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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
My bill (HB 1311) to down-list wolves from “endangered” to “sensitive” received a public hearing this week. This down-listing would still provide protections but would also give more flexibility to the department when managing wolves.
It was a positive hearing and I am hopeful my colleagues on the House Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee will see fit to pass my bill out of committee.
Bovine Flatulence
Democrats in Olympia have introduced legislation that could increase the costs for beef and dairy products like milk and cheese.
House Bill 1630 would require dairy farms and feed lots to report annually to the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) their total metric tons of methane emitted in the preceding calendar year (Bovine burps and flatulence make up most of these methane emissions). If they find sufficient methane equivalent to 25,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions, these facilities would likely need to come under the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) as officially covered entities. This would require them to compete with other businesses for carbon allowances, including several multinational companies. The expense of competing with these larger entities will most likely drive up the price of beef and dairy. And, it’s important to note, it does NOT exempt small dairy operations. We have several small dairy farms in our district that could be impacted.
I am absolutely against this measure and will fight it every chance I get! Farmers, ranchers, and producers are already under immense financial strain due to the increasing costs of energy, feed, transportation, and market conditions beyond their control. Here are a few media pieces for more information on the “bovine flatulence” issue:
The latest issue dividing Washington’s lawmakers: Cow farts – KUOW Radio
Washington House bill eyes dairy, feedlot emissions – Capital Press
Banning Woodstoves?
Many of you have already contacted me about Senate Bill 5174 which would essentially eliminate most wood stoves as a way of heating homes. I want you to know that I am strongly against this bill and will fight against it if it reaches the House.
I grew up and have spent most of my life in rural northeast Washington in a home primarily heated by a wood stove. I know what it’s like to gather, chop and stack wood for the winter. For many rural residents, a wood stove is the only efficient way to heat their homes. And even when alternative heat sources are available, wood heat is often the only way to ensure families can stay warm during power outages that are common in remote areas of our district.
Protecting women’s sports in WA schools
I am a cosponsor of House Bill 1699 which will protect women’s sports by allowing school boards to adopt policies prohibiting biologically male students from competing with and against female students and provides procedures for the determinization of student biological sex. With President Trump’s recent Executive Order and the NCAA saying they will comply at the collegiate level, we need a path forward to protect all of our female student-athletes in K-12. The ridiculousness of biological males competing against females needs to end NOW! We need to protect our female student-athletes.
Housing Bills
The availability of affordable housing in our state is a crisis that needs a variety of solutions. I have two bills that will help, especially in rural areas.
House Bill 1695 will allow housing units to be built in areas previously characterized as a town, village, or hamlet but remain unincorporated. There are rural areas in our state that have locales fitting this description, especially in northeast Washington. Allowing homes to be built in these area will help increase much-needed housing supply.
House Bill 1854 will allow a family member to buy a parcel of land to build on that might otherwise not be allowed under current zoning laws. For example, if my family owns 20 acres and the zoning is R-20, they could not – under current law – subdivide the parcel for me to build on. Under provisions in my bill, I could purchase an acre ADJACENT to my family’s house to build on, while leaving the rest of the 20 acres untouched and farmable.
These bills make sense for the availability of affordable housing in our rural areas. They are both scheduled for public hearings on Feb. 12 in the House Local Government Committee.
In another housing matter, House Bill 1345 establishes limitations on detached accessory dwelling units (ADAUs) outside of urban growth areas. There are several restrictions in this bill that I don’t agree with, however one is particularly onerous. It requires that each dwelling unit on the parcel must be metered. This is completely unnecessary, adds costs and goes against the idea of affordable ADAUs in the first place!
I offered an amendment in committee to eliminate this requirement. The average person uses about 82 gallons of water per day. And state law allows a permit-exempt well for 5,000 gallons per day for indoor use. Which means it would take 60 people between these two units (the original house and the new ADAU) to exceed existing state law on average use! There should be nowhere near 60 people in two housing units.
Unfortunately, my amendment was not taken and the bill passed committee. If it makes it to the House floor, I will again offer this amendment and make the case that this provision is unnecessary and adds costs to what is supposed to be “affordable housing.”
Thank you for reading my email update. I am working hard on your behalf in Olympia. I continue to welcome your input, questions, and opinions on state government issues.
Sincerely,
Andrew Engell
