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WA lands commissioner wary of federal plan to kill thousands of owls • Washington State Standard

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2 years ago

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WA lands commissioner wary of federal plan to kill thousands of owls • Washington State Standard


Washington’s public lands commissioner, Hilary Franz, is voicing skepticism about a federal proposal to kill thousands of barred owls in the Pacific Northwest to help the threatened northern spotted owl.

Franz wrote in a letter sent this week to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland that she’s concerned about “unintended consequences” and that the plan “could be unworkable given the scale of the overlapping habitat for barred owls and spotted owls.” 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife is proposing to kill about 500,000 barred owls, living on millions of acres of land between California and Washington, over three decades. 

Hunters would shoot the owls with shotguns in most cases, according to a draft environmental impact statement released in November.

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“The Commissioner doesn’t oppose the plan but has concerns about the cost, the scope, and potential impacts to habitat,” Franz spokesman Michael Kelly said in an email on Thursday. 

He also said Franz isn’t convinced the plan represents a solution to reducing threats to the spotted owl that’s “viable, affordable, or achievable.”

Franz, who is also running for a U.S. House seat in western Washington, asked to meet with Department of Interior staff but had not received a response from Haaland as of Thursday.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in November sought public comment on its draft barred owl management plan, noting that the owls are prolific hunters that decades ago moved beyond their traditional range in the eastern U.S., into western forests.

This leaves them competing against northern spotted owls, the species known for its central role in the battles in the 1980s and 1990s over logging Northwest forests. The Fish and Wildlife Service plan also aims to prevent barred owl incursions into California spotted owl habitat.

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Washington state designated the spotted owl as endangered in 1988 and the federal government listed the bird as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1990.



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Washington

!$+∇√$[+[!LIVESTREAMs!]+] Washington Capitals vs Vegas Golden Knights Live Free Streams On Tv Channel 2026-03-29

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March 28, 2026

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!$+∇√$[+[!LIVESTREAMs!]+] Washington Capitals vs Vegas Golden Knights Live Free Streams On Tv Channel 2026-03-29


Washington Capitals vs Vegas Golden Knights

HERE’S (*WAY TO WATCH*) Washington Capitals VS Vegas Golden Knights Ｆｒｅｅ LIVE 2026-03-29 Rose Bowl Parade 2026 live: Rose Bowl Parade 2026 look to seize control of thrilling Rose Bowl Parade 2026. Every team in the Rose Bowl Parade 2026 has two wins apiece as we go into the final two game weeks. Rose Bowl Parade 2026 will host Rose Bowl Parade 2026 at Live NHL mAtch Durban’s Kings Park Stadium with the Rose Bowl Parade 2026 a single point ahead of Rose Bowl Parade 2026 in the standings and just one behind leaders Rose Bowl Parade 2026.



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In deep-red Washington County, a surge in Democratic candidates

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17 hours ago

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March 28, 2026

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In deep-red Washington County, a surge in Democratic candidates


Anger over a proposed immigration detention center in Williamsport and a gradual reduction in public participation at county commissioner meetings are cited as possible reasons for a surge in Democratic, and younger, candidates in Washington County.



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North Dakota National Guard heading to Washington duty

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1 day ago

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March 27, 2026

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North Dakota National Guard heading to Washington duty


BISMARCK — About 60 North Dakota Army National Guard Soldiers will be sent to help the District of Columbia National Guard under a joint task force starting in April.

Most soldiers are from the 131st Military Police Battalion, which is headquartered in Bismarck, according to a release.

The support will be given as part of the effort that began on Aug. 11, when several states activated members of their National Guard to support local and federal law enforcement in Washington under the President Donald Trump’s

executive order 14333,

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which declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital.

The support is a federal mission under the command of the D.C. National Guard, which supports civilian agencies and local law enforcement to reduce crime and minimize property damage.

“Safeguarding the citizens, federal workers and elected leaders in our nation’s capital is a matter of national security, and we appreciate these Soldiers volunteering for this important mission,” said North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong in a release. “We know they will represent our state with the skill and professionalism that military leaders everywhere have come to expect from the North Dakota National Guard.”

The battalion is expected to be in Washington for about three months.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

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