WA State Buys 9,000 Acres Using Carbon Credit Money

According to The Center Square and the Washington State Board of Natural Resources, it's the largest land purchase by the state in about ten years.

Carbon credit tax money used to buy land

The bulk of the purchase came from money collected by the carbon credit auctions as part of the Climate Commitment Act which went into effect this year.

The Board of Natural Resources and other state officials say the acreage will yield long-term annual timber harvesting revenue.  They claim it will help economically distressed areas in Wahkiakum County. County Commissioners and other area officials are in favor of the move, saying it will help the area.

Commissioner of Public Lands Hillary Franz said in a DNR statement:

“This is a transformational opportunity for Washington state to add to our public lands and keep working forests working, I am grateful to the legislators and county commissioners from across western Washington for their longstanding support to ensure we keep providing revenue to schools and public services while meeting the requirements of the Endangered Species Act."

Officials from neighboring counties including Skamania and Jefferson were also in favor of the purchase and the promise to continue logging operations.

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The Climate Commitment Act carbon credit auctions have raised WA state gas prices well over $ 1.00 per gallon since the auctions began.