S-0385.1                   _______________________________________________

                                                     SENATE BILL 5332

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senators West, Oke, Nelson, Owen, Pelz, Sutherland, Hargrove, Winsley, von Reichbauer, Erwin and Sheldon

Read first time 01/22/93.  Referred to Committee on Ecology & Parks.

Requiring the establishment of an underwater parks system.

          AN ACT Relating to underwater parks; and adding new sections to chapter 43.51 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The state parks and recreation commission shall establish a system of underwater parks to provide for diverse recreational diving opportunities and to conserve and protect unique marine resources of the state of Washington.  In establishing and maintaining the underwater park system, the commission may:

          (1) Plan, construct, and maintain underwater parks;

          (2) Acquire property and enter management agreements with other units of state government for the management of lands, tidelands, and bedlands as underwater parks;

          (3) Construct artificial reefs and other underwater features to enhance marine life and recreational uses of an underwater park;

          (4) Act as the lead agency in environmental reviews of projects necessary to establish an underwater park, and to enter interagency agreements to facilitate timely receipt of necessary permits from other state agencies and local governments; and

          (5) Contract with other state agencies or local governments for the management of an underwater park unit.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The commission may charge a fee for recreational uses of an underwater park to offset a part or all of the costs of creating and administering the underwater park system.  The fees shall be deposited to the underwater park account, which is created in the state treasury.  Funds in the underwater park account shall be expended for the operation and creation of state underwater parks, and shall be subject to appropriation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  In establishing the underwater park system, the commission shall seek to create diverse recreational opportunities in areas throughout Washington state.  The commission shall place a high priority upon creating units that possess unique or diverse marine life or underwater natural or artificial features such as ship wrecks.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each added to chapter 43.51 RCW.

                                                           --- END ---