Natural Resources intervention.

SB 5461: This bill allows the Department of Natural Resources to continue to hire contract harvesters to do silvicultural practices on state forestlands. This allows the state to generate revenue from its trust lands while reducing risks of catastrophic fire and pest infestation. Our minor amendments clarified priority sites and ecological aspects of “forest health.”

SB 5883: The Washington Farm Forestry Association points out that because the current moratorium restricts limited or partial conversions to liquidate some land values while still maintaining most of the forests as working land, it prompts more families to sell off their entire forests.

This bill provides family foresters with moratorium flexibility at the same time increasing environmental reviews. Audubon’s efforts on this effort were appreciated by many, including Representative Ed Orcutt, (R-18) who said, “Represented by Miguel Perez-Gibson, Audubon Washington and other conservation groups were integral to developing SB 5883 and HB 1408.

Together we addressed issues necessary to keep working forests viable while maintaining and enhancing environmental protections. Their participation was critical in developing this policy to protect forestland from development. It was a pleasure to be a part of this cooperative process.”

HB 2212 Agricultural Activities/SB 5248 Agricultural Lands: “I appreciate the ability of the environmental community to work with the agricultural community on an issue that is so important to farmers. The ‘time out’ and the discussions at the Ruckelshaus Center will provide an opportunity to address how best to protect both the viability of agriculture and the environment. It is my hope that we will come out of this process with broad support for proposals that will allow farmers to keep farming,” said Senator Brian Hatfield (D-19) when asked about our collaboration to protect Washington’s working lands.

Farms and forests provide essential habitat to resident and migratory birds that winter, forage, breed and pass through Washington. Audubon prioritized policies that curb sprawl and protect these working landscapes. Farmers fear regulations might impose buffers and take some of their farmland out of production.

Audubon knows birds rely on our working farmland. If it is sold to developers, we loose farms and birds alike! This is why the Farm Bureau, counties and conservationists all supported this negotiated bill HB 2212 which passed the House 79 – 17 on March 13 and was amended onto SB 5248 for final passage by the Legislature.

John Stuhlmiller, director of state affairs at the Farm Bureau said, “Our joint efforts resulted in negotiated language and a commitment to work together at the Ruckelshaus Center to find new and creative solutions aimed at engaging farmers through voluntary programs to provide environmental benefits while ensuring that agricultural operations in Washington remain viable. We are hopeful that the working relationships established during this legislative session will help us attain permanent solutions for our family farms.”

Rep. Simpson (D-47) added, “After a very contentious initiative campaign, it was great to see those that [sic] supported and those that [sic] opposed Initiative 933 work together during the legislative session to find a mutually acceptable way to develop public policy.

I believe the working relationships that developed during the negotiations on SB 5248 will help the agricultural community and the environmental community, with assistance from the Ruckelshaus Center, find permanent ways to address the conflict between protecting critical areas and protecting a viable agricultural economy in this state.”

Washington Audubon also supported the following bills that passed the Legislature:

Bill Title Status

HB 1311 Small farm assistance Governor signed

SHB 1458 Eminent domain Governor signed

2SHB 1636 Development rights Governor signed EHB 1648 Agriculture protection Governor signed

SSB 5108 Farmland preserv. office Governor partially vetoed

SB 5248 Agricultural lands Governor signed

2SSB 5883 Forestland Governor signed

On April 21, all of our hard work paid off as the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) was funded at $100 million in the capital conference budget. A big thanks to all the chapters that wrote letters and sent messages! Without your support, this program may not have received additional funding. At the $100 million level, the WWRP will now fund an additional 135 projects throughout the state. Over 70 of these projects correspond with sites on the loops completed for the Great Washington State Birding Trail.

Background: The WWRP is a state grants program that funds protection of wildlife habitat, creation of outdoor recreation areas like parks and ball fields, and preservation of working farms. The WWRP has granted more than $450 million and leveraged an additional $315 million to fund nearly 800 projects, encompassing over 250,000 acres of outdoor recreation and wildlife habitat in cities towns and rural communities across the state. To see more detailed information of what projects will be funded in your area, go to: www.wildliferecreation.org.

ESSB 5372: Creating the Puget Sound Partnership. With strong bipartisan support, the Legislature has created the Puget Sound Partnership, a new agency to ensure the recovery of Puget Sound by 2020. The legislation was requested by the governor and sponsored by Senator Phil Rockefeller and Representative Dave Upthegrove.

The creation of the new agency was recommended in late 2006 by the Puget Sound Partnership, the blue ribbon commission impaneled by Governor Gregoire in 2005 to help guide her Puget Sound Initiative. The legislation establishes strong recovery and protection goals, an independent science advisory committee, priority for funding Puget Sound cleanup projects, and other important accountability measures to make sure state funding delivers action and results for the sound’s recovery.

Despite these advances in Puget Sound protection, the Legislature failed to pass a law to permanently protect the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve.

Background: Puget Sound’s water and wildlife are in trouble. More than 100 species of birds inhabit Puget Sound: 42 of these are considered vulnerable, and 29 are listed as “Species of Greatest Conservation Need.”

E2SHB 1303: Encouraging the Use of Cleaner Energy. On April 13, the Senate passed the bill off the floor, but the House decided not to concur with the Senate’s amendments. After lengthy discussions the Senate amendments were approved and the bill was signed by the governor.

Background: An omnibus bill that will help Washington develop a clean-energy economy by providing market incentives for clean fuels and vehicles, Washington-grown biofuels crops and clean school buses.

ESHB 1024: Phasing out PBDEs. The first priority to pass this legislative session, the governor signed this bill on April 17. The Washington State Legislature is now the first in nation to ban toxic flame retardants. §