AN ACT Relating to exchanges of state-owned aquatic lands with privately owned lands under the public interest standard; adding a new section to chapter 43.300 RCW; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the department of fish and wildlife manages a large amount of public land and that the department may have opportunities to improve the quality of its land holdings by participating in an exchange with private landowners or other public entities. The legislature declares that it is in the public interest to allow the department to exchange land with private landowners or with public entities if the exchange would provide significant fish and wildlife habitat or public access to the state's waterways.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) Management of the following lands is withdrawn from the department of natural resources and transferred to the department of fish and wildlife: All that portion of the Stillaguamish River abutting Government Lot 2, Section 24, Township 32 North, Range 3 East of the W.M., Snohomish County, Washington, said portion containing four thousand one hundred sixty-six square feet, more or less, and being more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Section 24; thence South 88E 07' 37" East, along the South line of said Section 24, for a distance of 1324.17 feet to the Southwest corner of said Government Lot 2; thence North 62E 28' 55" East for a distance of 520.07 feet to the intersection of the ordinary high water line with the South line of an existing building, said point being the TRUE POINT OF BEGINNING; thence Easterly along said ordinary high water line for the following courses: North 78E 03' 17" East a distance of 24.61 feet; North 79E 37' 55" East a distance of 32.27 feet; North 81E 07' 53" East a distance of 35.69 feet; North 84E 24' 41" East a distance of 54.13 feet; North 78E 29' 25" East a distance of 50.31 feet; South 83E 22' 40" East a distance of 55.25 feet; South 36E 49' 43" East a distance of 7.77 feet; South 79E 10' 14" East a distance of 32.74 feet; South 82E 08' 20" East a distance of 14.90 feet; North 87E 25' 52" East a distance of 42.25 feet; North 89E 41' 06" East a distance of 59.93 feet; South 83E 55' 42" East a distance of 48.74 feet; South 77E 22' 30" East a distance of 3.11 feet to its intersection with the Southerly edge of an existing concrete parking structure; thence Westerly, following said Southerly edge for the following courses: South 89E 05' 53" West a distance of 132.32 feet; North 88E 39' 21" West a distance of 18.59 feet; North 88E 39' 10" West a distance of 14.89 feet; North 55E 10' 20" West a distance of 6.34 feet; North 87E 42' 58" West a distance of 30.83 feet to its intersection with the Southerly wall of an existing building; thence Westerly, following said Southerly wall for the following courses: North 89E 46' 21" West a distance of 160.46 feet; South 00E 13' 39" West a distance of 12.00 feet; North 89E 41' 55" West a distance of 92.06 feet to the TRUE POINT OF BEGINNING. The department of fish and wildlife has full responsibility for management and control of the tidelands transferred by this section.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "W.M." means Willamette Meridian.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.300 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department of fish and wildlife may exchange the tidelands and shorelands it manages with private or public landowners if the exchange is in the public interest.

(2) As used in this section, an exchange of tidelands and shorelands is in the public interest if the exchange would provide significant fish and wildlife habitat or public access to the state's waterways.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.