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Environment

Special to The Spokesman-Review As a former farmer who spent decades working the land and depending on it to feed my family and others, I know firsthand what real conservation looks...

Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, says SB 5284, known as the ‘mandatory recycling bill,’ will drive economic activity from his border district into Idaho as residents seek cheaper gas, groceries, and restaurants....

A foundational element in our Democratic Republic is the idea that everyone has a voice. The voters of a particular area or legislative district elect a person to represent their collective...

Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, discusses the implications of House Bill 1630, a bill requiring cattle producers to track methane emissions. As new covered entities under the Climate Commitment Act, the purchase...

Just when you thought state government had thought of all the ways to separate you from your pocketbook, now there’s a new bill proposed by Democrats in Olympia that could tax...

“I’m calling this ‘the tax on your burger and shake’ bill,” says Schmick New legislation introduced in Olympia this week could potentially increase the costs of beef, cheese, milk, and other...

Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, discusses House Bill 1832, a bill that would implement a per-mile charge on usage of public roadways, and the negative impact it would have on rural residents....

Today is policy committee cutoff in Olympia. This means any bill that is not out of its original assigned policy committee is now considered “dead.” However, no bill can really be...

Schmick’s bill, House Bill 1780, would force the state to reimburse farmers for cap-and-trade expenses until DOE complies with the law and creates rules that protect farmers. He also discusses the voluntary...

Gov. Jay Inslee’s cap-and-trade proposal was supposed to exempt farm fuel, and certain aviation and marine fuels, from increased charges that would result from his plan. The Dept. of Ecology (DOE)...