State Court in Jefferson County, Washington, Rules Against DNR Timber Sales

On Wednesday (10-26-22), a Jefferson County Superior Court judge ruled against the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, in a case the plaintiffs say will have wide implications on how the agency manages state forests.

Superior Court Judge Keith Harper ruled on Wednesday in favor of the plaintiffs, the Center for Sustainable Economy (CSE) and Save the Olympic Peninsula, who had argued that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had violated the state Environmental Policy by failing to consider the impact of climate change from two timber sales in the county. The sales were to be comprised of 319 acres of public land for timber harvest.

DNR Acting Deputy Supervisor for State Uplands Duane Emmons said that the department did not overlook the impacts of timber harvest on the environment and said recent studies have shown the state carbon sequestration program accommodates for the carbon released by timber harvests.

Emmons added that DNR will evaluate the court’s ruling and revise its SEPA documentation for the timber sales, “making sure we fully incorporate the work our scientists have conducted over the years related to carbon and climate change.”