AN ACT Relating to
agricultural grazing on state-owned and managed lands; adding a new section to
chapter 79.01 RCW; and adding section 1, chapter 4, Laws of 1993 sp. sess.
(uncodified) to chapter 79.01 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec.
1. A new section is added
to chapter 79.01 RCW to be codified between RCW 79.01.295 and 79.01.296 to read
as follows:
(1) It is the purpose
of chapter . . ., Laws of 1996 (this act) that all state agricultural
lands, grazing lands, and grazeable woodlands shall be managed in keeping with
the statutory and constitutional mandates under which each agency operates.
Chapter . . ., Laws of 1996 (this act) is consistent with section 1,
chapter 4, Laws of 1993 sp. sess.
(2) The ecosystem
standards developed under chapter 4, Laws of 1993 sp. sess. for state-owned
agricultural and grazing lands are defined as desired ecological conditions.
The standards are not intended to prescribe practices. For this reason, land
managers are encouraged to use an adaptive management approach in selecting and
implementing practices that work towards meeting the standards based on the
best available science and evaluation tools.
(3) For as long as the
chapter 4, Laws of 1993 sp. sess. ecosystem standards remain in effect, they
shall be applied through a collaborative process that incorporates the
following principles:
(a) The land manager
and lessee or permittee shall look at the land together and make every effort
to reach agreement on management and resource objectives for the land under
consideration;
(b) They will then
discuss management options and make every effort to reach agreement on which of
the available options will be used to achieve the agreed-upon objectives;
(c) No land manager or
owner ever gives up his or her management prerogative;
(d) Efforts will be
made to make land management plans economically feasible for landowners,
managers, and lessees and to make the land management plan compatible with the
lessee's entire operation;
(e) Coordinated
resource management planning is encouraged where either multiple ownerships, or
management practices, or both, are involved;
(f) The department of
fish and wildlife shall consider multiple use, including grazing, on lands
owned or managed by the department of fish and wildlife where it is compatible
with the management objectives of the land; and
(g) The department of
natural resources shall allow multiple use on lands owned or managed by the
department of natural resources where multiple use can be demonstrated to be
compatible with RCW 79.68.010, 79.68.020, and 79.68.050.
(4) The ecosystem
standards are to be achieved by applying appropriate land management practices
on riparian lands and on the uplands in order to reach the desired ecological
conditions.
(5) The legislature
urges that state agencies that manage grazing lands make planning and
implementation of this act, using the coordinated resource management and
planning process, a high priority, especially where either multiple ownerships,
or multiple use resources objectives, or both, are involved. In all cases, the
choice of using the coordinated resource management planning process will be a
voluntary decision by all concerned parties including agencies, private
landowners, lessees, permittees, and other interests.
NEW SECTION. Sec.
2. Section 1, chapter 4,
Laws of 1993 sp. sess. (uncodified) is added to chapter 79.01 RCW to be
codified between RCW 79.01.295 and 79.01.296.
