S-773                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5389

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Metcalf, McMullen, Craswell and Conner

Read first time 1/23/89 and referred to Committee on   Environment & Natural Resources.

AN ACT Relating to islands; and adding a new section to chapter 79.01 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 79.01 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) Whenever used in this title, the term "island" means any body of land surrounded by water, whether salt or fresh, and includes those bounded wholly or in part by a river or stream.

          (2) State departments may consider any island as a  unique area and may create special regulations in cooperation with local governments to reflect the natural conditions of an island environment including, but not limited to:

          (a) Water resource and single source aquifer conditions;

          (b) Special needs for timber harvest and reforestation;

          (c) Preservation of unique habitat for fish and wildlife; and

          (d) Special conditions which allow development but will preserve the island habitat.