For Immediate Release:

Wednesday, January 16, 2002

"Today, I want to congratulate the Evergreen Forest Trust and Weyerhaeuser on their efforts to conserve private forest land in Washington state. The Trust's purchase of 100,000 acres of forestland is just one more example of what we can accomplish when we work together.

In 1999 and again last year, I introduced the Community Forestry and Agriculture Conservation Act. The bill would clarify current law so that local governments around the country -- through community-based non-profit organizations -- could issue bonds to conserve forestland. I have passed this legislation through the Senate twice.

Following up on today's announcement, I will continue to work with community groups, local governments and businesses in Washington state to ensure they have the tax tools they need to protect priority lands from future development."