Commissioner of Public Lands: Upthegrove best for environment

Published 1:30 am Thursday, October 24, 2024

Commissioner of Public Lands

Upthegrove best for environment

In a few weeks voters have a clear choice in the election for Commissioner of Public Lands: Dave Upthegrove, a Democrat, who has a science background and experience working effectively on complex environmental issues versus Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler,who seems to want the job as a way back into elected office.

She talks about the state’s fire challenges but when in Congress was the only member of the Northwest delegation to vote against a major appropriation for fighting fires. Washington firefighters now support Upthegrove.

Herrera Beutler talks about valuing biodiversity, but Upthegrove was the one endorsed by the Center for Biological Diversity. Herrera Beutler was named one of the League of Conservation Voters “Dirty Dozen,” candidates for statewide election in the U.S. that must not get into office because their environmental voting records are so bad.

Herrera Beutler gets funding from the timber industry whereas Upthegrove is not accepting their money believing that public land must be managed in the public interest. Herrera Beutler is divisive, calling decent people who want to save forests “extremists.”

The choice is clear-for Washington’s future. Vote Upthegrove on Nov. 5.

Karen Wilson

Camano Island