S-2242 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5853
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State of Washington 50th Legislature 1987 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Parks & Ecology (originally sponsored by Senators Kreidler and Rinehart)
Read first time 3/6/87.
AN ACT Relating to the reduction of air pollution from forest debris burning; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. In the interest of protecting the public and enhancing the state's forest lands, the legislature declares it to be the public policy of the state to provide for maximum fire prevention activities and to promote to the fullest extent possible, the reforestation of harvested forest lands. The legislature recognizes the need to comply with federal law which provides for protection of class I visibility areas in all states. The legislature also recognizes that burning of forest residue and wildfire can create air pollution problems. The legislature wishes to identify air pollution reduction processes, the effectiveness of those processes and existing and potential alternatives to forest debris burning.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department of natural resources, in conjunction with the department of ecology shall review and amend if necessary the state's smoke management plan with intent to balance the greatest reasonable reduction of smoke from forest debris burning with the need for forest landowners to reduce fire hazard and maximize forest regeneration effectiveness.
(2) The review shall include:
(a) Protection provided class I airsheds as required by congress, pursuant to section 162(a) of the federal clean air act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7470).
(b) Reduction of tonnage burned as provided in the Washington smoke management plan.
(c) A strategy to reduce the amount of forest debris burning that occurs as a result of rules relating to extreme fire hazards requiring isolation or reduction.
(d) A review of and recommendations dealing with debris burning intrusions into designated areas as well as an analysis of the current designated area boundaries and their suitability for protection of populated regions of the state.
(3) The department of natural resources and the department of ecology shall report to the legislature on their implementation of this act by December 1, 1988.
(4) The agencies shall encourage the participation of smoke management plan participants and the environmental community.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The department of natural resources, in conjunction with the department of ecology, the state energy office, and the University of Washington college of forest resources shall compile existing information relating to the fire history of Washington state, the history of debris burning and attempts to reduce debris burning, and debris burning smoke impacts. By December 1, 1987, the department shall report to the legislature on recommended methods with which the state could assist in making feasible other options for forest debris disposal. These options may include ways to increase the domestic and overseas markets for forest debris; utilization for fuel of forest debris at state-owned or other government-owned facilities; providing economic incentives to encourage other methods of debris disposal; and options forest managers can use in analyzing alternatives not requiring debris burning.