SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6082

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Parks, Fish & Wildlife, February 3, 2004

Ways & Means, February 9, 2004

Title: An act relating to expanding the criteria for habitat conservation programs.

Brief Description: Expanding the criteria for habitat conservation programs.

Sponsors: Senators Parlette, Doumit and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Parks, Fish & Wildlife: 1/19/04, 2/3/04 [DPS-WM].

Ways & Means: 2/9/04 [DP2S].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON PARKS, FISH & WILDLIFE

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6082 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Oke, Chair; Sheahan, Vice Chair; Doumit, Jacobsen, Morton, Spanel and Swecker.

Staff: Kari Guy (786-7437)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6082 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Zarelli, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; Parlette, Vice Chair; Carlson, Doumit, Hale, Honeyford, Johnson, Pflug, Rasmussen, Regala, Roach, Sheahan, B. Sheldon and Winsley.

Staff: Brian Sims (786-7431)

Background: The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) provides funds for the acquisition and development of outdoor recreation and habitat conservation areas. Counties, cities, ports, park and recreation districts, school districts, state agencies, and tribes are eligible to apply. Grant applications are evaluated annually and the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation submits a list of prioritized projects to the Governor and Legislature for approval.

Half the funds appropriated in a biennium for the WWRP are for habitat conservation, and are allocated according to a statutory formula for critical habitat, natural areas, and urban wildlife habitat. The other half of the funds are appropriated for outdoor recreation, allocated by formulas established in statute for state parks, local parks, trails and water access sites. A portion of each account is left unallocated.

Summary of Second Substitute Bill: Within the outdoor recreation category the statutory allocations for parks, statewide parks, local parks, trails, and water access sites are increased, with a smaller percentage left unallocated. A new category for recreation and stewardship projects by state agencies replaces the unallocated portion of the habitat conservation category.

The Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation may retain up to 3 percent of WWRP funds for administration.

Second Substitute Bill Compared to Substitute Bill: The authority for WWRP accounts to retain interest is deleted. The requirements to make payments in lieu of taxes and amounts for noxious weed control are deleted.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The farmland preservation and riparian habitat protection categories in the original bill are eliminated; appropriations will continue to be divided evenly between the habitat conservation and outdoor recreation accounts. The percentage of funds in the habitat conservation account that are currently unallocated is dedicated to recreation and stewardship projects by state agencies.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: All interested parties worked over the summer to draft a bill with unanimous support. Preserving and protecting economically viable agricultural lands is an environmental value; only by preserving agricultural lands can the state restore salmon. Acquisition of riparian and other areas will prevent over-regulation.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: PRO: Kirk Thompson, Karen Munro, Mike Ryherd, WWRC; Bill Robinson, The Nature Conservancy; Britt Kramer, WRPA; Don Stuart, American Farmland Trust; Paul Parker, WA State Assn. of Counties; Bonnie Bunning, DNR; Mark Quinn, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.