H-4516              _______________________________________________

                                          SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1535

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Sanders, Belcher, Hankins, Baugher, Sutherland, Taylor and Walker)

Read first time 2/7/86 and referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

AN ACT Relating to a McNeil Island study; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that:  (1) McNeil Island is a resource of tremendous value to the residents of the state of Washington; (2) while parts of McNeil Island are serving important purposes as a correctional facility and as a protected wildlife sanctuary, there is a large part of the island which is either being underutilized or not being utilized at all; (3) potential uses which warrant special consideration include locating aquacultural facilities on the island and making the island's tidelands available for recreational and commercial use; and (4) current  practices which prohibit public access to the entire island prevent the state from utilizing the island to the greatest and most economical extent possible.  Therefore, the legislature finds that it is in the public interest to study McNeil Island, its possible uses and possible management arrangements in order to maximize the benefit which the public may derive from this valuable resource.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) The department of general administration shall enter into a contract with an independent contractor to study McNeil Island in order to:  (a) Determine the various uses, economic, recreational, wildlife sanctuary, or otherwise, to which the island, or portions thereof, may be put; (b) determine the appropriate boundaries for a wildlife sanctuary between Larson Point and Milewa Creek for the purpose of protecting the harbor seals, heron rookery, and bald eagle nesting sites located in that area.  Such wildlife sanctuary shall be preserved solely for that purpose and shall be restricted from any other use; (c) analyze the compatibility of the various identified uses; (d) make recommendations regarding a management plan which would be to the greatest public benefit while at the same time protecting the important wildlife habitats on the island; (e) make recommendations as to who should manage the island; and (f) make recommendations as to how the state may best go about implementing a new management plan.

          (2) The study required by this section shall include an analysis of the potential aquaculture uses of the island and the potential recreational and commercial uses of the tidelands surrounding the island.

          (3) In conducting the study required by this section, the contractor shall work with the departments of general administration, game, natural resources, and corrections, the appropriate federal agencies, and interested members of the public.

          (4) The study required by this section shall be submitted no later than December 1, 1987, to the chief clerk of the house of representatives and the secretary of the senate for submittal to and review by the appropriate standing committees.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     There is hereby appropriated from the general fund to the department of general administration for the biennium ending July 1, 1987, the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars to carry out the purposes of this act.