CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5461

Chapter 109, Laws of 2007

60th Legislature
2007 Regular Session



FOREST HEALTH--CONTRACT HARVESTING



EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/22/07

Passed by the Senate March 7, 2007
  YEAS 45   NAYS 0

BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
Passed by the House April 4, 2007
  YEAS 95   NAYS 0

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


 
CERTIFICATE

I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5461 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

THOMAS HOEMANN
________________________________________    
Secretary
Approved April 18, 2007, 11:10 a.m.








CHRISTINE GREGOIRE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
April 18, 2007







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5461
_____________________________________________

Passed Legislature - 2007 Regular Session
State of Washington60th Legislature2007 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation (originally sponsored by Senators Morton, Jacobsen, Fraser, Hatfield, Hargrove, Benton, Sheldon and Rasmussen; by request of Department of Natural Resources)

READ FIRST TIME 02/16/07.   



     AN ACT Relating to continuing the use of contract harvesting for improving forest health on Washington state trust lands; amending RCW 79.15.540; creating a new section; and repealing 2004 c 218 s 10 (uncodified).

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that chapter 218, Laws of 2004 authorized the department of natural resources to utilize contract harvesting for silvicultural treatments to improve forest health on state trust lands, in accordance with RCW 76.06.140 and 79.15.540. The legislature further finds that the use of contract harvesting for silvicultural treatments has proven effective and that continued utilization is important to improve and maintain forest health. Therefore, the legislature finds that it is necessary to remove the expiration date for this authority, set for December 31, 2007, and to continue the use of contract harvesting for silvicultural treatments to improve forest health on state trust lands.

Sec. 2   RCW 79.15.540 and 2004 c 218 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature intends to ensure, to the extent feasible given all applicable trust responsibilities, that trust beneficiaries receive long-term income from timber lands through improved forest conditions and by reducing the threat of forest fire to state trust forest lands.
     (2) In order to implement the intent of ((subsection (1) of this section)) RCW 76.06.140, the department may initiate contract harvesting timber sales, or other silvicultural treatments when appropriate, in specific areas of state trust forest land where the department has identified forest health deficiencies as enumerated in RCW 76.06.140. All harvesting or silvicultural treatments applied under this section must be tailored to improve the health of the specific stand, must be consistent with any applicable state forest plans and other management agreements, and must comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations regarding the harvest of timber by the department of natural resources.
     (3) In utilizing contract harvesting to address forest health issues as outlined in this section, the department shall give priority to silvicultural treatments that assist the department in meeting forest health strategies included in any management or landscape plans that exist for state forests. If such plans are not in place, the department shall prioritize silvicultural treatments for forest health with higher priority given to the protection of public health and safety, public resources as defined in RCW 76.09.020, and the long-term asset value of the trust.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   2004 c 218 s 10 (uncodified) is repealed.


         Passed by the Senate March 7, 2007.
         Passed by the House April 4, 2007.
         Approved by the Governor April 18, 2007.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State April 18, 2007.