HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1569

As Amended by the Senate

BYHouse Committee on Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Representatives Belcher, Locke, Holland and Sayan)

Regarding forest protection.

House Committe on Natural Resources & Parks

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Belcher, Chair;K. Wilson, Vice Chair; Beck, Ranking Republican Member; Brumsickle, Dellwo, Ferguson,R. Fisher, Fuhrman, Hargrove, Raiter and Sayan.

House Staff:Bill Koss (786-7129)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill by Committee on Natural Resources & Parks be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (26)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Brough, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, Holland, May, McLean, Nealey, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (2)

      Signed by Representatives Silver, Ranking Republican Member; and Padden.

House Staff:      Randy Acker (786-7136)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 14, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provides forest fire control to 12.5 million acres of forest land in the state. Of the total, approximately 10.4 million acres is private land, and 2.1 million acres is state land.  DNR protects about half the forest land in the state; the remainder is protected by various federal agencies and rural fire districts. Fire control is divided into two programs: protection and suppression.

The protection program includes prevention, presuppression, and detection activities, including the purchase of equipment and hiring and training of fire fighters.  For the 1987-89 biennium, 62 percent of the protection program monies came from the state general fund, 33 percent from landowner assessments, and 5 percent from federal sources.  The landowner forest protection assessments are set by statute at 21 cents an acre each year in western Washington and 17 cents an acre each year in eastern Washington.

The suppression program includes the costs (such as crew, overtime, equipment rental, and supplies) associated with extinguishing forest fires.  Funding for suppression activities is determined by the cause of the fire.  Suppression costs for fires started by the general public or by lightning are paid from the state general fund.  Fires started as a result of a landowner operation are paid from the landowner contingency forest fire suppression account. Forest landowners pay an annual per acre assessment into the contingency account, the balance of which cannot exceed $2 million. Current assessment rates are 8 cents an acre in western Washington and 4 cents an acre in eastern Washington.

SUMMARY:

Forest assessments for the forest fire protection program are increased to 22 cents an acre statewide.  The annual assessments are currently 21 cents an acre in western Washington and 17 cents an acre in eastern Washington.  In 1990, the minimum payment per parcel increases from $5.10 in eastern Washington and $6.30 in western Washington to $10 statewide.  In 1991, it increases to $14 a parcel. Provisions are made to facilitate the task of the assessor in collecting the annual assessment on parcels smaller than 10 acres.  Landowners with two or more parcels in a county, each containing less than 50 acres, may obtain a refund on assessments paid if the total acreage in a county does not exceed 50 acres.

Beginning in 1991, the department may grant up to $200,000 a year of the forest assessment money to rural fire districts.  The money shall be used for assisting the department in fire protection services on forest lands.

The landowner contingency forest fire suppression account becomes a nonappropriated account.  Uses of the funds expand from forest fire suppression to also permit their use to abate, isolate, or reduce extreme fire hazards.  Money recovered from a landowner for the costs of reducing the extreme fire hazard returns to the account.

The maximum fund balance may not exceed $3 million, a $1 million increase.

The DNR may borrow money at any time from any fund the state treasurer deems appropriate in order to meet unbudgeted forest fire suppression expenses.  Any borrowed money must be repaid with interest.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENTS:  The amendment removes DNR's discretion in whether or not to distribute $200,000 to rural fire departments.

Revenue:    The bill has a revenue impact.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Natural Resources & Parks)  Art Stearns, Department of Natural Resources; Craig Beals, Washington Forest Protection Association; Nels Hanson, Washington Farm Forestry Association.

(Appropriations)  Art Stearns, Department of Natural Resources; Steve Gano, Washington Forest Protection Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Natural Resources & Parks)  Fred Saeger, Washington Association of County Officials.

(Appropriations)  Robert Wyborney, citizen.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Natural Resources & Parks)  Forest landowners worked together in the past three years to identify areas where DNR could become more effective in fire fighting.  They have seen DNR become increasingly efficient and feel that the increased assessment is both necessary and will be well spent. They favor this self-tax.

(Appropriations)  This increase in landowner assessments helps to address an area of critical concern to the Department of Natural Resources.  It brings landowner costs up to their historical percentage of funding for the fire protection program.  Forest landowners support this self-tax.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Natural Resources & Parks)  The proposal needs to incorporate an effective date and a mechanism to allow for integration into existing assessors' processes.  Not opposed to fee level; simply want a smooth collection mechanism.

(Appropriations)  Small landowners do not support this bill.  The Department of Natural Resources wastes money that it spends on suppression.  There is no guarantee that the Department of Natural Resources will provide any training to small landowners.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 90; Nays 4; Absent 3; Excused 1

Voting Nay: Representatives Heavey, Inslee, Jesernig and Silver

Absent:     Representatives Cantwell, Peery and Rust

Excused:    Representative Wang