Money From Washington Carbon Tax Should Go to Rural Areas, DNR Commissioner Says
Listen
Washington’s commissioner of public lands is calling on the state legislature to put a price on carbon to try to curb emissions in the state.
But Hilary Franz differs with Gov. Jay Inslee about how to use the money.
Franz says proceeds from any carbon tax or cap should go to Washington’s rural communities and economies, including forestry, the shellfish industry, and agriculture. Rural communities depend on natural resources, she explains, so investment in climate change adaptation and mitigation is most urgent there.
“As we face issues of drought and dust storms that we’re already seeing in Washington state, how do we put investments for water storage?” she asked. “How do we make sure we’re improving our soil? How do we make sure we’re incentivizing and improving working farmlands that we’re only going to need more as we depend on our own lands here to produce food and wood supply and water?”
As for forests, Franz says climate change is bringing drought, disease, insect infestations and an increased risk of wildfires, which could be countered by investing in forest health and wildfire prevention.
Inslee’s proposal would invest more than half the revenue generated by a carbon tax in education and only 5 percent in communities affected by climate change.
Related Stories:
New Rule Allowing Hound Training For Cougar Tracking Highlights Wildlife-Human Challenges
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission recently approved a new rule that could soon grant George’s wish. But the rule is not without controversy. Many conservationists worry that training more hound handlers could put a strain on Washington’s cougar population and lead to catastrophic unintended consequences for the big cats. Continue Reading New Rule Allowing Hound Training For Cougar Tracking Highlights Wildlife-Human Challenges
Interior Nominee Deb Haaland Faces Tough Questions On Climate Goals
Congresswoman Deb Haaland would be not just the first Native American Interior Secretary, but also the first in a presidential cabinet. She faced tough — and, at times, misguided — questioning from Republican lawmakers worried about the president’s climate goals. Continue Reading Interior Nominee Deb Haaland Faces Tough Questions On Climate Goals
Federal Government Will Reconsider Rollback Of Northern Spotted Owl Protections
The U.S. Interior Department is delaying and reviewing the Trump administration’s last-minute roll-back of federal protections for the imperiled northern spotted owl, which called for slashing protections from millions of acres of Northwest forests. Continue Reading Federal Government Will Reconsider Rollback Of Northern Spotted Owl Protections
