Pirate's Cove

You know what’s needed to build homes? Timber. You know what’s in shortage? Timber. You know what happens when homes are in shortage? Rising housing prices. The climate cult doesn’t care

WA timber sale blocked as judge orders climate change study

Washington state can’t auction an East King County forest for logging without first analyzing the local project’s climate change impacts, a judge ruled last week, blocking the controversial timber sale and putting officials under pressure to change how they evaluate public lands for harvesting.

The agency responsible for such auctions is reviewing Thursday’s decision, while advocates who challenged the project in court are calling the ruling a significant win. The Wishbone sale was scheduled for last July with a $1.62 million minimum bid, then paused when opponents sued the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Metropolitan King County Council members and the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe had also raised concerns.

“This is a major victory for carbon rich, biodiverse forests and the laws that protect them,” John Talberth, president at the Center for Sustainable Economy, said in a statement about the judge’s decision.

Interestingly, that center is located in Oregon, but, the actual office is closed. Yet, they and so many others have no problem getting involved in things that are not their business.

DNR will confer with the Washington State Department of Ecology about next steps, Duane Emmons, the agency’s assistant deputy supervisor for state uplands, said in an interview. At stake is how DNR generates timber revenue, which helps fund schools, county governments and other services.

King County Superior Court Judge Kristin Ballinger sided with Talberth’s organization and others that challenged DNR’s attempted sale of 4.7 million board feet of timber on 102 acres near the Tolt River, outside Duvall. (snip)

Last year, a timber industry group said pausing the Wishbone sale and similar harvests would force developers to use more carbon-intensive building materials like concrete and steel and reduce funding for essential public services, while the Snoqualmie Tribe called for DNR to account for the climate impacts of logging the area, “not just the revenue that may be realized.”

So, lower government revenue along with higher cost building materials.

Well, you know, the people of Washington keep voting for this climate cult insanity, so, should be fun when they whine about even higher home costs.