HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1778

BYRepresentatives Belcher, Sayan, Bristow and Silver

Revising provisions for the landowner contingency forest fire suppression account.

House Committe on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (22)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Brough, Butterfield, Fuhrman, Grant, Grimm, Hine, Holland, McLean, Nealey, Peery, Sayan, Silver, H. Sommers, Spanel, Sprenkle, Wang and B. Williams.

House Staff:Randy Acker (786-7136)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS/APPROPRIATIONS

FEBRUARY 4, 1988

BACKGROUND:

State monies for fire suppression are provided from the Landowner Contingency Forest Fire Suppression Account and the State General Fund. The Landowner Contingency Account was created for the purpose of paying for emergency fire suppression for fires originating as a result of landowner operations.  Monies in the account may be spent by the Department of Natural Resources as appropriated by the Legislature.  Revenue for the account is produced through an assessment on forest land and may not exceed $.10/acre/year. DNR establishes an annual rate to maintain the fund balance up to a maximum of $2 million. Current rates are $.09/acre in western Washington and $.05/acre in eastern Washington.  The DNR makes the same contribution for its lands as do private landowners.

State General Fund monies are used to pay for all emergency fire suppression costs for fires that are not the result of landowner operations.  These include fires caused by arson and natural causes.

SUMMARY:

The landowner contingency forest fire suppression account is changed from an appropriated account to a nonappropriated account.  The Department of Natural Resources may spend money from the account as is available and as it considers appropriate to pay for emergency fire costs resulting from a participating landowner fire.  Disbursements from the account must be authorized by the Commissioner of Public Lands or the Commissioner's designee.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 2, 1988.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Art Stearns, Supervisor, Department of Natural Resources; Rose Amurao, Budget Director, Department of Natural Resources.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Fires are very unpredictable, and frequently the appropriation from the Landowner Contingency Emergency Fire Suppression Account falls short of what the department must pay.  When this occurs, the department must borrow from its General Fund appropriation and then later reimburse the General Fund from the Landowner Contingency Account following a supplemental appropriation.  By making the Landowner Contingency Account a non-appropriated account, the department can make payments and avoid the additional bookkeeping and paperwork that are currently necessary.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.