Wildfires, forest health are key issues in race to lead DNR
EVERETT — Wildfire is the focus in the contest to be in charge of preventing them and putting them out.
State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, a Democrat, and former fisheries biologist Sue Kuehl Pederson, a Republican, are dueling in the Nov. 3 election for a four-year term as leader of the state Department of Natural Resources.
-snip-
Throughout her four-year term, Franz says, she has diversified the state’s portfolio of land and leases, including those for wind and solar generation, and also expanded broadband internet service in under-served rural areas.
Kuehl Pederson said Franz hasn’t acted quickly enough to prevent wildfires. She also questions climate change’s role in causing a longer, hotter fire season — and she’d like to see DNR do less wildfire prevention work on federal and tribal-owned forest land, instead turning that responsibility over to private industry. She’s a proponent of increased logging.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/wildfires-forest-health-are-key-issues-in-race-to-lead-dnr/
A global warming denier who wants to turn management of public lands over to private industry? No thanks.
