Bill promotes carbon-negative timber industry

Washington state lawmakers have passed legislation that will align the timber and forestry sector with the state’s carbon emission goals.

The Senate voted 46-3 on March 5 in favor of passing House Bill 2528, which would recognize the amount of carbon that trees absorb from the atmosphere and allow that amount to be accounted for after the potential implementation of a carbon emission tax. The House passed the measure in January in a 95-0 vote.

Cindy Mitchell, senior director of public affairs for Washington Forest Protection Association, said this law will help recognize the role forests, both...