Undeveloped White River Lands Move Step Closer to Preservation

SEATTLE -- Nearly 2,500 acres of woodlands largely untouched for 100 years along the White River moved closer to protected status with the recent signing of a purchase-sale agreement between Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and the Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC).

“I am very pleased that such a large block of environmentally sensitive river lands will come under the protection of the Cascade Land Conservancy,” said Pierce County Councilmember Shawn Bunney, whose district includes the White River corridor. “Preservation of this wonderful habitat is a direct spin-off of the efforts since 1999 to ensure that Lake Tapps and its environs survive to the benefit of the entire region. Everyone’s a winner with this transaction.”

PSE and the CLC have been working out final details of the purchase-sale agreement ever since they reached a preliminary agreement almost a year ago. The new contract moves the project ahead to the next phase in which the CLC will work to find appropriate buyers for the land.

“Puget Sound Energy is following through on its commitments to see that these environmentally sensitive lands are conserved for future generations,” said Eric Markell, PSE’s senior vice president of Energy Resources.  “This purchase-and-sale agreement is a key milestone in our effort to protect this property, and also is an important step in achieving the Department of Ecology's vision for conservation of these lands.”

The undeveloped, PSE-owned land straddles both sides of the White River between Buckley and Auburn – about half in King County, half in Pierce County. The land was acquired nearly a century ago and has been held as part of PSE’s White River Hydroelectric Project, which the company took out of service in 2004. The river lands are now surplus to PSE’s needs.

PSE chose to work with the nonprofit CLC because of the organization’s expertise in conserving critical open space, either by acquiring and holding sensitive lands itself or, more often, by creatively arranging for other conservation-minded parties to take ownership and manage lands in an environmentally beneficial way.

“The Cascade Land Conservancy will roll up its sleeves and get to work on this project,” said Gene Duvernoy, president of the CLC. “This holds the potential as a great project for the region – conserving a large swath of land so close to urban centers. This is what our Cascade Agenda is all about – conserving great lands and in the process helping to create great communities with parks and natural areas nearby.”

“The CLC is committed to making sure these lands are put to use in a socially and environmentally responsible way,” said Ryan Dicks, vice president-conservation for the organization. “The Conservancy has a strong desire to craft a program that addresses as many of the interests in the lands as possible while guaranteeing that the property retains its essential natural features.”

“Opportunities like this don’t come along very often,” said Pierce County Executive John W. Ladenburg. “This agreement will preserve 2,500 acres of riverfront for generations to come, providing natural areas for wildlife, old-growth forest, and salmon habitat. It’s an easy decision and the right thing to do.”

“I have worked with the Cascade Land Conservancy on a number of conservation projects over the past 10 years,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “I am happy to be partnering with them on this project and look forward to contributing what we can to support our collective efforts. Saving a 10-mile stretch of the White River will be incredibly important on any number of levels – salmon, the health of Puget Sound and the region as a whole.”

Elk, deer, bears, cougars, bald eagles, great blue herons, wood ducks, and other wildlife frequent the property’s forests, wetlands, canyons, and meadows. Preserving the property will also retain habitat for salmon and other aquatic resources.

Friday, January 26, 2007 02:01 AM