BILL REQ. #: H-3882.1
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2004 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/19/2004. Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.
AN ACT Relating to small scale prospecting and mining; amending RCW 79.14.315; adding a new section to chapter 79.90 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The departments of fish and wildlife,
natural resources, and ecology shall work cooperatively with the small
scale mining community to support educational meetings and
demonstrations to encourage mining activities.
The departments shall work with the small scale mining community to
study and simplify or completely deregulate gold panning and shall
report on this process to the 2005 legislature with legislative
recommendations, if needed. The departments shall survey other states'
regulation of gold panning as part of the study.
Sec. 2 RCW 79.14.315 and 1987 c 20 s 15 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Any person may engage in small scale prospecting and mining, as
that term is defined in RCW 77.55.270, on aquatic lands where both the
surface and mineral rights are owned by the state without that person
first obtaining a permit, lease, license, or other form of permission
from the department, and without being charged a rent or fee.
(2) The department may issue permits for recreational mineral
prospecting in designated areas containing noneconomic mineral
deposits. The term of a permit shall not exceed one year. Designated
areas, equipment allowed, methods of prospecting, as well as other
appropriate permit conditions, shall be set in rules adopted by the
department. Fees shall be set by the board of natural resources.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 79.90 RCW
to read as follows:
The department shall allow small scale prospecting and mining, as
that term is defined in RCW 77.55.270, on aquatic lands where both the
surface and mineral rights are owned by the state. A person does not
have to first obtain a permit, lease, license, or other form of
permission from the department, and no rent or fee may be charged.