READ FIRST TIME 02/06/04.   

     AN ACT Relating to the management of state-owned forest land; amending RCW 79.10.320; creating new sections; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that trust beneficiaries, rural communities, and sustainable forest harvest management may benefit if wood produced on state-owned forests can be certified as sustainable and marketed as such. It is the intent of this legislation to provide the legislature, the board of natural resources, and other interested parties with the information that will allow for an informed decision on this policy question prior to the final adoption of a sustainable harvest calculation by the board of natural resources.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The department of natural resources shall prepare a report for the legislature and the board of natural resources that identifies:
     (a) What changes to the current state forest management practices, including the provisions of any applicable habitat conservation plans, need to be implemented for state-managed forests to achieve third-party sustainable forestry certification under the standards of major sustainable forestry certification organizations;
     (b) What added changes in operational costs would be associated with the changes in management practices necessary to achieve certifications;
     (c) Whether and how the preferred sustainable harvest level alternative identified by the board of natural resources would satisfy the state's responsibilities under any applicable habitat conservation plans; and
     (d) How the preferred sustainable harvest level calculation identified by the board of natural resources increases or decreases the cost of compliance with the standards of major sustainable forestry certification organizations.
     (2) The department of natural resources shall complete its report and submit it to the board of natural resources and the appropriate standing committees of the legislature no later than September 14, 2004. The department shall include in its report sufficient detail on its calculations to facilitate the review and comment process established in subsection (3) of this section.
     (3) The department of natural resources shall make copies of the report available to any interested party who wishes to review and comment on the report. Comments should be addressed to the chairs of the appropriate standing committees of the legislature.

Sec. 3   RCW 79.10.320 and 2003 c 334 s 538 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department shall manage the state-owned lands under its jurisdiction which are primarily valuable for the purpose of growing forest crops on a sustained yield basis insofar as compatible with other statutory directives. To this end, the department shall periodically adjust the acreages designated for inclusion in the sustained yield management program and calculate a sustainable harvest level.
     (2) For the final sustainable harvest level intended to be adopted by the board during calendar year 2004, the board may identify a single preferred harvest level alternative, and may only adopt a sustainable harvest level after:
     (a) The report required in section 2 of this act has been produced and delivered to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature;
     (b) A legislative review of the report has been conducted by the appropriate standing committees of the legislature; and
     (c) At least one hearing has been held by the board of natural resources on the findings in the report and the results of the legislative review.

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.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   This act expires July 1, 2005.