SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    HB 1267

         AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES,

                                MARCH 21, 1991

Brief Description:  Authorizing the board of natural resources to reconvey lands leased to counties used for sanitary landfills.

SPONSORS:Representatives Holland, Scott, Beck, Valle, Winsley and Wynne; by request of Department of Natural Resources.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Oke, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Barr, Conner, Owen, Snyder, and Sutherland. 

Staff:  Atsushi Kiuchi (786‑7708)

Hearing Dates:March 21, 1991

BACKGROUND:

State forest board lands are managed by the state Department of Natural Resources for counties.  The department protects and manages these lands for producing income for the county and state through leases, rentals and sales of products.

These lands cannot be sold.  Currently, the department may only reconvey the forest board lands to a county for the purposes of a public park.

Three counties use these lands as sites for a solid waste landfill or transfer station and the department remains liable for any damages resulting from these uses.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Natural Resources is authorized to reconvey forest board lands to the county for use as a solid waste landfill or transfer station.  The county shall not hold the state responsible for any liability resulting from activities on these reconveyed lands.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

Historically, these forest lands were used for many purposes and little consideration was given to the environmental impacts from these uses.  In three counties, state lands are used for landfills or transfer stations.  These operations are the responsibility of the counties.  The Department of Natural Resources should be given authority to reconvey these lands to the county and be released from any liability or damages as a result of these operations.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Pat McElroy, Department of Natural Resources (pro)