SENATE RESOLUTION

                            8647

By Senators Sheldon, T., Sheldon, B., Spanel, Rasmussen and Sheahan

     WHEREAS, It is the tradition of the Washington State Senate to recognize conservation and protection of our natural resources and land; and

     WHEREAS, On October 13, 2000, Simpson Timber Company signed an innovative,

fifty-year multispecies Habitat Conservation Plan with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service; and

     WHEREAS, Some fifty-one species of fish and wildlife, several of which are listed as Athreatened@ under the Federal Endangered Species Act, are protected by the Habitat Conservation Plan; and

     WHEREAS, The Habitat Conservation Plan represents the first time Federal Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act issues have been tackled together under a single plan for an entire ownership and is the first plan in the nation to provide for compliance with Federal Clean Water Act requirements; and

     WHEREAS,The Habitat Conservation Plan was so unusual that then Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt flew out to attend its signing on Simpson timberland; and

     WHEREAS, More than 262,000 acres of timberland owned by Simpson Investment Company on the Olympic Peninsula is covered by the Habitat Conservation Plan; and

     WHEREAS,  The Habitat Conservation Plan has been adopted as a total maximum daily load for water quality purposes by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington State Department of Ecology; and

     WHEREAS, The Habitat Conservation Plan takes into account the geologic setting and physical processes on area habitats and varying habitat protection strategies according to these criteria; and

     WHEREAS, The Habitat Conservation Plan serves as a model for future conservation partnerships; and

     WHEREAS, The Habitat Conservation Plan sets a standard for future opportunities to link water quality and wildlife conservation;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate commends and offers its appreciation to the Simpson Timber Company for its dedication to wildlife habitat conservation and sound environmental stewardship; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Colin Mosely, chairman of the Simpson Investment Company; the U.S. Secretary of the Interior; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the National Marine Fisheries Service; Washington Governor Gary Locke; Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland; Tom Fitzsimmons, director of the Washington Department of Ecology; and to the U.S. Senators from Washington State, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8647,

adopted by the Senate April 5, 2001.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate