Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Capital Budget Committee |
HB 1957
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 Description: Identifying qualified applicants and procedures within the Washington wildlife and recreation program.
Sponsors: Representatives Jacks, Warnick and Van De Wege.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/9/09
Staff: Annie Pennucci (786-7142)
Background:
The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), created by the 1990 Legislature, provides funds for the acquisition and development of local and state parks, water access sites, trails, critical wildlife habitat, and urban wildlife habitat. Counties, cities, ports, park and recreation districts, school districts, state agencies, and tribes are eligible to apply. Grant applications are evaluated annually; the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board (RCFB) submits a list of prioritized projects to the Governor and Legislature for approval. In the 2007-09 biennial capital budget, the WWRP received $100 million in state general obligation bonds. Table 1 displays historical appropriations for the WWRP.
Table 1: The WWRP State Capital Budget Appropriations
Biennium | Appropriation |
1991-93 | $ 50,000,000 |
1993-95 | $ 65,000,000 |
1995-97 | $ 45,000,000 |
1997-99 | $ 45,000,000 |
1999-01 | $ 48,000,000 |
2001-03 | $ 45,000,000 |
2003-05 | $ 45,000,000 |
2005-07 | $ 50,000,000 |
2007-09 | $ 100,000,000 |
When biennial funding is less than $40 million, half of the WWRP funding is distributed to the Habitat Conservation Account and half to the Outdoor Recreation Account. If biennial funding is more than $40 million, a portion of the funding is distributed to the Riparian Protection Account and the Farmlands Preservation Account. Allowable uses of funds in each of the four WWRP accounts are summarized in Table 2.
Table 2: Allowable Uses of the WWRP Funds, by Account
WWRP Account | Habitat Conservation | Outdoor Recreation | Riparian Protection | Farmlands Preservation |
Allowable Uses |
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In the Habitat Conservation Account and the Riparian Protection Account, allowable uses of funds include mitigation banking projects. A mitigation bank means a site where habitat is created, restored, enhanced, or preserved to offset authorized project impacts to similar areas. The WWRP mitigation banking funds may not be used to supplant an obligation of a state or local agency to provide mitigation.
The state Conservation Commission provides grants and technical assistance to local conservation districts throughout Washington State.
Nonprofit nature conservancies acquire land and purchase conservation easements to preserve land that is under private ownership.
Summary of Bill:
The bill removes mitigation banking projects from the statutory list of allowable uses of the Habitat Conservation Account and the Riparian Protection Account.
The bill adds nonprofit nature conservancy organizations and associations to the list of eligible recipients of funding from the four WWRP accounts, and adds the Conservation Commission to eligible recipients of funding from the Riparian Protection Account and the Farmlands Preservation Account.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 9, 2009.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.