S-3912.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6231
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State of Washington 55th Legislature 1998 Regular Session
By Senators Hargrove, Anderson, Snyder, Swecker, T. Sheldon, Oke and Goings
Read first time 01/14/98. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources & Parks.
AN ACT Relating to natural area preserves; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. There is a two-year moratorium on the expansion of any existing natural area preserves or the creation of any new natural area preserves under chapter 79.70 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The senate natural resources and parks committee and the ways and means committee, the house of representatives natural resources committee, in concert with all relevant agencies and interested groups shall study the following aspects of the natural area preserves program created under chapter 79.70 RCW:
(1) The goals of the program;
(2) The cost of the program;
(3) The adequacy of the current natural area preserve lands for scientific studies;
(4) Department of natural resources goals and costs;
(5) Public use issues;
(6) The cost of personnel and equipment to ensure that the public is not allowed access;
(7) How many natural area preserves, specified by environmental area, are left to be put into the program, and the cost of the proposed land and future management costs;
(8) Sources of continued maintenance funding, including funding from users including K-12 educational programs and higher education institutions;
(9) The criteria used to ensure that environmental areas are not duplicated; and
(10) The adequacy of the public's and local government's input concerning the selection of lands to be designated as natural area preserves.
The study required under this section shall be submitted to the legislature by November 1, 2000.
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