As a land-use and environmental lawyer, she was accustomed to 40:60 gender ratios in the workplace, but the world of firefighters and landowners has been decidedly more lopsided. .results_row td:first-child { Though the fires in 2019 weren't as bad as the fires in 2018, which caused Seattle to register the worst air quality in the world some days, Franz says the state is still a tinderbox. .non_result_row { background-color: #db0000; a[aria-expanded=true] .fa-chevron-right { display: none; } Hilary S. Franz (born 1969/1970) is an American politician and conservation attorney serving as the 16th Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands since 2017. width: 50px; Franz used tax dollars, government property, and at least one state employee to help her future gubernatorial campaign. And the sooner we can start making these investments, the sooner we can reduce the loss of our forests, and reduce emissions, and reduce the loss of lives," she said. Franz is only the second woman to serve as commissioner of public lands since statehood in 1889. Three towns in WashingtonRoslyn, Cliffdell, and Twin Lakesare at greater risk of being wiped out by fire than Paradise, California, which was razed by the Camp Fire in 2018. The desire to create a dedicated revenue stream for firefighting and forest health is what landed Franz in Governor Inslee's office. Meanwhile, she does her part to encourage solidarity among women leaders in Olympia. They asked about Stranger Things, it was really embarrassing. Hilary Franz, Sue Kuehl Pederson focus on firefighting in Washington margin-bottom: 4px; .outer_percentage { .race_header { Elections in 2023 | Public policy. .widget-row.value-only { The King County Council played Seattle media and gave anti-cop law enforcement oversight director Tamer Abouzeid a complete pass. } Franz is a third-generation farmer and small forest landowner, and has three boys who she raised on a farm. Kuehl Pederson said horrific wildfire seasons drew her into the race. .widget-row.value-only.white { A pro-fish farming group in the Pacific Northwest of the United States has renewed its criticism of Washington state elected public lands commissioner Hilary Franz after her decision to ban open net pen aquaculture in state-controlled waters. But I am hoping to get a little more hip. For the first time in Washington state history, the agency has leased state trust lands for solar power projects. This work is a crucial step in making sure that our public waterways are clean and clear for future generations. Responsible for the management of 5.6 million acres of Washington state forest, range, agricultural, aquatic and commercial lands, the leader of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) must contend with wildfire, climate change and also produce funds for counties and schools that rely on DNRs land management for revenue. She thinks her future voters will. Worked with the Legislature protect nearly 40,000 additional acres of state lands, including the preservation of Blanchard Mountain, adding them to the 800,000 acres of DNR lands already managed for conservation. [17], Under Franz, logging on DNR lands was allowed to increase in order to raise revenue for local government needs, which drew criticism from conservationists. } The agency anticipates the amount of timber that can be sustainably harvested on state lands will drop over the next five decades, which could leave DNR in a financial crunch. For more information about voting, ballot drop boxes, accessible voting and online ballots, contact your county elections office. } margin: 0; background: #4c4c4c; Most of our fires are on federal lands, but we are then immediately part of the team. Today, I am happy to take our efforts even further. width: 100%; Apr 2, 2023, 6:00 PM | Updated: Apr 3, 2023, 6:36 am, Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz released a press release to respond to news that former President Donald Trump is being indicted. Given the conditions on the landscape, it could've been a lot worse." Hilary Franz Public Lands Commissioner Jonathan Vanderweit photo } .votebox_bp_logo { None of those candidates has reported any financial contributions. Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz | WA - DNR She served from 2008-2011 on the Bainbridge Island City Council. position: relative; $('.showResponses').hide(); This year's race pits incumbent Hilary Franz, a Democrat, against former fisheries biologist Sue Kuehl Pederson, a Republican. Its not easy to do that as commissioner since shes wholly disconnected from most national political figures and policy discussions. position: relative; height: 56px; Theres no slow day. This is the embarrassing part. .results_row { float: left; } $('.showResponses').show(); } padding-bottom: 0px; We're not looking very green," she said. The investments weve secured in forest health and wildfires are the largest in Washington state history, Franz said, though her proposals for a dedicated wildfire suppression fund, paid for with insurance surcharges, did not gain traction with lawmakers. The two candidates who receive the most votes in the Aug. 4 primary will advance to the Nov. 3 general election. Were a very volatile statewe have five live volcanoes, the threat of the big earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides. The head of the WA Department of Natural Resources has a take on Alvin Bragg indicting Donald Trump. z-index:1; Franz is a third-generation farmer and small forest landowner, and has three boys who she raised on a farm. I just dont know. } } Cooke is pursuing a legal challenge against that decision. $('.pastResponses').show(); font-size: 0.9em; } padding-left: 10px; .inner_percentage.Democratic { .race_header, .results_text, .results_table_container, .votebox_legend { background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.03em; .widget-row.Libertarian { background-color: red; .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h5.votebox-header-election-type { Hilary Franz defeated Steve McLaughlin in the Washington commissioner of public lands election. Every single community and every single landscape is different. We had around about 600,000 acres burned, but we kept 94 percent of our fires below 10 acres. She is a bold leader who is working to bridge the urban-rural divide and create economic opportunity throughout Washington. In August 2018, they tied the knot during a romantic ceremony in the Redwoods in . This page is not available in other languages. font-size: 16px; }. She knows that our working lands and the communities that depend on them for family-wage jobs are integral to our success as a state, and she is investing in their success. margin-bottom:0px; Was this science from the nations leading science agency, NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration), or did it come from groups such as the WFC, an ENGO with a track record of suing state agencies, the federal government, hatcheries, and private enterprise to line its coffers? Hilary Swank is a married woman! After several failed attempts, she has . As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. padding-bottom: 8px; Bryan Suits predicts that the recent ban on the sale of assault weapons in Washington state will be short-lived. Referring to an incident in 2017 when a cage assembly collapsed at an Atlantic salmon farm that Cooke had recently bought from another company, Franz stated: Earlier this week, I ended all remaining leases with Cooke Aquaculture, the company responsible for spilling 300 thousand non-native salmon into our waters. Introduced a sweeping proposal to Keep Washington Evergreen by protecting 1 million acres of forest from deforestation and replanting 1 million acres of forest by 2040. } [1], Franz announced her intention to run for State Commissioner of Public Lands in April 2016, looking to fill the seat of retiring commissioner Peter J.

display: block; width: 250px; A month after her election, Franz met with Representative Kretz, the guy who said he wanted to kill her. } It's a win across the urban-rural divide. display: inline; Back then, firefighters joked that DNR stood for "do not respond, do not resuscitate.". I ran for city council on Bainbridge Island when my baby was two years old. } } In an interview, Franz said the initial election returns which show a base of support in rural counties suggest to her that shes made progress in earning the trust of communities she said had too long been left behind by state government and economically. Cookes problems in Washington state began in 2017, less than a year after it moved into the area by buying the assets of another fish farmer. Since taking office Hilarys earned high marks from both her liberal Seattle-area political base and from conservative officials and lawmakers in Eastern Washington, who have praised her willingness to listen to local concerns and the energy shes brought to fire prevention and rural economic development., She doesnt look like someone youd call if a fire was bearing down on your town.Then you hear her speak, daring any fire to come between her and the 6 million or so acres of public land she is responsible for safeguarding., Hilary seems to have the energy of a venti-fueled dynamo and a mind that works at a wildfire pace., In Franz, voters will find a tireless advocate for a forward-thinking approach to preventing and suppressing wildfires that have become an increasing concern to residents throughout the state., Hilary Franz, as public lands chief, has led notable gains in forest health and fire prevention. Back in 1982, Hilary married famed Canadian TV producer Gordon Farr. I spent every day after school at city hall. background-color: grey; Hilary Swank's Husband: Everything To Know About Philip Schneider Kuehl Pederson. 509 Olive Way, Suite 305, Seattle, WA 98101, Hilary Franz Has Her Eye on Public Landsand Beyond, How the Department of Natural Resources Won Social Media, What Happens When Smoke Gets in Your Wine. A loyal Democrat, Franz would never challenge Governor Jay Inslee and face his notoriously vindictive attitude toward those who challenge him. Hilary Franz (@Hilary_FranzCPL) April 4, 2019 "What I've observed is a tremendous amount of more energy from the agency and a lot more proactive posture," state Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-East . color: #fff; .infobox p { That might create a few jobs. My motto is: Avoid the crowbar and always carry a blade, works better in firefighting. top: -5px; The winner on Nov. 3 will serve a four-year term. Youre not allowed to do that. padding:7px 8px 8px; })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. He writes about politics, books, and performance. Published on August 21, 2018 04:45 PM. In a letter to the Department of Natural Resources, the Lewis County commissioners are claiming Washington Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz violated the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA . I also grew up ice skating on the same rink as Tonya Harding, four hours a day, six days a week. November 2022 - 15:03. } She boasts a sizable financial advantage. The commissioner believes she needs to establish her anti-Trump bona fides to assuage the aggressively progressive Seattle voter base. [2][3] Franz graduated from Smith College with a bachelor's degree in English language and government in 1992 and the Northeastern University School of Law with a juris doctor. var nTimer = setInterval(function() { Who will Washington's next governor be? Uncertainty over Inslee creates position: relative; Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? line-height: 1.5em; Hilary Franz in the field with firefighters from the Central Washington Interagency Fire Training Academy. .votebox-covid-disclaimer { Developed the agencys first-ever Plan for Climate Resilience, which lays out a course of action to combat the threat of climate change. She assumed office on January 11, 2017. [16] Franz proposed the hiring of 30 full-time wildland firefighters, the purchase of two helicopters, and the creation of a fire-training academy specifically for wildfires. } $(".expand-all").on('click', () => { } So is King County. Youd watch them fighting vehemently, she says, but even as a kid she thought, You guys have more in common than you really think. After practicing environmental land use law and then serving on Bainbridge City Council, Franz was elected Washingtons commissioner of public lands in 2016. Source. max-height: 580px; [18], Franz was re-elected Commissioner of Public Lands in 2020, defeating Sue Kuehl Pederson in the general election. Shes earned high marks from leaders across the state, including from conservative leaders in rural Washington, whove praised her willingness to solve local issues, increase funding for schools, invest in rural economic development, and tackle our wildfire crisis. color: #888; width: 100% !important; Gordon has worked on quite an impressive list of television shows over the last seven decades including The New Dick Van Dyke Show, The Jeffersons, and The Love Boat. .results_table_container { She is a bold leader who is working to bridge the urban-rural divide and create economic opportunity throughout Washington. border-radius: 50%; That it truly provides. 509 Olive Way, Suite 305, Seattle, WA 98101 Phone: 206-957-2234 Fax: 206-447-3388. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging them to require COVID-19 vaccinations. Crosscut summed it up best: She has the energy of a venti-fueled dynamo and a mind that works at a wildfire pace.. overflow-y: hidden; Indeed, shes wanted to run for Governor for the last several years, and thats why she took on the commissioner role to begin with. Hilary S. Franz (born 1969/1970) is an American politician and conservation attorney serving as the 16th Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands since 2017. Wildfire threatens nearly 2.2 million homes across the state. background-color: #dac113; Those workers would also reforest a million acres that have already burned. .votebox-scroll-container { .hideResponses { display: none;} } Kuehl Pederson has raised nearly $30,000 from supporters, according to data from the public disclosure commission. padding-left: 0; color: white; Incumbents are bolded and underlined. She doesnt care if it hurts her relationship with conservative rural leaders she needs to work with on issues her office actually oversees. } I dont think the communications team felt the safety to be creative, to be able to bring their own energy and their excitement and their passion. [1] She was a competitive ice skater for twelve years as a child and teenager, frequenting the same ice rinks as future Olympian Tonya Harding. She revealed that the two met on a blind date set up. I listened to Kate Bush in college! .votebox-results-cell--check { Hilary Franz - Facebook .votebox_legend .non_result_row { div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } $('#candidate-connection-twitter-65994').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-twitter'); }); Washingtons authorities revoked permission for the farm to operate and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), headed by elected public lands commissioner Hilary Franz, also revoked the lease for another farm at Port Angeles after an inspection found it was outside its mooring boundaries. background-color: #003388; Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has finally unveiled his plan to "immediately" revitalize downtown Seattle from its crime crisis. Hilary Franz on Twitter Her office and role have quite literallynothingto do with Trump or any of the underlying legal issues at play. } .widget-row.Green { @media screen and (max-width: 350px) { .top_disclaimer { .panel-heading:hover { cursor: pointer;} margin-bottom: 0; padding-left: 10px; My dad believed in the basics of governance. color: #0645ad; height: 50px; .widget-row.value-only.black { } letter-spacing: .03em; Franz, a Democrat, had nearly 52% of the initial vote count and Kuehl Pederson, a Republican, had garnered almost 22%. .votebox { .race_header.libertarian { Commissioner Hilary Franz released a press release to respond to news that former President Donald Trump is being indicted. Its about her political future. letter-spacing: .04em; If the leads hold as more ballots are counted in the coming days, both will advance to Novembers general election. .widget-value { There was a Kate Bush joke. Who Is Hilary Swank's Husband? All About Philip Schneider - People background-color: #f4f4f4; Am I intimidating to you?". background-color: green; And one woman lawmaker even asked her, baffled, who was taking care of her sons at home on Bainbridge Island while she worked. font-weight: bold; The commissioner leads state efforts in preparing for and suppressing wildfire, plays a key role in adapting state lands to climate change and leads DNR in producing funds for counties and schools through management of state lands. The public lands commissioner heads the state Department of Natural Resources, which is responsible for the management of 5.6 million acres of Washingtons forest, range, agricultural, aquatic and commercial lands. 'A lack of humanity and an alarming lapse of leadership' The order refers to a document produced by an interagency team, along with tribal and university experts, that identified risks to the natural environment from commercial finfish net pen aquaculture, including degradation of the benthic environment, biofouling, and ecological impacts to the broader habitat. [7] She received the early endorsement of Goldmark, as well as former King County Executive Ron Sims and the Bullitt Center. A native American tribe hoping to grow steelhead trout and sablefish in Puget Sound has also condemned the commissioners decision. Swank and Schneider dated for a year and a half before privately getting engaged in 2016, Vogue reported. She holds a bachelors degree from Smith College and a juris doctor from Northeastern University Law School. Of course, in this case, shes violating the spirit of the law. "We're supposed to be the Evergreen State. left: 0; Developing that real significant plan and strategy, and then getting the resources and implementing them. Franz wants to broaden the agencys portfolio, leasing more land for solar, wind, biomass and geothermal projects or for industrial, agricultural and commercial purposes. She also made it a point to travel around the central and eastern parts of the state, meeting face-to-face with county commissioners and lawmakers who had developed an intense animosity toward the agency under former commissioner Peter Goldmark. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; .succession-table th, .succession-table tr { Incumbent Hilary Franz enjoys big money advantage over relative Incumbent Hilary Franz and Sue Kuehl Pederson were leading in Tuesday night's primary election returns to become Washington state's next public lands commissioner. Aquatic Lands Habitat Restoration Program, South Lake Washington Restoration Project, Scientific and Technical Support to Aquatic Programs, Washington Geologic Survey Publications Catalog, Washington Geologic Survey Photograph Collection, Wetlands of High Conservation Value Map Viewer, Timber Sale Remaining Volume by Purchaser Reports, Spanish - Brocha, Salal y Otros Productos Forestales, Complete: Baker to Bellingham Non-Motorized Recreation Plan, Community Wildfire Resilience and Preparedness, Utility Wildland Fire Prevention Advisory Committee, Blanchard, Reiter, Walker Valley and Nearby Islands, Teanaway Community Forest Advisory Committee, Teanaway Community Forest Advisory Committee Past Meetings, $500 million investment from the state Legislature, The Wildland Fire Protection Strategic Plan, The Rural Communities Partnership Initiative. }) I definitely see a path forward. Then Franz, ever the happy warrior, burst into laughter for the 400th time that day. text-align: center; Under Commissioner Franzs leadership, DNR has built a robust clean-energy program to help combat the climate crisis and create clean energy jobs. text-align: center; padding-bottom: 8px; And insurance companies have been dropping clients who live in fire prone areas. School districts | height: 100%; $('.hideResponses').on('click', () => { } Check back frequently for more news and analysis. Kuehl Pederson ran for state Senate in 2016, but lost in District 19 to Democrat Dean Takko. When the federal government tried to open our waters to offshore drilling, Hilary refused to allow drilling equipment to cross our coastline. } clear: both; padding-bottom: 5px; } Commissioner Franz is committed to ensuring our public lands are healthy and productive, both today and for future generations. I am interested in running for a higher position. She said a lack of commercial logging on DNR lands has allowed dense, thick forests to proliferate and uptake more groundwater and allow fires to spread more rapidly. margin-right: 12px; U.S. President | I totally believe in Mother Natures ability to keep going. top: 2px; Incumbent Hilary Franz, who emerged from a crowded field in 2016, faces a handful of relative political newcomers this election. .race_header.green { a.communitylink { color:black; font-weight:bold; } border: 1px solid #999; Last Friday, four days after the Cooke announcement, Franz held a press conference on Bainbridge Island where one of the Cooke farms is sited to announce that she had signed an executive order prohibiting commercial finfish net pen aquaculture on state-owned aquatic lands managed by her agency, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). $('.hideResponses').show(); [13] Franz was also part of the state government's effort to halt federal plans for offshore drilling in the Pacific Ocean near the Olympic Peninsula. Franz, a Democrat, had . "I look forward to working with Commissioner Franz, our employees, and community partners to help improve our quality of life." Taylor is a graduate of Gonzaga University and has completed Seattle University's Executive Leadership Program. .survey-result {padding:10px;} Washington Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz hopes to get funding from the Washington Legislature this session to help prevent and fight wildfires. overflow-y: hidden; div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } The City of Marysville was one of the first local municipalities to pass a law making the first offense of open-drug use punishable. [14], The 2018 wildfire season was more severe than the previous year and prompted the state government to declare a state of emergency after the Department of Natural Resources had been overwhelmed in its response to 891 fires by late July. She emphasized quick responses to fighting fires, prepositioning equipment closer to fire prone areas and repositioning based on weather and wind conditions. } With a black belt in kickboxing and the last of her three sons out of the house, Franz fairly trembles with excitement over ramping up her statewide travels to view DNR lands. We had eight [firefighting] helicopters that all fought in the Vietnam War. Hilary Franz is proud to serve as Washington State's Commissioner of Public Lands. border: 1px solid #a2a9b1 !important; Were actually the largest wheat producer in the state. .inner_percentage, .inner_percentage.Nonpartisan, .inner_percentage.Independent, .inner_percentage.Constitution, .inner_percentage.unknown { Hilary Franz (Democratic Party) is the Washington Commissioner of Public Lands. If the governor signs the bill, it will be a huge victory for the trees, for a lot of stressed out firefighters, and for all of our lungs. She competed with four other Democrats, one Republican, and one Libertarian in the August 2 top-two primary. position: absolute; font-weight: 300; font-weight: 200; All rights reserved. Seattle Met margin: 8px auto; I oversee a 1,600-person agency. Get to Know Hilary. Kuehl Pederson said she opposed expanding wind projects on DNR land until there were better options for electricity storage. She is a member of the Democratic Party who was previously a member of the Bainbridge Island city council and was elected as commissioner in 2016. div.oneoff-scrollbox.regular { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } font-style: italic; $('.hideResponses').hide(); Theres three million acres of uplands, lands above water. The National Fisheries Institute, National Aquaculture Association, Global Seafood Alliance, Best Aquaculture Practices, California Aquaculture Association, and the US Trout Farmers Association have joined the NWAA in calling for a third-party review of Franzs order.