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From The Daily News in Longview, WA
By Colin Moseley, Toby Murray, Steve Rogel and Jim
Warjone / For The Daily News
Jul 15, 2006 - 10:39:56 pm PDT
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We have more in common than our role as leaders of four
of Washington's oldest forest products companies. We're
also citizens of this state and outdoor enthusiasts.
Among us, we've climbed Mount Rainier, cruised the
waters of the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands, caught
humpies on the Skagit River and hiked at Hurricane
Ridge.
Like you, we value the beauty and peace of spending time
with our families in Washington's forests. That's why we
take an active role to ensure that forests provide the
timber our businesses depend on while protecting the
prized natural resources all Washingtonians appreciate.
The Forests and Fish Law, enacted by the Legislature in
1999, was designed to protect salmon habitat and much
more. It protects 60,000 miles of streams and the 70
resident aquatic species living on more than 9 million
acres of state forest and private timberland.
On June 5, lawmakers, landowners, state and federal
agency heads and tribal leaders joined together to
celebrate the official approval of the State's "Habitat
Conservation Plan," which is based on the Forests and
Fish Law granted by the federal government. The law
defines and creates forest practices to protect water
quality and provide for healthy fish and wildlife
habitat for the next 50 years.
The law shelters water and habitat from sediment damage
by mandating more fish-friendly construction on 58,000
miles of roads. Already, we've eliminated more than
1,400 fish passage barriers opening up 800 miles of
stream habitat. The plan can be changed if scientific
monitoring indicates that the new standards are not
achieved.
With this agreement, federal fish and wildlife agencies
acknowledge that Washington's forest practices will meet
the standards necessary to protect water quality and
assist in recovery of fish.
The Forests and Fish Law was built on a foundation of
collaboration. Everyone helped to shape it -- tribes,
environmental organizations, the timber industry, large
and small forestland owners, government agencies, and
lawmakers. Everyone agreed it must be strict and they
established a balanced set of rules to hold people and
organizations accountable.
Everyone believed that sound science should guide its
formation and its ongoing application to make sure it
lives up to its environmental mission. The new rules are
designed to achieve immediate and future environmental
improvements that can be sustained over time.
The Forests and Fish Law is good for Washington forests.
It's good for forest products companies and the
thousands of employees and scores of communities who
depend on them. It ensures that all of us will continue
to have healthy forests for recreation. It provides a
clear and certain regulatory path to take in the future.
This is an historic act. It maintains the balance we
need to support our industry while protecting our
natural resources. You have our commitment that we will
uphold the standards and the spirit of the new Forests
and Fish Law so that generations to come will benefit
from the resources provided by this state's forests.
Colin Moseley is chairman of Green Diamond Resource
Company; Toby Murray is president and CEO of Murray
Pacific Corporation; Steve Rogel is chairman, president
and CEO of Weyerhaeuser Company; and Jim Warjone is
chairman and general partner of Port Blakely Companies.
For the original story, click on or type the URL below:
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2006/07/16/readers_new/news02.txt
