Public comments press commissioners over lifting pause on timber sales; county letter to lands commissioner approved

Residents and tribal members urged Clallam County commissioners on Sept. 9 to maintain caution around timber sales, and the board approved a consent-agenda letter to the Washington State lands commissioner regarding the pause on timber sales.

John Worthington, a resident, told the board he opposed lifting the pause on timber sales and argued for a “middle ground” approach to forestry management rather than approving clear‑cutting that, in his view, favors large local hospital employers and property owners through subsequent tax burdens. He also said visible “bald spots” in nearby forests concerned him and reflected broader public unease about current practices.

Charles Creed (Anishinaabe name Wabishti Banesi), a member of the Lenni Lenape Delaware tribe and the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, said he was “in opposition of lifting the…pause on the timber sales,” and urged the county to consider the long‑term structure and replanting needs of county forests for future generations.

The consent agenda included item 1d, described in the meeting materials as a letter to the lands commissioner regarding the pause on timber sales; the board approved the consent agenda unanimously. In the discussion before the vote, a commissioner said county staff and DNR regional ecologists will evaluate “globally significant plant populations” and identify sensitive areas earlier in the process as part of the existing review framework.

Why it matters: Several members of the public urged the commissioners to weigh ecological impacts and reforestation commitments before lifting the pause on timber sales. The letter approved by the board formalizes the county’s position and will be forwarded to the state lands office as part of ongoing coordination between county government and state agencies.

Discussion versus decision: Public comment constituted discussion and formal direction was limited to approving the letter as part of the consent agenda. Commissioners emphasized environmental review processes but did not vote to lift or extend a timber‑sale pause themselves during the meeting.

Next steps: The approved letter will be transmitted to the Washington State lands commissioner; further timber‑sale decisions were not recorded at this meeting.