BILL REQ. #:  H-0862.1 

Read first time 01/24/13.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to natural resource management activities; amending RCW 77.12.037; and adding a new section to chapter 43.21C RCW.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 77.12.037 and 2000 c 107 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The commission may acquire by gift, easement, purchase, lease, or condemnation lands, buildings, water rights, rights-of-way, or other necessary property, and construct and maintain necessary facilities for purposes consistent with this title. The commission may authorize the director to acquire property under this section, but the power of condemnation may only be exercised by the director when an appropriation has been made by the legislature for the acquisition of a specific property, except to clear title and acquire access rights-of-way.
     (2) The department has the authority to manage acquired lands using the best available land management techniques. These techniques may include, but are not limited to:
     (a) Issuance or reissuance of grazing leases, regardless of if and when the land has been actively grazed;
     (b) Licenses or approvals to remove firewood;
     (c) Issuance of leases for brush picking;
     (d) Periodic use of chemical or mechanical means to maintain public and recreational land, as long as the chemicals used are approved by the Washington state department of agriculture and applied by licensed personnel; and
     (e) Issuance of rights-of-way, easements, and use permits to use existing roads in nonresidential areas.
     (3) The commission may sell, lease, convey, or grant concessions upon real or personal property under the control of the department.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 43.21C RCW to read as follows:
     The use of, or planning for, the specific natural resource management activities of the department of fish and wildlife in RCW 77.12.037(2) are not subject to the requirements of RCW 43.21C.031.