Rep. Richard DeBolt receives Capitol Land Trust Award
Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, recently received an award from the Capitol Land Trust for his legislative work and support of environmental restoration projects along the Pacific coast. DeBolt was honored along with Rep. Steven Tharinger, D-Sequim, for their bi-partisan efforts to pass the $11.2 million Washington Coast Restoration Initiative last biennium.
The 20th District lawmaker received the award at the Capitol Land Trust’s 30th anniversary conservation breakfast, Tuesday, Feb. 7th. The event brought together a group of over 600 community leaders, business owners, and elected officials dedicated to restoring the lands and waters along the Pacific coast.
“I am humbled to receive this award. We need to leave a clean environment for subsequent generations, including healthy forests, rivers and wildlife. It’s an important aspect of our state’s present and future economy,” said DeBolt. “The Republican legacy of protecting our natural environment goes all the way back to Abraham Lincoln’s protection of the Yosemite National Park and Theodore Roosevelt who helped create hundreds of national forests. I’m glad to follow their example of combined compassion for people and good stewardship our natural heritage.”
The Washington Coast Restoration Initiative helps restore forests, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitats. State money used for the initiative leverages existing federal and private resources to finance efforts on a diverse group of projects that help reduce the risk of flooding, drought and fires. The initiative also provides well-paying, natural resource employment opportunities for local fishermen, foresters, construction contractors and engineers.
