Brief Description: Seeking to improve recreational opportunities on state-owned lands managed by the department of natural resources.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Ecology & Parks (originally sponsored by Representatives Blake, Warnick, Condotta, Sells, Linville, Hinkle, VanDeWege, McCoy, Lantz, Morrell, Loomis, Kretz, Chase, Kristiansen and McDonald; by request of Department of Natural Resources).

House Committee on Ecology & Parks
Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation

Background:

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages nearly three million acres of uplands and over two million acres of aquatic lands. Although each of the individual land holdings are managed by the DNR for a specific benefit or purpose, the concept of multiple use management overlays all of the DNR-managed land.

Multiple use means the provision of several uses simultaneously on the same tract of land. Outdoor recreation, in all of its various forms, is one of the multiple uses that the DNR is directed to provide when the recreation does not negatively impact the underlying land management purposes. Many lands managed by the DNR are used for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and motorized vehicle riding.

Summary:

A work group is established to make recommendations to the Legislature regarding recreation on lands managed by the DNR. The work group must return a report to the Legislature by no later than December 1, 2009, that examines relevant existing laws and rules relating to recreation on state lands, recommends policy changes, and considers funding alternatives. The findings of the work group must consider the impacts of recreation on other nearby land uses such as residential housing.

Members of the work group must be appointed by the Commissioner of Public Lands (Commissioner) and must represent a balanced group of individuals with knowledge and interest in recreation relating to specific regions of the state. In addition to stakeholder representatives invited by the Commissioner, the Commissioner must also invite tribal, gubernatorial, and legislative representation to the work group.

The work group is to be chaired by the Commissioner or the Commissioner's designee, and staff to the work group is to be provided by the DNR. Any funding to pay for the work group's activities must be provided in a general fund appropriation.

In conducting its analyses, the work group must have at least two public workshops and hold meetings in diverse locations around the state.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   96   0
Senate   49   0   (Senate amended)
House   93   0   (House concurred)

Effective: June 12, 2008