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HomeMy WebLinkAbout041423 FW_ Draft $83 million proviso - substantial agreement among stakeholders ________________________________ From: Paul Jewell Sent: Friday, April 14, 2023 3:09:11 PM (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) To: Tom Lannen; Lee Tischer; Lisa Olsen; Heidi Eisenhour; Kate Dean; Randy Johnson; Mullet, Sen. Mark; Kaylee Galloway; Carolina Mejia; Dunn, Megan Subject: FW: Draft $83 million proviso - substantial agreement among stakeholders ________________________________ ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them. ________________________________ Honorable Commissioners, Attached is a new draft version of the $83 million proviso the Senate included in its budget to purchase forestland for preserving and replacing legacy forests and for purchasing replacement forestlands for currently encumbered lands in Clallam, Jefferson, Pacific, Skamania, and Wahkiakum Counties. It provides funding for 2000 acres of older forest preservation and about $50 million for encumbered lands, $10 million for silviculture, and $3 million for stakeholder work. We negotiated this language with a broad group of stakeholders, including timber industry representatives and environmentalists. As you know, budgets are entering the final stages of negotiations. It would be very helpful if you would reach out to your delegations and let them know that you support this proviso and ask that it be included in the final budget. I’m unsure if it will be in the capital or operations budget. It is climate commitment act funding, so it could be either. There are some competing proposals being discussed for how to use these funds. While we don’t necessarily disagree with other options, this is our preferred strategy. Please let me know if you have any questions or need assistance contacting your legislators. Let’s get this over the finish line! Sincerely, -- Paul Jewell | Policy Director – Water, Land Use, Environment & Solid Waste Washington State Association of Counties | wsac.org pjewell@wsac.org | 360.489.3024 Disclaimer: Documents and correspondence are available under state law. This email may be disclosable to a third-party requestor.