Are WDNR Commissioner Candidates Accountable?

By featuring examples of massive sediment wasting in Lewis County in Washington State, and emphasizing that these landslides occurred under the watch of Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland (Republican), the candidate Peter Goldmark (Democrat) may have energized his campaign to unseat the incumbent, but I hope shedding light on this unfortunate incident was not Peter Goldmark's intended goal. 

http://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2008_05_01_08archive.html 

Having conducted a separate investigation of the Stillaguamish watershed for the purpose of investing in a commercial shellfish tideland, I also found a history of logging induced sediment wasting; I don't know if Lewis County will suffer a similar fate, but in this case it has left an enduring legacy lasting the better part of a century.  Past land use practices such as logging, agriculture, and mining have compromised natural characteristics and functions of the Stillaguamish watershed.  The similarities between these geographic regions is more than just coincidence, the citizens of Washington State deserve to know that the land held in Trust by the Washington Dept of Natural Resources (WDNR) Commissioner is being managed responsibly; my observations suggest that this issue is severe enough that action is needed to determine the statewide pervasiveness of these problems.   Whether or not Peter Goldmark is successful in unseating the WDNR Commissioner, it is vital to the future of Washington State that candidate Goldmark embrace this unfortunate incident and pledge to establish a "Never Again Plan."  While this incident is recent in time, Peter Goldmark should take charge and offer to spearhead open investigations of this incident; he should also feature plans to examine the various dimensions and extent of damages in Lewis County (and other sites statewide), and monitor the short and long-term acute and chronic impacts. 

Ultimately the WDNR Commissioner needs to develop proactive policies exercising precautionary principles, not only to avoid repeating such mistakes, but to take measures to restore watershed(s) to pristine conditions and function.  One would hope that as a result of Peter Goldmark's actions, Doug Sutherland would be forced to adopt more environmentally sensitive policies, and even distance himself from the timber industry.  I do hope that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is rethinking the WDNR application for a Habitat Conservation Plan (PCP) permit to grant the WDNR Aquatics Division authority for a takings under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and perhaps even reconsider the HCP permit already granted for upland activities.

In this case it is one thing to point out the mistakes of an administration, but the real measure of any WDNR Commissioner is to show whether they are not only capable of advancing balanced, integrated, and productive land management practices, but also admit to mistakes and promulgate long term comprehensive restoration plans.  Given that the current Republican WDNR Commissioner is not known for his open discourse on land management policies, a willingness to admit to past mistakes might be the elixir that could fend off challengers; however, the timeline of events under the incumbent WDNR Commissioner indicates some accountability is warranted, especially considering the potential for natural resource damages. 

From what I've learned in the course of studying land use practices in the Stillaguamish watershed, there is no smoking gun pointed directly at WDNR Commissioner Sutherland, but I still fear we are leaving an indelible scorched earth legacy for future generations.  From what I can see commercial shellfish options are limited due to upland land use; are we finally to the point that some land use activities are now mutually exclusive?!