Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
A consultant has been chosen for Whitman County’s participation in the Voluntary Stewardship Program.
The state-funded effort aims to find ways to conserve land and waterways without over-regulating farming.
To facilitate the process, each county chooses a consultant, for which Whitman County Commissioners approved Anchor QEA of Kennewick on Monday. Interviews were conducted Dec. 15-17, led by County Planner Alan Thomson, Commissioner Dean Kinzer and Public Works Director Mark Storey.
Other applicants were Palouse Conservation District, The Watershed Company of Kirkland and Berk of Seattle.
“A very impressive group of people we met with,” said Kinzer. “It was nip and tuck as far as who we selected.”
Negotiations will now begin on a contract with Anchor QEA. If an agreement cannot be reached, the county will begin with Berk, their second choice.
The Voluntary Stewardship Program’s purpose is to protect agricultural activity while also preserving critical areas, which refers to wetlands, floodplains, critical habitat, aquifer recharge and geologically hazardous areas.
A 13-member committee from each county will work with their chosen consultants.
Once the Whitman County group engages, they will aim to create a plan to go before the state Conservation Commission for approval. When in place, the plan will be reviewed at customary points over decades to come.
Whitman County signed on to participate in the state program two years ago. Funding of $270,000 will come from the Washington Conservation Commission in two parts.
The Voluntary Stewardship Program formed after the 2006 failure of Initiative 933, a property rights matter calling for exemptions for landowners of critical areas ordinances.
Afterward the state legislature referred the matter to the Ruckelshaus Center think tank, to find a solution for counties trying to manage environmental and agricultural concerns.
A total of 28 Washington counties chose to participate in the program.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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