FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1569

                                  C 362 L 89

BYHouse Committee on Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Representatives Belcher, Locke, Holland and Sayan)

Regarding forest protection.

House Committe on Natural Resources & Parks

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provides forest fire protection for 12.5 million acres of forest land in the state. Of the 12.5 million acres, approximately 10.4 million acres is private land, and 2.1 million acres is state land.  DNR protects about half the forest land in the state; the remainder is protected by various federal agencies and rural fire districts. DNR divides its fire control activities into two programs: protection and suppression.

The protection program includes prevention, presuppression, and detection activities, including the purchase of equipment and hiring and training of fire fighters.  For the 1987-89 biennium, 62 percent of the protection program monies came from the state general fund, 33 percent from landowner assessments, and 5 percent from federal sources.  The landowner forest protection assessments are set by statute at 21 cents per acre each year in western Washington and 17 cents per acre each year in eastern Washington.

The suppression program includes the costs associated with extinguishing forest fires such as crew costs, overtime, equipment rental, and supplies.  Funding for suppression activities is determined by the cause of the fire.  Suppression costs for fires started by the general public or by lightning are paid from the state general fund.  Suppression costs for fires started as a result of a landowner operation are paid from the landowner contingency forest fire suppression account. Forest landowners pay an annual per acre assessment into the contingency account, the balance of which cannot exceed $2 million. Current annual assessment rates are 8 cents per acre in western Washington and 4 cents per acre in eastern Washington.

SUMMARY:

Annual forest assessments for the forest fire protection program are increased to 22 cents per acre statewide.  In 1990, the minimum payment per parcel will increase from $5.10 in eastern Washington and $6.30 in western Washington to $10 statewide.  In 1991, the minimum payment per parcel will increase to $14 per parcel.

Assessors are given the discretionary authority to collect the annual assessment on tax-exempt parcels smaller than 10 acres.  DNR may collect the assessment if the assessor elects not to.  Landowners with two or more parcels in a county, each containing less than 50 acres, may obtain a refund on assessments paid if the total acreage in a county does not exceed 50 acres.

Beginning in 1991, the department shall grant up to $200,000 a year of the forest assessment money to rural fire districts.  The money shall be used for assisting the department with fire protection services on forest lands.

The landowner contingency forest fire suppression account becomes a non-appropriated account.  The use of money in the account is expanded from forest fire suppression to funding activities which would abate, isolate, or reduce extreme fire hazards.  Money recovered from a landowner for the costs of reducing extreme fire hazards are to be deposited in the account.

The maximum fund balance in the landowner contingency forest fire suppression account is increased from $2 million to $3 million.

The DNR may borrow money at any time from any fund the state treasurer deems appropriate in order to meet unbudgeted forest fire suppression expenses.  Any borrowed money must be repaid with interest.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 90   0

      Senate    33    13 (Senate amended)

      House 95   2 (House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 23, 1989