Brief Description: Revising the provision for exchange agreements for environmental mitigation sites.

Sponsors: Representatives Murray, Ericksen, Rockefeller, Wood and Mielke.

Hearing Date: 1/29/03

Staff: Gene Baxstrom (786-7303).

Background:

Through local, state and federal permitting processes, the Department of Transportation is required to conduct ecological restoration and enhancement activities to compensate for transportation activity impacts to environmentally sensitive areas. The Department often purchases properties for mitigation sites. Because some sites are distant from the highway right of way, site maintenance can be more difficult and it is both beneficial and useful to have these properties managed by parties charged with land management.

In 2002, legislation authorized the Department to convey properties which serve as environmental mitigation sites, as consideration for those agencies or groups assuming maintenance obligations required to maintain the site in perpetuity. These conveyances could be to governmental agencies, tribal governments, or private nonprofit groups incorporated in this state that are organized for environmental conservation purposes. This definition inadvertently excluded large conservancy organizations that are incorporated elsewhere.

Summary of Bill:

For consistency in statute, a change is made among those parties to whom the Department of Transportation may convey environmental mitigation sites. The term referring to groups organized for environmental conservation purposes is changed to "nature conservancy corporations", as defined elsewhere in statute.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not Requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.