Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

HB 1595

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to transfer lands to another public agency without an auction if the lands are located in a county with a population of 16,000 or less and if the lands are encumbered with timber harvest deferrals longer than 30 years.

Background:

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages certain lands for the benefit of the county where the lands are located. Revenue from these lands are divided between the county and the DNR. The DNR is authorized to transfer or dispose of certain lands without public auction if the lands are 10 acres or less in size or valued at less than $25,000, if the transfer is designed to settle trespass issues or to take the place of condemnation. Proceeds from any transfers are deposited into the Park Land Trust Revolving Fund and are used to buy replacement lands within the same county.

The DNR also manages a trust land transfer program, which is typically authorized and funded in each biennial capital budget. The trust land transfer program is generally used to reposition less productive lands with lands that can sustain a higher timber yield.

Summary of Bill:

The DNR is authorized to transfer lands to another public agency without an auction if they are located in a county with a population of 16,000 or less and if the lands are encumbered with timber harvest deferrals longer than 30 years.

All appraisals for the valuable materials located on the lands must be based on the fair market value of the land without consideration of management or regulatory encumbrances. Any proceeds associated with the valuable materials located on the transferred lands must be distributed between the DNR and the county where the transferred land is located.

By October 31, 2010, the DNR is required to report to the Legislature its recommended procedures and timelines, along with estimated costs of conducting transfers from the qualifying counties. The report must assume that transfers will occur through the trust land transfer program, and that the transferred lands will become natural resource conservation areas. Recommendations and estimates in the report also must assume that the land transfers will occur at a specified biennial rate designed to provide sustainable revenues to the affected counties and that the land and timber values will be distributed separately, with timber revenues directed to the county and land revenues used to fund future land purchases.