Bill > HB2620

This bill invalidates a specific rule concerning water buffers for streams that do not contain fish, which was adopted by the Forest Practices Board on November 12, 2025, finding that its adoption process deviated from established policies and the Administrative Procedure Act (chapter 34.05 RCW), which governs how state agencies make rules. The bill mandates that the Forest Practices Board restart the rule-making process for riparian buffers, ensuring it includes a range of reasonable alternatives for analysis and considers the economic viability of the timber industry, a standard the bill requires the board to develop by January 1, 2027. This standard for economic viability must include quantifiable metrics like small forest landowner market share and the timber harvest needed to maintain operational mills, aiming to ensure the long-term resilience of the timber industry. Furthermore, the bill requires that any future rule-making regarding riparian buffers must align with the robust process envisioned by the Forests and Fish Law, which emphasizes collaboration, scientific review, and consideration of alternatives, and that adopted rules must be the least burdensome while meeting the economic viability standard. The bill also declares an emergency, meaning it takes effect immediately upon passage.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2620&Year=2025&Initiative=false