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                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1056

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State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Hatfield, Pennington, Doumit, Mielke, Johnson, Buck, Kessler, Sheldon, Mastin, Grant, Thompson, DeBolt, Quall, Boldt and Linville)

Read first time 02/21/97.

Transferring the status of the Elk River Preserve from a natural area preserve to a natural resources conservation area.

    AN ACT Relating to natural area preserves; and adding a new section to chapter 79.71 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 79.71 RCW to read as follows:

    The property currently designated as the Elk river natural area preserve is transferred from management under chapter 79.70 RCW as a natural area preserve to management under chapter 79.71 RCW as a natural resources conservation area.  The legislature finds that upland uses of motorized vehicles do not constitute low-impact public uses within the Elk river natural resources conservation area.  The legislature further finds that hunting is a suitable low-impact public use within the Elk river natural resources conservation area.  The department of natural resources shall incorporate this legislative direction into the management plan developed for the Elk river natural resources conservation area.  The department shall work with the department of fish and wildlife to identify hunting opportunities compatible with the area's conservation purposes.

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