HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      HB 1854

                     As Reported By House Committee on:

                                  Revenue

Title:  An act relating to imposing fees for certain forest practices.

Brief Description:  Regulating forest lands to maintain a viable forest products industry.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Wang and Holland; by request of Office of Financial Management.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Revenue, March 5, 1991, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

REVENUE

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Wang, Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair; Appelwick; Belcher; Day; Leonard; Phillips; and Rust.

Minority Report: Do not pass.  Signed by 7 members:  Representatives Holland, Ranking Minority Member; Wynne, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brumsickle; Morris; Morton; Silver; and Van Luven.

Staff:  Rick Peterson (786-7150).

Background:  Forest practices permits are required for most activities conducted on forest land that involve growing, harvesting or processing timber.

The Forest Practices Board is made up of the commissioner of Public Lands, directors of the departments of Trade and Economic Development, Agriculture, Ecology, a county commissioner, and six members of the general public.  The Forest Practices Board is responsible for establishing administrative rules relating to forest practices.

Forest practices are separated into four classes.  Class I forest practices have no direct potential for damaging a public resource.  Class I forest practices may be conducted without an application or notification to the Department of Natural Resources.  Class II forest practices have a less than ordinary potential for damaging a public resource.  Class II forest practices may be conducted with written notification to the Department of Natural Resources.  Class IV forest practices have a potential for substantial impact on the environment and hence require an environmental impact statement or are practices on lands to be converted to a use other than forestry.  Class III forest practices are those that are not Class I, II or IV.  Class III and IV forest practices cannot be conducted until approved by the Department of Natural Resources.

The forest practice review and approval program is financed by the general fund.  The anticipated cost for the 1991-93 biennium is about $15 million.  No fees are collected for forest practices permits.

Summary of Bill:  Fees are established for Class II, III and IV forest practice permits.  Class II, III  and IV forest practices may not begin until the appropriate fee is paid. 

The fees are set by the Forest Practices Board and must cover a minimum of 45 percent of the program costs.  The revenue collected from the fees goes to the general fund.

The fees are reviewed every two years.  The fees start no later than July 1, 1991.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  None.