| Passed by the Senate March 7, 2007 YEAS 45 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House April 4, 2007 YEAS 95 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5461 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. THOMAS HOEMANN ________________________________________ Secretary | |
| Approved April 18, 2007, 11:10 a.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | April 18, 2007 Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2007 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/16/07.
AN ACT Relating to continuing the use of contract harvesting for improving forest health on Washington state trust lands; amending RCW 79.15.540; creating a new section; and repealing 2004 c 218 s 10 (uncodified).
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that chapter 218, Laws
of 2004 authorized the department of natural resources to utilize
contract harvesting for silvicultural treatments to improve forest
health on state trust lands, in accordance with RCW 76.06.140 and
79.15.540. The legislature further finds that the use of contract
harvesting for silvicultural treatments has proven effective and that
continued utilization is important to improve and maintain forest
health. Therefore, the legislature finds that it is necessary to
remove the expiration date for this authority, set for December 31,
2007, and to continue the use of contract harvesting for silvicultural
treatments to improve forest health on state trust lands.
Sec. 2 RCW 79.15.540 and 2004 c 218 s 5 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The legislature intends to ensure, to the extent feasible given
all applicable trust responsibilities, that trust beneficiaries receive
long-term income from timber lands through improved forest conditions
and by reducing the threat of forest fire to state trust forest lands.
(2) In order to implement the intent of ((subsection (1) of this
section)) RCW 76.06.140, the department may initiate contract
harvesting timber sales, or other silvicultural treatments when
appropriate, in specific areas of state trust forest land where the
department has identified forest health deficiencies as enumerated in
RCW 76.06.140. All harvesting or silvicultural treatments applied
under this section must be tailored to improve the health of the
specific stand, must be consistent with any applicable state forest
plans and other management agreements, and must comply with all
applicable state and federal laws and regulations regarding the harvest
of timber by the department of natural resources.
(3) In utilizing contract harvesting to address forest health
issues as outlined in this section, the department shall give priority
to silvicultural treatments that assist the department in meeting
forest health strategies included in any management or landscape plans
that exist for state forests. If such plans are not in place, the
department shall prioritize silvicultural treatments for forest health
with higher priority given to the protection of public health and
safety, public resources as defined in RCW 76.09.020, and the long-term
asset value of the trust.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 2004 c 218 s 10 (uncodified) is repealed.