For immediate release – April 25, 2007

For additional information, please contact:

Len Barson, The Nature Conservancy of Washington, (206)343-4345 x 314

Gene Duvernoy, Cascade Land Conservancy, (206)292-5907 x 107

Tom Geiger, Washington Environmental Council, (206)622-8103 x 203

Aisling Kerins, Futurewise, (206)343-0681

State lawmakers move forward with post-933 agenda that protects environment, landowners

Spirit of cooperation forges measures that protect communities from irresponsible development, help family farms and keep forests working

OLYMPIA – Lawmakers have approved a series of measures protecting communities from irresponsible development, offering new safeguards to individual property owners, and improving the economic viability of family farmers and family forest landowners, say members of the coalition that overwhelmingly defeated Initiative 933.  I-933 was rejected by nearly 60% of voters last November as a too extreme and costly way to deal with issues of land-use fairness.

The effort to achieve fairness for Washington state landowners was marked by a willingness from those on both sides of the contentious I-933 fight to cooperate and compromise during the just completed legislative session.

“Even though voters resoundingly rejected I-933, we knew that some landowners had legitimate concerns about fairness,” said David Weekes, Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Washington Chapter.  “We talked with family farmers and forest landowners. We acknowledged their concerns and they acknowledged ours.”

“And those discussions are going to continue. Our state is better off today because we have worked together,” said Gene Duvernoy, President, Cascade Land Conservancy.                   

Measures approved by the Legislature and headed to Governor Christine Gregoire’s desk for her signature include:

• SSB 5248, which outlines a process to resolve longstanding issues regarding critical areas ordinances on agricultural land.  A two-year policy consensus process will be conducted by the Ruckelshaus Center, based out of the University of Washington and Washington State University.  The measure was approved after agreement by coalition members and the Washington State Farm Bureau, which was the primary backer of I-933.
• SSB 5108, which establishes an Office of Farmland Preservation within the state Conservation Commission to focus attention on the importance of retaining agricultural lands and related infrastructure so that future generations can have thriving farms.
  2SHB 1636, which expands Transfer of Development Rights programs to purchase development rights from farmers and rural landowners, providing a source of income while keeping more land undeveloped.
• EHB 1648, which protects family farmers from nuisance lawsuits over agricultural activities by strengthening the Right to Farm Act.
• The final budget approved by the Legislature includes funding for the state’s Wildlife and Recreation Program, including $9 million for farmland preservation. 

Governor Gregoire has already signed one measure that the coalition supported with both agricultural and property rights groups, SHB 1458, which changes eminent domain laws to provide property owners with more timely notification of government actions.

“We did what we said we were going to do after the defeat of I-933,” said Joan Crooks, Executive Director of the Washington Environmental Council. “We listened to people’s concerns and supported common sense changes that will improve our environment and protect our quality of life.”

“We’re committed to addressing real issues raised during the campaign to defeat I-933. We took some steps forward this legislative session and look forward to continuing our efforts to protect both the environment and farmland,” said Aisling Kerins, Political Director for Futurewise.

Organizations that opposed I-933 and worked on this collaborative legislative agenda included:

Audubon Washington, Cascade Land Conservancy, Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association, Futurewise, The Nature Conservancy, Washington Conservation Voters and the Washington Environmental Council.

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