SENATE BILL REPORT

                  2SHB 1286

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

               Natural Resources, March 31, 1995

Title:  An act relating to the regulation of forest practices.

Brief Description:  Regulating forest practices.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Buck, Pennington, Fuhrman, Pelesky, Johnson, McMorris, Sheldon, Cairnes, B. Thomas, Kessler, Stevens and Talcott).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources:  3/26/95, 3/31/95 [w/oRec-WM, DNPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  That it be referred to Committee on Ways & Means as amended without recommendation.

  Signed by Senators Drew, Chair; Hargrove, Haugen, Oke, Owen, Snyder, Strannigan and Swecker.

Minority Report:  Do not pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators Spanel, Vice Chair; and Morton.

Staff:  Vic Moon (786-7469)

Background:  The Legislature establishes the overall policy goals and intent of forest practices regulation.  The state's Forest Practices Board adopts rules to accomplish the policy.  The Department of Natural Resources implements and enforces the laws and rules.

Currently the board, by rule, has established some special requirements for certain forest practices within what is called "critical wildlife habitat" or "critical habitat" of threatened and endangered species. 

The department exercises authority to condition forest practices applications to prevent material damage to public resources. 

The department has the authority under current law to issue stop work orders.  If a violation, a deviation, material damage, or potential for material damage to a public resource has occurred, and the department determines that a stop work order is unnecessary, then the department instead issues a notice to comply. 

Summary of Amended Bill:  A title only bill relating to forest practices is created.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The substitute bill re-wrote parts of the forest practices act and limited the authority of the Forest Practices Board.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  DNR and the Forest Practices Board are going too far to protect endangered species.

Testimony Against:  The board is working with both industry and the environmental community.  The timber/fish/wildlife agreement is working and this bill kills it.

Testified:  PRO: Bill Jacobs, WFPA; Jan Pauw, Weyerhaeuser Corp.; Nels Hanson, Farm Forestry; Paul Kriegel, Nelson Goodyear; CON: Judy Turpin; Jennifer Belcher; Scott Merriman, WEC; Bill Frank; Bob Turner; Dick Wallace.