King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove for Lands Commissioner: A dedicated leader for equity, environmental conservation, and a sustainable future
With over two decades of service representing diverse South King County, King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove has long been a champion of racial equity, environmental protection and economic opportunity. His work reflects a commitment to creating meaningful change for Washington’s diverse communities, especially the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population. Now, as a candidate for Lands Commissioner, Upthegrove is ready to bring his values and experience to statewide leadership.
A vision for equity and community engagement
Upthegrove’s work on the King County Council is guided by principles of racial equity and inclusion. In a district where 23% identifies in the census as AAPI, Upthegrove understands the importance of listening, building authentic relationships, and delivering results. He supported funding for immigrant and refugee farming cooperatives to purchase farmland to grow culturally relevant crops, and eliminated local match requirements for parks and open space grants in low-income areas. He expanded anti-hate campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported increasing resources for more law enforcement in South King County, as well as increasing staff in the prosecutor’s office to enhance protection from property crimes for small businesses, many of which are AAPI-owned. Upthegrove’s approach to policymaking is shaped by his belief that all residents, regardless of race or background, deserve respect, safety, and opportunity.
As Lands Commissioner, Upthegrove will be guided by these same values of equity and economic opportunity. His mission is to infuse racial equity into the operations and programs of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This includes hiring people who share this mission and bring diverse lived experiences, as well as making strides to ensure that the department’s commissions, task forces and advisory committees reflect Washington’s diversity, including strong AAPI representation.
He intends to transform the way the DNR engages with and empowers the community by shifting resources to staff in the field with local community relationships who can build trust and establish effective early processes. By prioritizing authentic, culturally-competent community engagement, Upthegrove aims to build a more inclusive and accessible agency.
Environmental leadership and sustainable growth
Throughout his education and career, Upthegrove has been a steadfast environmental advocate. He has a degree in environmental conservation and a graduate certificate in energy policy. He served in the state legislature and led several initiatives to protect our region’s environment.
“I’ve spent more than 20 years getting big things done for our environment and natural resources in our region. During my 12 years representing the diverse working-class suburbs of South King County in the State House of Representatives, I served as Chair of the House Select Committee on Puget Sound—working with then-Governor Gregoire to create the Puget Sound Partnership to restore our State’s crown jewel. I later served as Chair of the House Environment Committee— working in every corner of the State to reduce carbon pollution, clean up toxics, and improve oil spill prevention—including managing the successful effort to shut down our state’s last polluting coal plant, while taking care of the workers and the community.”
As chair of the King County Flood Control District, Upthegrove championed bipartisan reforms to protect rivers and double funding for salmon recovery. He is committed to continuing to preserve the health of our aquatic lands and protect our salmon and orca.
Currently as chair of the King County Council, Upthegrove is working to preserve public lands and manage environmentally sustainable growth of parks, wastewater and transportation. As Lands Commissioner, he plans to carry this commitment to environmental stewardship to the DNR, where he will prioritize public land management that serves all Washingtonians. He will focus on preserving and managing our legacy forests while improving wildfire prevention and response. He will expand recreational options for communities and honor treaty rights, strengthening the engagement of tribal communities to plan appropriate clean energy infrastructure. His dedication to climate action is reflected in his support for the state’s Climate Commitment Act, and he has been working to reduce carbon pollution alongside underrepresented communities of color, including AAPI residents, who are disproportionately impacted by climate change.
Promoting economic opportunity
In the legislature, Upthegrove also helped lead the Blue-Green Alliance, a pro-labor, pro-environment coalition which aimed to find common ground in promoting economic opportunities and a sustainable environment.
His commitment to economic opportunity extends to working with minority-owned businesses, particularly in underrepresented communities. As Lands Commissioner, he plans to identify and remove barriers for women- and minority-owned businesses seeking contracts with the DNR, fostering a more equitable economic landscape.
A leader rooted in community and integrity
Upthegrove’s service is grounded in his lived experiences and values. He understands the importance of fairness and respect, using his platform to advocate for equity and inclusive policies. He supports environmental justice and plans for the DNR to conduct environmental justice assessments beyond the requirements of the HEAL Act, ensuring that key agency actions are informed by a commitment to justice. He has strong environmental values and a thoughtful, forward-looking agenda for climate protection and conservation.
With a proven track record of legislative success and community-focused leadership, Councilmember Dave Upthegrove is prepared to lead Washington’s Department of Natural Resources.He is committed to protecting our clean air, clean water and clean habitats. His experience, dedication to equity, and passion for environmental sustainability make him a candidate ready to serve all Washingtonians and build a greener, fairer future.
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