Reps. Griffey, Couture join WA House Speaker Jinkins on tour of critical 35th District sawmill
CONTACT: Hanna Scott, Public Information Officer | 360-968-3938
Reps. Griffey, Couture join WA House Speaker Jinkins on tour of critical 35th District sawmill
The Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) Sawmill in Shelton is part of Mason County’s rich logging and lumber history. The company provides hundreds of local jobs and is a critical part of county and state environmental efforts. When Washington State House Speaker Laurie Jinkins recently reached out to 35th District Representatives Dan Griffey and Travis Couture asking for a district tour they knew it would be the perfect place to highlight.
On October 17, the three lawmakers were given a tour of the mill.
For more than 100 years the logging and lumber industry was a critical part of the Mason County economy. When the company leading that industry sold its facility to SPI in 2015 there were serious economic concerns. But after building a new modern mill, SPI has continued to fuel the local economy through its stud mill along the Shelton waterfront producing 450-million board feet annually primarily, 2×4, 2×6 and 4×4 studs up to 10 feet, and employing more than 300 workers.
As a certified member of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, which is focused on providing solutions that reduce negative environmental impacts to improve planet sustainability, SPI buys logs from local suppliers to help prevent loss of working forest lands critical for wildlife protection, clean water, carbon sequestration, and more. SPI also helps provide green power to the electrical grid by using mill byproducts to produce steam for the dry kilns at the Shelton mill, and in cogeneration plants that use biomass to produce electricity to run its other mill facilities.
“Speaker Jinkins plays a critical decision-making role in the legislative process, so it is vital she know what we are all about here in the 35th District, including what industries support our economy,” said Rep. Dan Griffey, R-Allyn. “I want to thank the Speaker for taking the time to come get to know our community a little.”
“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to help Speaker Jinkins better understand the 35th District, and specifically what drives our local economy in Mason County,” said Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn. “I was proud to highlight the mill’s history and its commitment to working in a way that helps protect the environment for future generations.”
