H-4146.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2175
State of Washington
65th Legislature
2018 Regular Session
By House Agriculture & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Maycumber, Blake, Buys, Taylor, and Shea)
READ FIRST TIME 01/26/18.
AN ACT Relating to natural resource management activities; amending RCW 77.12.037; and adding a new section to chapter 43.21C RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1.  RCW 77.12.037 and 2000 c 107 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The commission may acquire by gift, easement, purchase, lease, or condemnation lands, buildings, water rights, rights-of-way, or other necessary property, and construct and maintain necessary facilities for purposes consistent with this title. The commission may authorize the director to acquire property under this section, but the power of condemnation may only be exercised by the director when an appropriation has been made by the legislature for the acquisition of a specific property, except to clear title and acquire access rights-of-way.
(2) The department has the authority to manage acquired lands using the best available land management techniques to implement strategic activities to reduce hazard fuels in areas that could be prone to wildfire. These techniques may include, but are not limited to:
(a) Issuance or reissuance of grazing leases covering six hundred forty contiguous acres or less;
(b) Licenses or approvals to remove firewood;
(c) Issuance of leases for brush picking;
(d) Periodic use of chemical or mechanical means to maintain public and recreational land, as long as the chemicals used are approved by the Washington state department of agriculture and applied by licensed personnel; and
(e) Issuance of rights-of-way, easements, and use permits to use existing roads in nonresidential areas.
(3) The commission may sell, lease, convey, or grant concessions upon real or personal property under the control of the department.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.21C RCW to read as follows:
The following natural resource management activities of the department of fish and wildlife are not subject to the requirements of RCW 43.21C.031:
(1) Issuance or reissuance of grazing leases covering six hundred forty contiguous acres or less;
(2) Licenses or approvals to remove firewood;
(3) Issuance of leases for brush picking;
(4) Periodic use of chemical or mechanical means to maintain public and recreational land, as long as the chemicals used are approved by the Washington state department of agriculture and applied by licensed personnel; and
(5) Issuance of rights-of-way, easements, and use permits to use existing roads in nonresidential areas.
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