[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6125060,"mediaKeyId","2678688-e05ca27f596192948ba47bcb9d4e4b81","parentId",2678688,"title","Committee hears bill to let DNR sell larger quantities of timber for habitat restoration","audioSeconds",128,"startMs",128000,"endMs",-1,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2678688-e05ca27f596192948ba47bcb9d4e4b81&start=128&end=0","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2678688-e05ca27f596192948ba47bcb9d4e4b81/thumbnail_128000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6125060/Washington/Committee-hears-bill-to-let-DNR-sell-larger-quantities-of-timber-for-habitat-restoration","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125060-34164848c89fadfa91c5ebb7d32c6e1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773887552&Signature=LAHgoF3n980R79nKpkDkOrx~L6lDuA-yp0ucKo5y4OqUr0Ckvhr7fBvtTZPWQ7-LAAkYixa~pNrIvMge8gLGT2cUNDWHoRiSCLXBx4mMiKVi1V5B01kf1D3SWI3yYnG6OVLbU-ZsuQkh7LUduykcxrzL2pEhZ11AhHb0N5CrrLrFTQl7URAJVkQbCuUM~GlGR66af-c4P8V3aCJ7EXFtgQpF7S3I2fJc-yjW4dGfeRWJtmgjt3gayeeCjfer-~Lu~nMEYYgpqY5kaCo5PXQrwE8cIM2goyBLBhBrVDdh4Pdl8Mo-UG1T62TZQ867RQ9uOPVr6jximjC-joAwRR7jag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Agriculture & Natural Resources","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","On Tuesday, March 18, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee opened public testimony on Substitute Senate Bill 5157, which would let the Department of Natural Resources use direct sales for valuable materials from state lands up to $250,000 when the wood or other material is designated for habitat restoration projects.

The measure’s supporters say raising the direct-sale threshold would let salmon-recovery projects obtain large trees and intact root wads on timelines that match grant-funded work; opponents and agency witnesses urged safeguards to protect trust beneficiaries and ensure accurate appraisals.

Sen. John Solomon, the bill’s sponsor, told the committee he saw restoration work in Southwest Washington where large trees with intact root wads had measurably improved salmon habitat. “A lot of our projects don't reach the potential that they could in terms of the impact of the investment because we can't source this large woody debris…a bid is the highest sellable amount. And so they don't sync up,” Solomon said, explaining the bill raises the existing $25,000 direct-sale limit to $250,000 for this purpose.

Lily Smith, committee staff, explained the current statutory framework: in addition to timber, DNR may sell other valuable resources from state lands, and for materials valued under $25,000 DNR may use a direct sale. The bill would allow direct sales up to $250,000 when the materials are to be used for habitat restoration and the department determines the sale is in the best interest of the state or the affected trust; the bill also includes conditions such as a prohibition on resale for other uses.

Duane Emmons, assistant deputy supervisor for State Uplands at DNR, said the department helped draft the bill and described how DNR would value whole trees with root wads. “We do look at it like any other timber sale. We’re going to look at the value of each of those logs…we're going to appraise the entire tree, the entire value,” Emmons said, noting appraisals consider residual value and costs to deliver material to a mill. Emmons also said much of the material used for restoration often comes from blowdown or road-construction work rather than from deliberate harvest of structurally complex stands.

Conservation and restoration groups told the committee they face practical barriers when projects must wait for competitive timber-sale processes. Scott Richards of The Nature Conservancy said his organization’s restoration plans on the Olympic Peninsula need larger-diameter wood that is “difficult to acquire” through auctions and that a higher direct-sale threshold would better match project timelines. Don Gourley of the Puget Sound Partnership and Lehi Kalmikita of Trout Unlimited described how large woody debris reduces downstream flooding, recharges groundwater, and creates salmon habitat; Gourley gave examples of projects that avoided helicoptering logs or highway transport costs by sourcing nearby material.

Industry witnesses supported the bill with conditions. Heath Heikle of the American Forest Resource Council said his members supply many high-value wood products and that it is important to value materials accurately for the trust beneficiaries; he noted ongoing litigation and a department pause on some timber sales and asked that safeguards prevent stockpiling or diversion of material from trust revenue streams.

Committee members pressed DNR on valuation method and potential scope. Representative Orcutt asked whether DNR’s appraisal treats a whole tree as the sum of millable logs and residuals; Emmons confirmed appraisals account for higher- and lower-quality logs and for costs to move material to market. Emmons said the total need for restoration wood likely exceeds what DNR can supply, and that when material is not needed for restoration it is traditionally sold to mills.

The committee recorded 37 pro and 1 con sign-ins for testimony on SB 5157. No final action or vote occurred; the committee suspended and later resumed hearings on the bill during the same session.

The bill’s sponsors, DNR staff, and conservation groups said they had negotiated language and that DNR supported the concept with clarifying provisions. DNR indicated it would refine appraisal and contract language and suggested adding a provision to prevent a private right of action in some related contexts.

If passed as drafted, the bill would not change the statute’s other limits and would restrict the $250,000 direct-sale allowance to materials used for habitat restoration projects and subject to appraisal and use conditions.

Committee staff said they would circulate amendments and that the committee would consider further adjustments before any markup.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Agriculture & Natural Resources - 3/18/2025 10:30 AM","oneSentenceSummary","On Tuesday, March 18, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee opened public testimony on Substitute Senate Bill 5157, which would let the Department of Natural Resources use direct sales for valuable materials from state lands up to $250,000 when the wood or other material is designated for habitat restoration projects.","taxTitle","Agriculture and Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20253,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6125051,"Bill would require DNR to notify adjoining landowners before boundary surveys, agency seeks clarifying language",459,816000,1275000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2678688-e05ca27f596192948ba47bcb9d4e4b81&start=816&end=1275","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2678688-e05ca27f596192948ba47bcb9d4e4b81/thumbnail_816000.jpg","/articles/6125051/Washington/Bill-would-require-DNR-to-notify-adjoining-landowners-before-boundary-surveys-agency-seeks-clarifying-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125051-23dd59bf4d65fafd41ff9c5290b89b56/orig.mp4?Expires=1773887552&Signature=VBOk9c021qVu2hEujYs6~ympy0HJxtz0dF8SQ06aOrRvst5gPGQUuYSdv9X01JJiX5HAxYBqqAiPRkAThp9DuaBOqgdPZoP7Y3RMbkjO0OQcCFtidV7LNrvHKayDwm248HoVyVNkeZAk05hHGqqsk23rrbAT081qAjXKlVM-ejwhSYWiDpJKmXeBlW~K~pNRh8UOWEjepdslMiuF2CSedys9AX0wwBsi6JTqCWTVn65nrI821ezq020ewSP1Ay5-zqvOe4J0A7af65H~JrmLkOOAn9a1FaMWRl5s2kxwgZRufCxx8X8Lc4pHYkkzhku07~THpyLtsA5Pl1lCTYDLVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On Tuesday, March 18, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard testimony on Substitute Senate Bill 5170, a proposal to require the Department of Natural Resources to notify adjoining landowners in writing within 30 days when conducting land surveys intended to establish boundaries, and to provide those landowners an opportunity to comment and submit evidence before DNR pursues a boundary-line determination suit.

Senate sponsor Shelley Short said the bill grew from constituent concerns that adjoining landowners lacked a formal participation process when survey work adjacent to state land might affect them. “If you’re those adjoining landowners, we want to make sure that there’s a formal participation process,” Short said, adding she and stakeholders would continue refining terminology to reflect surveying practices.

Lily Smith, committee staff, summarized the bill’s main provisions: notice and an opportunity to comment to adjoining owners for surveys with the intent of establishing boundaries; written notice of current and proposed locations within 30 days; and the requirement as a prerequisite for DNR to bring a suit for boundary-line determination.

Duane Emmons of DNR said the agency already follows longstanding practices—letters and door-hung notices—to alert adjoining owners and that the bill, as written, would apply specifically to DNR’s roughly eight in-house surveyors (and to contracts where the department uses contracted surveyors). Emmons warned the bill could be read to create a private right of action and asked the sponsor for an addition that would ensure no private right of action is created. “We just want to ensure that it doesn't,” Emmons said, noting the department faces multiple lawsuits on individual timber sales and aims to avoid opening new litigation avenues.

Emmons also told the committee that thousands of other surveyors and millions of private landowners exist across the state—this bill would apply to a narrow set of DNR work—and that most professional land surveyors already notify adjoining owners as a matter of practice.

Representative Orcutt asked whether the requirement would apply to in-house DNR surveyors or to contractors; Emmons replied it specifically requires DNR to perform the notice and that most surveys are done by in-house employees but that supplemental contracted work could also be affected.

Vice Chair read the sign-in summary into the record: 128 pro, 0 con, 0 other. No formal action or vote was taken during the hearing. DNR and the sponsor said they would continue stakeholder discussions and that the sponsor expected to present refined language and potential amendments to clarify terms and address DNR’s concerns about private rights of action.

","Senate Bill 5170 would require the Department of Natural Resources to provide written notice and an opportunity to comment to adjoining landowners when conducting surveys intended to establish boundaries; DNR told the committee it already follows similar notice practices and asked for language that prevents a private right of action.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6125055,"Committee hears extension of livestock-inspection fees and advisory committee sunset",1071,507000,1578000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2678688-e05ca27f596192948ba47bcb9d4e4b81&start=507&end=1578","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2678688-e05ca27f596192948ba47bcb9d4e4b81/thumbnail_507000.jpg","/articles/6125055/Washington/Committee-hears-extension-of-livestock-inspection-fees-and-advisory-committee-sunset","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125055-27c0fe777b8b849ea6c09d0e31ec2c21/orig.mp4?Expires=1773887552&Signature=PNKdq~gFsAVODIGsyxCsUTwwkNLXmcENmpE0OR2jQLNMuSZXKAkm7GpSq8ouPIdFs6-zbl4x7yFZlugnFuiBKJCg42yt0mM8mW1DwKiEwrNVDSMZFAjgpENO9TQs0DDfiDOVexoA0yhmCUIxwXHiZzT7-KngvB~cUgGAg5OiBPOH~FlEeQku-p-h9bJSEbhHVpVG5Qioe8fu7MRo2SK8KLieGHT2Z5aRFBYFSMZ6qfzX8FS~zmNDKSQu0W-aNcC77uDnXsyJjeQh-OiWDLJ-KwrbcocuQn3rzQDnAC0rrWxaaOZPc5fdIURMVK-x36uCcZVpF8qe3KNgmB9O~7DyBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On Tuesday, March 18, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a staff briefing and public testimony on Senate Bill 5485, which would extend several expiration dates in the Livestock Inspection Program from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2030.

Committee staff explained the program, administered by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, records brands, licenses feedlots and public livestock markets, and inspects livestock at time of sale and for out-of-state movement. The 2019 law established a $20 call-out fee for inspections; inspections performed by a certified veterinarian or field livestock inspector are exempt from that fee, and those fee changes were set to expire July 1, 2026.

Rebecca Lewis, committee staff, summarized the bill: it extends the inspection-fee provisions, call-out-fee structure, the exemption for certified veterinarians and field livestock inspectors, the Livestock Identification Advisory Committee’s sunset, and the program’s annual reporting requirement to July 1, 2030.

Sen. Judy Warnec, sponsor, described the bill as a straightforward extension of a working program. “What I’m doing now is bringing a program that’s working. It’s financially solvent. And we want to keep it going,” Warnec said, adding that the program protects producers and the animals they raise.

Brennan Kimball, brand manager for the Livestock Identification Program at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, testified that program budget projections show solvency into 2029 under the current fee structure but that, without extending the sunset clause, the program’s projections show a deficit by May 2027. Kimball said the program’s primary purpose is “asset protection” to protect producers from theft and that the program also aids animal-disease traceability by verifying physical inspections where traceability data are incomplete.

Mark Strulley of the Washington Cattlemen’s Association testified in support of the bill, saying it provides confidence for buyers and sellers that livestock transactions are tracked and that the fee structure should remain in place.

Committee members asked how the program supports getting food to market and protecting animal health; Kimball answered that the inspection work protects producer assets and assists with disease traceability, which supports continued market access.

The committee recorded nine pro sign-ins and no opposition for testimony on SB 5485. No final action or vote was taken during the hearing. Committee staff noted a fiscal note is available in committee materials.

","The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 5485 to extend fee provisions, call-out-fee exemptions and the Livestock Identification Advisory Committee until 2030 so the Department of Agriculture’s livestock-inspection program can remain solvent and continue animal-disease traceability work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears bill to let DNR sell larger quantities of timber for habitat restoration

Bill would require DNR to notify adjoining landowners before boundary surveys, agency seeks clarifying language

Committee hears extension of livestock-inspection fees and advisory committee sunset