(1) Counties, cities, towns, and other municipalities shall have the right to construct bridges and trestles across waterways heretofore or hereafter laid out under the authority of the state of Washington, and over and across any tidelands, shorelands, bedlands, or harbor areas owned and managed by the state adjacent thereto over which the projected line or lines of highway will run, if such bridges or trestles are constructed in good faith for the purpose of being made a part of the constructed line of such a highway, upon payment for any natural resource damages to those aquatic lands affected not already covered by an approved state or federal regulatory mitigation plan. Such a right shall be granted by easement and no charge may be made to the county, city, town, or other municipality, for such an easement. The department may recover only its reasonable direct administrative costs incurred in processing and approving the request or application, and reviewing plans for construction of the bridge or trestle.

(2) For purposes of this section, "direct administrative costs" means the cost of hours worked directly on an application or request, based on salaries and benefits, plus travel reimbursement and other actual out-of-pocket costs. Direct administrative costs recovered by the department must be deposited into the resource management cost account.

(3) By December 1, 2008, the department must deliver a report to the legislature regarding the collection of administrative fees as described in this section.