Transcript Highlights:

• Our forested lands are in poor condition.
• And if it's deemed beneficial by the state forester to also include these projects on federal lands,
• Our our forested lands are in picture.
• Our our forested lands are in in<00:37:21.839><c> poor</c><00:37:22.160><c> condition.
• are are based forested lands in Wyoming are are based on<00:37:28.160><c> aerial</c><00:37:28.640><c

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the chief of the forest protection bureau for the Division of Forest and Lands within DNCR.
• I'm the chief of the forest protection bureau for the Division of Forest and Lands within DNCR.
• I'm the chief of the forest protection bureau for the Division of Forest and Lands within DNCR.
• I'm the chief of the forest protection bureau for the Division of Forest and Lands within DNCR.
• Um for the forest and lands within DNCR.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then adopted the consent calendar without objection. On the regular calendar, it took up a Health and Human Services Medicaid rule on laboratory services. Committee members questioned why an expired rule was still needed and whether any fees, fines, or appeals had occurred during the lapse. DHHS staff said there were no fees or fines, the service remains in the state Medicaid plan, providers continued to be reimbursed under the billing manual, and there had been no known appeals. The committee then approved the rule. The next item was a Natural Resources rule package covering wood processing mills, wood concentration yards, forestry health, forest fire, and administrative fines. Representative Leon pulled the item from consent and objected to the rule’s repeated 5-inch diameter limit for burnable material, arguing that the statute authorizes permits for camp or cooking fires but does not clearly authorize a diameter limit, and that larger wood can be responsibly burned or otherwise managed in forested properties. DNCR’s forest protection chief responded that the 5-inch limit is intended to reduce smoldering and wildfire risk, align with DEES air rules defining brush as 5 inches or less, and keep backyard burning consistent with air-quality regulations. He said larger material can be handled through other permitting processes and that the rule is meant to educate the public and prevent unsafe burning. Members continued to debate whether the rule exceeded statutory authority and whether it was practical for landowners managing larger wooded parcels. One member suggested narrowing the 5-inch restriction in the category 4 permit language, while another noted the statute appears to speak in terms of small or large amounts of material rather than a specific diameter. The discussion ended without a final resolution in the excerpt, with the committee still considering possible amendments to the Natural Resources rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• , BLM lands, and Forest Service lands here in Wyoming.
• So, for example, uh, BLM and Forest Service lands in Wyoming commonly permit camping for up to 14 days
• </c><00:01:02.640><c> service</c> started um the BLM and forest service started um the BLM and forest
• surface surf forest acres of um forest surface surf forest service<00:20:39.520><c> land</c><00:20:39.840
• </c> service land in the state of Wyoming. service land in the state of Wyoming.

Committee: Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• for forested trust lands, approval of land exchanges, and generally guiding DNR's stewardship of the
• that are called state forest lands.
• DNR manages over 600,000 acres of lands that are called state forest lands.
• Forest Service, land trusts, cities, and all types of community groups.
• Forest Service, land trust, cities, and all types of community groups.

Bills: SB5838 , SB5960 , SB6097

Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: tribal representation, natural resources, board of natural resources, environmental policy, community involvement, ungulate populations, wildlife management, habitat restoration, conservation, sustainability, Indian tribes, conservation futures program, federal recognition, environmental protection

Transcript Highlights:

• This was on Forest Service land, Forest Service property.
• This was on Forest Service land, Forest Service property.
• Foundation because we can’t give private money directly to the United States Forest Service.
• We’ve worked with the Forest Service.
• , enforceable law on Forest Service land.

Committee: Joint Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Study Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• We regularly work with the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, and State Land Office.
• The area is a mixture of private land and land managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
• The area is a mixture of private land and land managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
• Lahara Mesa is a combination of private and Forest Service land.
• There's two sections of Forest Service land, one section of state.

Committee: House Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz just yesterday released their Western Washington Healthy Forest
• Now, one of the challenges is that most of the unhealthy forests are on federal land.
• Service.
• Private corporate, private non-corporate, and Forest Service—although Forest Service is marginal—all
• Forest Service-specific Northwest Research Station, has done good research on this.

Summary: The committee first received an update from Larry Madsen of the Office of Columbia River on eastern Washington water supply projects. He described the office’s mission to develop new water supplies for in-stream and out-of-stream uses, noting that funded projects have developed more than 800,000 acre-feet of water toward a 1 million acre-foot goal by 2030. He reviewed the four major program areas: the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program, the Walla Walla Water 2050 plan, the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan, and the Icicle Work Group. He highlighted major projects such as East Low Canal work, Springwood Ranch reservoir planning, Bateman Island causeway removal, and Icicle Creek improvements, and emphasized the importance of state, federal, tribal, and nonprofit partnerships and cost-sharing. Senators asked about accelerating the Springwood Ranch study, reservoir sizing and refill potential, and how conservation fits into the Yakima plan. The committee then heard from Betsy Peabody, Dr. Micah Horwith, and Bill Dewey on the Marine Resources Advisory Council and ocean acidification. They explained that Washington was an early bellwether for ocean acidification impacts, especially on shellfish hatcheries, where low aragonite saturation and changing pH caused major oyster larval mortality. They described the state’s monitoring network, hatchery buffering systems, research partnerships, and adaptation strategies such as kelp co-culture, selective breeding, and native oyster restoration. Testimony stressed that ocean acidification is affecting shellfish, Dungeness crab, razor clams, and even salmon, and that continued state investment, emissions reductions, and nutrient pollution control are needed. Senators asked about differences between native and farmed species, real-time monitoring, and the pH/aragonite thresholds that threaten shellfish production. Finally, Todd Myers and Pam Lewis of the Washington Policy Center presented concerns about agricultural viability, sustainability, and food security. Lewis said Washington farms are under severe financial pressure, citing negative farm take-home pay, high production and labor costs, and the need to rely more on voluntary programs, tax relief, and labor cost changes. She also argued that food insecurity is rising and that donations to food banks are harder when farms are financially strained. Myers followed with remarks on forest health and salmon recovery, arguing for more active forest management, expanded use of Good Neighbor Authority, and fewer permitting barriers. He also said salmon recovery funding should be locally prioritized and science-based, with regulatory barriers reduced so projects can move faster. The committee then voted to refer Senate Bill 6154, a culvert replacement permitting bill, to the Senate Local Government Committee without recommendation, and the motion passed.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> programs designed for small forest land programs designed for small forest land owners. owners.
• </c><00:16:42.480><c> Land</c><00:16:42.760><c> Group</c> the Forest Land Group the Forest Land Group
• over</c><01:32:22.120><c> a</c> private forest land owners for over a private forest land owners for
• land owners forest management to meet land owners forest management objectives.<01:45:12.360><c> I'd<
• <01:45:18.800><c> forest</c> land owners have existing forest land owners have existing forest management

Summary: The meeting began with introductions, approval of the March 6 minutes as amended to add an attendee list, and a brief overview of the day’s agenda. The committee heard two presentations from carbon project developers, with the first from Dylan Jenkins of Finite Carbon. He described Finite Carbon’s work in improved forest management projects, its role in developing carbon methodologies and protocols, and its experience with projects in New England, Appalachia, Alaska, and Canada. He also outlined the difference between compliance and voluntary carbon markets, the role of registries and intermediaries, and the types of buyers in the market, including large corporate buyers and long-term off-take partners. A major focus of the presentation was how forest carbon projects are structured and how credits are monetized. Jenkins distinguished between removals and reductions, explaining that removals come from new forest growth while reductions are tied more closely to baseline assumptions and standing stock. He said improved forest management projects can generate both types of credits, and that removals generally command higher prices because they are easier for buyers to understand and verify. He also emphasized that carbon project commercialization can occur before, during, or after credit issuance, and that landowners may be paid through a variety of structures, including leases, advance fees, per-unit payments, or off-take agreements. Jenkins then addressed the committee’s tax-related questions, saying House Bill 123 appeared intended to treat carbon credit sales similarly to timber sales for local tax purposes. He argued that carbon credits are a forest product and that taxing them can be reasonable in principle, but he stressed that lawmakers should distinguish between commoditization and commercialization when deciding what event to tax. He noted that credits may be created but never sold, and that in some programs landowners retain timber and carbon rights while in others the developer has deeper control over those rights. In response to questions, he said the industry uses protocols, verification, and third-party oversight to address baseline and quality concerns, but acknowledged that baseline setting remains a major point of debate in the market.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Environment Department decides that, or federal—the Forest Service decides that, or state forestry
• The Organic Act created the Forest Service.
• Forest Service is public land. BLM's public land. State land is state trust land.
• Now, when we talk about the Forest Service not managing lands, my community is devastated from that.
• But she's doing a shared stewardship with the United States Forest Service, where we, if they're not

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 180, a disaster-funding measure that was amended with a substitute adding reporting requirements for the Natural Disaster Revolving Fund, creating a new funding “waterfall” that could draw first from the executive orders for disaster fund, then the appropriation contingency fund, and then the revolving fund, and removing language tied to the end of a fiscal year. The sponsor said the bill clarifies which disaster funds may be used for natural and non-natural disasters, limits and structures executive authority, and improves transparency. Supporters included the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts and the Village of Ruidoso; DFA raised concern that the transfer language could unintentionally create a deficit and threaten bond obligations. After questions about non-natural disasters, executive orders, and the fiscal impact, the committee voted do not pass on the original bill and do pass on the committee substitute. House Bill 158, dealing with the Government Results and Opportunity Expendable Trust, was amended with a technical change replacing “expendable trust” with “program fund” in several places. The bill would require agencies receiving GROW appropriations to submit accountability and evaluation plans to the state budget division director and LFC director. Sponsors said they had worked with DFA and tried to address concerns raised in a prior veto message. There was no public opposition, and the committee approved the bill as amended. House Bill 271 proposed a one-time $100 million general fund appropriation to the Office of Natural Resources Trustees for public land expansion and restoration, plus up to $30 million for state matching funds for political subdivisions with approved federal disaster assistance. Supporters from outdoor recreation, conservation, wildlife, and local government groups said the bill would help restore fire- and flood-damaged lands, expand access, and support rural economies; opponents or skeptics raised concerns about land management, tax base loss, tribal consultation, and whether the state should acquire more land given New Mexico’s already high public-land percentage. After extended debate, the committee tabled the bill. Finally, House Bill 246 was heard as a Lincoln County/Ruidoso floodplain mitigation bill. It would provide state matching funds so local governments can leverage federal Emergency Watershed Protection dollars to buy out and rehabilitate repeatedly flooded properties, with the goal of reducing future disaster risk. The sponsor and county officials said the program is voluntary, based on pre-disaster valuation, and intended to help residents relocate while restoring floodplains; supporters from conservation and recreation groups said it could become a model for disaster recovery. Committee members asked about property priority levels, voluntary participation, ownership after acquisition, and climate-related planning. The discussion ended with the sponsor describing the bill as a Lincoln County-specific effort tied to ongoing flood recovery and forest-management concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I really want to focus on the 33 million acres of forest land in California.
• Over a third of that is in forest land.
• That's a significant amount of forest land and it plays a significant role in California.
• Of that forest land is in private land ownership.
• A little over half is in public land, primarily national forest.

Transcript Highlights:

• Forest Service stationed in Missoula, Montana, and in St. Paul.
• pathologist for the US as a forest pathologist for the US Forest<00:04:40.320><c> Service</c><00:04:
• </c> and sustainable management of forest and sustainable management of forest lands<00:05:11.840><c>
• </c><00:07:47.520><c> lands</c> revision for the DNR forest lands revision for the DNR forest lands private
• But they things for the Forest Service.

Summary: The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council met on May 27, 2026, approved the January 7 minutes and the day’s agenda, and reported no conflicts of interest. The executive director gave staff updates, including introductions of new staff member Cara Castanza and DNR liaison Jason Co., both of whom were welcomed by the council. Members were also informed about three minor easement/conveyance matters in the packet, including a small Bowser easement impact with about $1,600 returned to the Outdoor Heritage Fund, a Minnesota Land Trust easement request involving a DNR trout stream easement, and an access easement revision in Itasca County. The council also noted several upcoming dedication events and a June field tour in southeast Minnesota beginning in Winona on June 16, with visits to Whitewater WMA, bluff prairie and stream sites, and a river segment if a boat is secured. A major agenda item was a legislative session recap on the Outdoor Heritage Fund portion of Senate File 2077, the omnibus Outdoor Heritage Fund, Legacy, and Lands bill. Staff reported that all council recommendations were incorporated into the bill, which passed both chambers on May 17 and was expected to be signed by the governor. The fiscal year 2027 Outdoor Heritage Fund recommendations covered 53 programs totaling about $188.9 million, with the February forecast increasing the appropriation slightly so the final total was about $191.16 million; eligible programs were proportionately increased. Staff also highlighted a few changes made during the legislative process, including adjustments to the Roso Lake rehabilitation phase three project, the conservation partners legacy grant language, and statutory provisions affecting the council. The recap also covered policy changes in the bill: a public member term limit of eight years, with a short vacancy exception and transition rules for current members; a revised executive director hiring process allowing the Legislative Coordinating Commission to provide support while preserving the council’s final hiring authority and permitting closed meetings for candidate discussions; and an extension of the Upper Mississippi River invasive carp deterrent design deadline to June 30, 2027. Members discussed the Roso Lake amendment at length, with Senator Lang and Representative Burkel explaining that the added delay and injunction-related language were intended to address local concerns and preserve the council’s process while litigation proceeds. The meeting ended without any additional formal action beyond receiving the updates and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• On national forest land. Finally, I want to highlight a Cimarron River project.
• We partnered with a land grant, Miguel Devato, where we were able to do forest thinning, which we needed
• And you know, now with the Forest Service, they’re talking about doing new fire lines, and I don’t know
• Forest Service a pass on this. We have not been managing our forest.
• I'm going to tell you, whenever I had a meeting with the Forest Service in Ruidoso the other day last

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz just yesterday released their Western Washington Healthy Forest
• Now, one of the challenges is that most of the unhealthy forests are on federal land.
• Service.
• Private corporate, private non-corporate, and Forest Service, although Forest Service is marginal, all
• Forest Service-specific Northwest Research Station has done good research on this.

Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Al Davis, agency director, Texas A&M Forest Service.
• Al Davis, uh, agency director, Texas A&M Forest Service.
• We have aircraft on exclusive use with the US Forest Service. OK.
• Uh, Texas Forest Service is part of the National Association of State Foresters, and they have a fantastic
• It's the model that used successfully by US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• and professional services costs.
• protection, timber growing and utilization, forest inventories, forest economics, and so on.
• Forested landscapes include oak woodlands, redwood forests, and there are over 33 million acres of forested
• requiring a forester on a forested landscape.
• , San Bernardino National Forest, and the Cleveland National Forest.

Transcript Highlights:

• Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration.
• to our veterans, service members, and their families.
• people to help provide new services.
• We thank you for your service on the VFW.
• Murray, my thanks to you for your longstanding service.

Bills: SB124 , SB201 , SB275 , SB410 , SB478 , SB607 , SB610 , SB611 , SB654 , SB702 , SB787 , SB831 , SB892

Committee: Senate Senate Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: Department of Veterans Affairs, disciplinary procedures, accountability, personnel actions, whistleblower protection, cancer, military, aircrew, veterans, health study, toxins, morbidity, mortality, service members, mental health, community care, accessibility, treatment programs, substance abuse, appointments

Summary: During the meeting, various members engaged in extensive discussions surrounding 15 proposed bills related to veterans' affairs. Notably, concerns regarding recent VA workforce changes sparked debates, particularly about potential cuts and their implications for veterans' care and benefits. Chairman Moran emphasized the need for thoughtful reforms and coordination with stakeholders, urging responsible measures to prevent negatively impacting service delivery. The meeting highlighted a significant bipartisan effort to enhance veterans' access to essential health services, particularly in light of recent challenges faced by the VA workforce. Senator Blumenthal's assertions about the urgent plight of veterans due to cuts in personnel drew strong reactions, showcasing the deep concern among committee members regarding the current state of veteran services.

Bills: HR214 , HR213 , HB1692 , HR706 , HJR25 , HB1968 , HR1156 , HR212 , HR211

Keywords: House of Representatives, Ethics, Homeland Security, committee elections, government, House resolution, committee assignments, standing committees, House Ethics Committee, Committee on Ethics, Homeland Security Committee, Committee on Homeland Security, congressional organization, Member appointments, committee membership, legislative procedure, oversight, ethics oversight, national security, ethics

Transcript Highlights:

• for forested trust lands, approval of land exchanges, and generally guiding DNR's stewardship of the
• that are called state forest lands.
• DNR manages over 600,000 acres of lands that are called state forest lands.
• Forest Service, land trusts, cities, and all types of community groups.
• Forest Service, land trust, cities, and all types of community groups.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 5838, which would add a federally recognized tribal representative to the State Board of Natural Resources. The Department of Natural Resources commissioner and tribal leaders said the change would bring Indigenous knowledge and a voting voice to decisions on trust lands, while preserving existing tribal consultation. Some county and economic interests said they were not opposed to tribal participation but stressed the board’s fiduciary duty to trust beneficiaries and asked for more review of the board’s purpose; one witness questioned whether the beneficiaries had been consulted. The prime sponsor, Senator Claudia Kaufman, said the bill is about inclusion and equity and indicated openness to an amendment adding both eastside and westside tribal representation. The hearing closed with 142 written comments reported: 33 pro, 107 con, and 2 other. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5960, which would require Fish and Wildlife to designate at-risk ungulate populations and take predator mitigation actions when populations fall below specified benchmarks. Senator Shelley Short said the bill responds to declining deer and elk numbers and a lack of management, especially in northeast Washington. Supporters argued the bill would codify existing agency plans and restore balance in wildlife management, while opponents—including conservation groups, the Sierra Club, and several scientists and advocates—said the state’s predator-prey study found wolves were not the main driver of ungulate declines, pointing instead to habitat, forage, weather, disease, and vehicle collisions. Ranching and farm groups supported the overall goal but objected to the bill’s in-state wolf translocation provisions. The Department of Fish and Wildlife said it recognized the bill’s intent but opposed it because some directives were impractical, costly, or would require legislative approval. The hearing closed with 1,197 written comments reported: 843 pro, 352 con, and 2 other. The committee then held a work session on Lake Washington salmon predation. Larry Phillips and Muckleshoot Fisheries Director Jason Schaffler described a coalition effort to reduce predation on juvenile salmon in the Lake Washington system, saying invasive and predatory fish such as walleye, rock bass, American shad, northern pike, yellow perch, and smallmouth bass are harming sockeye and Chinook recovery. They said sockeye returns have fallen from hundreds of thousands to about 18,000 in recent years, ending tribal and sport fisheries, and argued that targeted predator removal, supported by prior state and county funding, could help restore runs. Senators asked about the methods and funding, and the presenters said fishing and netting are being used to suppress larger predatory fish and that more sustained investment is needed. Finally, the committee began public hearing on Senate Bill 1697, which would make federally recognized tribes eligible recipients for county conservation futures funds. Testifiers from the Washington Farmland Trust and the Tulalip Tribe said the bill would expand voluntary conservation partnerships, help tribes steward farmland and habitat, and make it easier to leverage county funds with other grants. They described past projects where tribal participation improved conservation outcomes but said tribes could not directly access conservation futures dollars under current law.

Transcript Highlights:

• We protect land, ranch lands, timberlands, wetlands, beaches, spring sheds, and forests, because they're
• Land, wetlands, beaches, spring sheds, and forests, because they are the foundations of our water, our
• Our state parks and our state forests, our public lands, are second to none.
• Many of these lands become our award-winning state parks, state forests, and wildlife management areas
• That land absolutely.

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Summary: The Senate Committee on Agriculture convened with a quorum and heard presentations focused on land conservation and agricultural preservation in Florida. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services briefed the committee on the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, explaining that it protects active agricultural lands through permanent conservation easements while keeping land in private ownership and on the tax rolls. The presentation emphasized eligibility for greenbelted active agricultural operations, required best management practices, and the program’s role in protecting food supply, water resources, habitat, and military buffering. Officials said the program’s 2025 ranked list includes 428 projects, with about 75 projects expected to start this year, and noted strong partnership funding from federal, local, and conservation partners. Committee members asked about eligibility, annual re-ranking, local government involvement, and the number of projects likely to receive funding. Tracy Dean of Conservation Florida testified in support of continued and increased funding for land conservation, arguing that Florida is losing agricultural and natural lands and that conservation easements and fee-simple acquisitions are complementary tools. She said land trusts work with willing landowners to protect ranches, wetlands, forests, and wildlife corridors, and stressed the importance of maintaining momentum so projects do not stall as land values rise. In discussion with senators, she said public access to conserved lands depends on the specific deal and the landowner’s goals, and that access is more commonly provided through lands acquired for parks, forests, and other public green space. The Department of Environmental Protection then updated the committee on the Florida Forever program. DEP said the program uses both conservation easements and fee-simple acquisitions, with about half of acquisitions done through easements, and that it provides benefits including water quality, habitat protection, recreation, and military readiness. Officials reported 60 projects on the 2025-26 work plan, most in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, and said the state has invested more than $1.4 billion since 2019, acquiring over 374,000 acres. They highlighted recent acquisitions for Sandy Creek State Forest, Catfish Creek Preserve State Park, and a new state park in Walton County, as well as the program’s 200th conservation easement. The committee also discussed funding levels, payment in lieu of taxes impacts on small counties, and broader priorities such as citrus, roads, and support for agriculture; no votes were taken, and the meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Forest Service, they don't do us any favors in the state of New Mexico.
• Forest Service were as aggressive as our State Forester, we might be getting something done.
• The State Forester and her team have done more currently than our Forest Service has done in 1.1 million
• Forest Service to the table on this.
• where you have BLM lands, forestry, forest land, and Native American allotment lands mixed in with tribal

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee