H-3330              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1535

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By Representatives Sanders, Belcher, Hankins, Baugher, Sutherland, Taylor and Walker

Read first time 1/17/86 and referred to Committee on State Government. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means 2/7/86.

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 useful purposes as a correctional facility and as protected wildlife habitats, 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 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 or otherwise, to which the island may be put; (b) analyze the compatibility of the various identified uses; (c) make recommendations regarding a management plan which would be to the greatest public benefit; (d) make recommendations as to who should manage the island; and (e) 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, 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.