SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 6536

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators McDonald, Bluechel, Talmadge, Anderson, Vognild, Kreidler, McMullen, Bailey, Gaspard, Metcalf and Warnke; by request of Department of Natural Resources)

Providing for the purchase of state forest lands.

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 29, 1990; February 1, 1990

Majority Report:     That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6536 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

     Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Bailey, Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hayner, Johnson, Lee, Moore, Niemi, Owen, Saling, Smith, Talmadge, Warnke.

Senate Staff:Michael Groesch (786-7715)

                February 13, 1990

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 12, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Rapid growth and development in forested areas in the Puget Sound has exacerbated the problems of dwindling timber supply.  Continuing expansion of residential development threatens to reduce the amount of sustainable commercial forestry in Washington by reducing the available acreage and by creating pressures to limit the cut levels and to alter management practices.  Forest land owners succumb to financial temptation to remove land from forest production as land values related to development rise higher than the prospective profits from timber production.

The authority for the Department of Natural Resources to acquire forest land through purchase is found under RCW 76.12.080.  Currently a lid exists on the purchase price the state may pay for forest land.  The maximum price is $2 per acre for unstocked land and $6 per acre for stocked land.

SUMMARY:

The department may acquire forest land suitable for commercial forestry.  In selecting lands consideration shall be given to consolidating and building blocks of publicly owned forest lands.  The land must be in danger of being parceled or converted to nonforest uses.  Additional benefits of watershed protection, wildlife habitat, open space and recreation may be considered.

The department is prohibited from leasing land acquired with these funds.

The lid on the amount the state may pay per acre of forest lands is removed and "fair market value" is substituted.

The community college forest reserve account is created as a source of funding for the capital construction needs of state community colleges.  The account is funded from timber sale proceeds from the newly acquired lands authorized for purchase in this bill.

The proceeds from sale of timber on these newly acquired lands are distributed as follows:  25 percent to the forest development account for the management of the lands; and 75 percent to the community college forest reserve account.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:   yes

Fiscal Note:    available

Senate Committee - Testified:   Jack Hornung, Issaquah Alps Trail Club; Brian Boyle, Commissioner of Public Lands; Judy Turpin, Washington Environmental Council