Washington State Legislative Session
Washington’s alternate-year 60-day session ended on time March 12th. As happens every short session, many of the hundreds of bills introduced did not reach a final vote. The most pressing need was to pass the state’s supplemental budget, and this was accomplished. At the last moment, Senate Bill 6355, a priority for Audubon Washington and other conservation groups, also passed. This bill establishes a state transmission authority in the Department of Commerce. Alex Ramel, Representative for Legislative District 40 including much of Skagit County, played a key role in getting the bill to the finish line: (https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6355&Year=2025). The new authority will help coordinate and finance long-distance electric lines across Washington, an important step towards meeting our state’s climate goal of greatly reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Concerning other priorities, Audubon Washington’s Director of Bird Conservation Dr. Trina Bayard, wrote, “Regrettably, several of our priority bills, including Lights Out and Wildlife Connectivity, did not advance this year, largely due to compressed timelines. Our state natural resource agency budgets also took a considerable hit, with cuts to wildlife, biodiversity, climate resilience programs and more.” For more detail go to 2026 Legislative Session Wrap-Up | Audubon. In the near future the Audubon Washington website will have additional information about the legislative session’s implications for Audubon’s goals and programs.
Skagit County Heronries
It’s well known among local birders that the Great Blue Heronry near March Point between Highway 20 and Padilla Bay is one of the largest in the western United States. Its approximately 600 nests make this heronry the largest around the Salish Sea. Most of the nests are on Skagit Land Trust property. The Trust’s website has information about the site and links to remotely controlled cameras in the heronry which volunteers use to gather information about Great Blue Heron behavior: March Point Heronry Property - Skagit Land Trust. Across South March Point Road from the heronry is the site of a former sawmill and solid waste dump which for years has been leaching toxins into Padilla Bay. Skagit Audubon participated in the public comment opportunities when the Department of Ecology was choosing an approach to cleaning up the site. Following years of planning, the department’s contractor will begin remediation this spring. Skagit Land Trust is in regular communication with the contractor to ensure measures are in place to minimize disruption of the herons’ breeding season.
Also of note concerning Great Blue Herons, there were 9 nests in the heronry between College Way and Nookachamps Creek on Skagit Land Trust’s Barney Lake Conservation Area when it was first noticed about ten years ago The count done late this winter found 47 heron nests. Skagit County’s bays, fields, and protected freshwater wetlands provide great habitat for this iconic species.
Roadless Rule
In the September and October 2025 issues of Skagit Audubon Conservation Notes there is discussion of this federal rule established 25 years ago (Sept25ConservationNotesUpdated083025.pdf and Oct25ConservationNotes.pdf). The Roadless Rule is a federal regulation protecting 58 million acres of roadless and unlogged U.S. Forest Service lands, including almost 2 million in Washington State, by preventing clearcutting and road building in these areas managed on behalf of us all. Now, after a quarter century of protection, the present federal Administration is in the process of rescinding this long-standing rule. The Environmental Impact Statement EIS) required to do this may be released for public comment in late April, assuming the administration allows public comment. Please watch for an announcement of this draft EIS begin released and lend your voice by commenting. These public lands belong to all of us and are vital habitat for a myriad of birds and other creatures as well as providing recreational experiences in nature for millions of people.
For more information about conservation issues Skagit Audubon is tracking, go to Conservation notes & letters — Skagit Audubon Society. Audubon members can advocate for regional and national protection of birds and other wildlife and their habitat by responding to action alerts from Washington Audubon and National Audubon. Enroll in Audubon Washington’s Action Network at Join Our Action Network | Audubon Washington. The National Audubon website (Advocacy & Action | Audubon) has abundant information on Audubon’s numerous current conservation campaigns. Sign up there to receive national alerts (Join Our Action Network | Audubon).