The state says Livingston Mountain has a good supply of rock that could be mined for gravel, but residents say increased mining could harm their quality of life, and property values.
The Washington Department of Natural Resources plans to auction timber on five units totaling 170 acres on Livingston Mountain north of Camas, but the move has some neighboring residents concerned.
DNR plans to auction the Squeaky Timber Sale in May 2018, with harvesting likely to begin soon after. Once the work is finished, the area will be replanted.
Bob Redling, DNR spokesman, said the sites are primarily comprised of Douglas fir that will be an average of 58 years old when harvested. Last year, the agency estimated the minimum acceptable bid to be around $1.2 million. However, Redling added that timber prices can change.
“(It’s) in the planning stages,” Redling said. “At this point they know enough about the design to show the neighbors as well as our own accountants.”
He added that the sale is still in the early phases and some details, such as the exact boundaries, might change.
According to a letter sent to neighbors on the sale, streams and wetlands will be protected, and eight trees per acres will be left standing to provide wildlife habitat and improve aesthetics, as dictated by the agency’s Habitat Conservation Plan.
DNR manages the land as state trust property, meaning income from the sale goes to beneficiaries including schools and the county.
Redling expects the project to go through the State Environmental Policy Act Review at the end of this year or early next year. At that time, the public will be able to submit written comments.
“The next step is processing information from the neighbors,” he said.
Wendy McCullough’s property borders one of the units up for auction. She is one of a handful of landowners living adjacent to the proposed sale that was informed of the state’s intention through a letter. She said she’s concerned about the potential consequences of logging on a steep slope, such as runoff during heavy rainstorms and worse.
“We understand DNR has a job to do, but we don’t want an Oso situation here,” McCullough said, referencing the 2014 mudslide that engulfed a rural neighborhood in Northwest Washington.
Additionally, the proposed sale is also near a rock quarry, which along with heavy truck traffic, has been a point of contention for neighborhood residents.
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