BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to natural area preserves and natural resources conservation areas; adding a new section to chapter 79.70 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 it is necessary to review its policy of establishing a series of natural area preserves and natural resources conservation areas as well as the implementation of chapters 79.70 and 79.71 RCW by the department of natural resources and the natural heritage advisory council. Because of the current level of concern about the natural area preserve and natural resources conservation area programs, it shall be the policy of the state of Washington to cease to acquire lands for natural area preserves and natural resources conservation areas at least until the legislature has completed this needed review. The department of natural resources shall not acquire any natural area preserves or natural resources conservation areas nor shall the department of natural resources otherwise designate any natural area preserves or natural resources conservation areas or transfer lands into natural area preserve or natural resources conservation area status unless and until specifically directed to do so by the legislature.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) There is established a joint select committee on natural area preserves and natural resources conservation areas. The committee shall be comprised of two members of the senate, one from each caucus, to be selected by the president of the senate, and two members of the house of representatives, one from each caucus, to be selected by the speaker of the house. Committee members shall select from among themselves a committee chair and vice-chair.

(2) The joint select committee shall conduct a comprehensive review of the natural area preserve and natural resources conservation area programs. The committee's review shall include but not be limited to the following elements:

(a) A review of the current statutes in chapters 79.70 and 79.71 RCW and of the original intent of the legislation creating those chapters;

(b) A review of the existing rules formulated under chapters 79.70 and 79.71 RCW and an analysis of the extent to which the rules properly comply with the original legislative intent;

(c) An evaluation of what the programs established by chapters 79.70 and 79.71 RCW have accomplished and whether these accomplishments are consistent with the original intent of the legislation;

(d) Identification of opportunities to provide better public notice regarding any future natural area preserves and natural resources conservation areas, including notice of when an area is being considered for designation as a natural area preserve or natural resources conservation area, notice of when the department of natural resources is considering acquiring land for a preserve or conservation area, and notice and solicitation of public input when the department of natural resources is developing a management plan for a preserve or conservation area;

(e) An evaluation of how a natural area preserve or natural resources conservation area designation has interfered with or otherwise impacted neighboring property owners;

(f) An evaluation of whether to expand public activities such as hunting and fishing within some or all natural area preserves and natural resources conservation areas and a recommendation on how such an expansion might be accomplished; and

(g) Other study elements identified by the committee.

(3) Staffing for the committee shall be from senate committee services and house of representatives office of program research.

(4) The committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 1997.

(5) The committee expires April 1, 1998.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 79.70 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Traditional public uses of areas designated as natural area preserves may be compatible with an area's designation as a preserve. As part of its overall evaluation of the natural area preserve program, the legislature intends to test this hypothesis on one of the larger natural area preserves.

(2) The Elk river natural area preserve shall be open to traditional public uses such as hunting, fishing, and hiking. When regulating hunting and fishing in the area, the fish and wildlife commission shall take into account the reasons for the area's designation as a natural area preserve.

(3) The department and the fish and wildlife commission shall work in conjunction with interested citizens of Grays Harbor county to assess the impacts of these traditional public uses on the preserve and its natural heritage resources. The department shall encourage local volunteers to participate in activities that enhance the natural heritage resource value of the Elk river preserve such as litter prevention and pick-up, and habitat protection and restoration efforts. The department, the fish and wildlife commission, and the citizen participants shall report to the legislature on the results of their efforts every two years, with the first report due December 1, 1998.

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.