H-1620              _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 840

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Haugen and Jacobsen

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs. Referred to Select Committee on the Clean-up and Management of Puget Sound 2/13/85. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means 3/4/85.

AN ACT Relating to natural areas; amending RCW 79.70.060; adding a new section to chapter 79.70 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 2, chapter 189, Laws of 1981 and RCW 79.70.060 are each amended to read as follows:

          The legislature finds:

          (1) That it is necessary to establish a process and means for public and private sector cooperation in the development of a system of natural areas.  Private and public landowners should be encouraged to participate in a program of natural area establishment which will benefit all citizens of the state;

          (2) That there is a need for a systematic and accessible means for providing information concerning the locations of the state's natural heritage resources; ((and))

          (3) That the natural heritage advisory council should utilize a specific framework for natural heritage resource conservation decision making through a classification, inventory, priority establishment, acquisition, and management process known as the natural heritage program.  Future natural areas should avoid unnecessary duplication of already protected natural heritage resources including those which may already be protected in existing publicly owned or privately dedicated lands such as nature preserves, natural areas, parks, or wilderness; and

(4) That there is a need for the public acquisition or protection of scientifically identified and relatively undisturbed areas to allow for the absorption of surface and drainage waters, the refuge and propagation of wildlife, the collection of vital information on the Puget Sound environment, and for public education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 79.70 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) A coastal conservancy fund shall be established to collect public and private funds to be used to acquire and protect areas pursuant to section 1 of this act.

          (2) The department of ecology shall prepare a plan and prioritize the properties to be acquired or protected after consultation with other state agencies and following public hearings.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The sum of two million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, from the general fund to the department of ecology for the purposes of this act.