Title 79, PUBLIC LANDS

Whenever any state school, granted, tide, or other public lands of the state shall have been charged with local improvement assessments under any local improvement assessment district in any incorporated city, town, irrigation, diking, drainage, port, weed, or pest district, or a…

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all assessing districts as herein defined, any charter or ordinance provisions to the contrary notwithstanding. [ 1963 c 20 s 11; 1919 c 164 s 11; RRS s 8135. Cf. 1909 c 154 s 8.]

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all local improvements initiated after June 11, 1919, including assessments to pay the cost and expense of taking and damaging property by the power of eminent domain, as provided by law: PROVIDED, That in case of eminent domain asses…

When real property subject to an unpaid special assessment for a local improvement levied by any political subdivision of the state authorized to form local improvement or utility local improvement districts is acquired by purchase or condemnation by the state or any political su…

As used in this chapter, "rule" means rule as that term is defined by RCW 34.05.010. [ 2003 c 334 s 519; 1967 ex.s. c 63 s 1; 1961 c 178 s 1.] Notes: Intent—2003 c 334: See note following RCW 79.02.010.

A resource management cost account in the state treasury is created to be used solely for the purpose of defraying the costs and expenses necessarily incurred by the department in managing and administering state lands and aquatic lands and the making and administering of leases,…

Funds in the resource management cost account from the moneys received from leases, sales, contracts, licenses, permits, easements, and rights-of-way issued by the department and affecting school lands, university lands, scientific school lands, normal school lands, capitol build…

(1) The board shall determine the amount deemed necessary in order to achieve the purposes of this chapter and shall provide by rule for the deduction of this amount from the moneys received from all leases, sales, contracts, licenses, permits, easements, and rights-of-way issued…

All deductions from moneys received made in accordance with RCW 79.64.040 shall be paid into the resource management cost account and the balance shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the fund otherwise entitled to the proceeds. [ 2003 c 334 s 523; 2001 c 250 s 1…

The board shall adopt such rules as it deems necessary and proper for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of RCW 79.64.010 through 79.64.070. [ 1983 c 3 s 203; 1961 c 178 s 6.]

If any provision of RCW 79.64.010 through 79.64.070, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of RCW 79.64.010 through 79.64.070, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected. [ 1983 c 3 s 204; 1961 c…

The agricultural college trust management account is created in the state treasury. To this account shall be deposited such funds as the legislature directs or appropriates. Moneys in the agricultural college trust management account may be spent only after appropriation. Expendi…

The natural resources federal lands revolving account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from the proceeds of good neighbor agreements as defined in RCW 79.02.010 and implemented by the department of natural resources and all legislative transfers, gif…

(1) There is created a forest development account in the state treasury. The state treasurer shall keep an account of all sums deposited, expended, or withdrawn from the account. (2)(a) Any sums placed in the forest development account shall be pledged for the purpose of: (i) Pay…

(1) Any moneys derived from the lease of state forestlands or from the sale of valuable materials, oils, gases, coal, minerals, or fossils from those lands, except as provided in RCW 79.64.130, or the appraised value of these resources when transferred to a public agency under RC…

(1) The department is authorized to: (a) Determine the total present account balance with interest of the interfund loans made by the resource management cost account to the forest development account in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (b) Subject to app…

(1)(a) The forest health revolving account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from the proceeds of forest health treatment sales as defined in this section and RCW 79.10.520 and 79.10.530 and all legislative transfers, gifts, grants, and federal funds …

The purpose of this chapter is to establish a state system of natural area preserves and a means whereby the preservation of these aquatic and land areas can be accomplished. All areas within the state, except those which are expressly dedicated by law for preservation and protec…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Department" means the department of natural resources. (2) "Natural areas" and "natural area preserves" include such public or private areas of land or water which ha…

In order to set aside, preserve, and protect natural areas within the state, the department is authorized, in addition to any other powers, to: (1) Establish the criteria for selection, acquisition, management, protection, and use of such natural areas, including: (a) Limiting pu…

The department is further authorized to purchase, lease, set aside, or exchange any public lands which are deemed to be natural areas: PROVIDED, That the appropriate state land trust receives the fair market value for any interests that are disposed of: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That su…

The legislature finds: (1) That it is necessary to establish a process and means for public and private sector cooperation in the development of a system of natural areas. Private and public landowners should be encouraged to participate in a program of natural area establishment…

(1) The natural heritage advisory council is hereby established. The council shall consist of fifteen members, ten of whom shall be chosen as follows and who shall elect from the council's membership a chairperson: (a) Five individuals, appointed by the commissioner, who shall be…

(1) The council shall: (a) Meet at least annually and more frequently at the request of the chairperson; (b) Recommend policy for the natural heritage program through the review and approval of the natural heritage plan; (c) Advise the department, the department of fish and wildl…

(1) The owner of a registered natural area, whether a private individual or an organization, may voluntarily agree to dedicate the area as a natural area by executing with the state an instrument of dedication in a form approved by the council. The instrument of dedication shall …

The department shall hold a public hearing in the county where the majority of the land in a proposed natural area preserve is located prior to establishing the boundary. During the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium, this section does not apply to section 3034, chapter 375, Laws of 2024.…

(1) The program may use information collected by a qualifying nonprofit organization to recognize important bird areas. The program should, to the greatest extent possible, coordinate with and use internationally agreed-upon, scientific criteria and protocols developed by a quali…

Prior to recognizing an important bird area under this chapter, the department must: (1) Publish notice of the proposed important bird area in the Washington state register; (2) Publish notice of the proposed important bird area in a newspaper of general circulation in the county…

The state treasurer, on behalf of the department, must distribute to counties for all lands acquired for the purposes of this chapter an amount in lieu of real property taxes equal to the amount of tax that would be due if the land were taxable as open space land under chapter 84…

Nothing in this chapter is intended to supersede or otherwise affect any existing legislation. [ 1972 ex.s. c 119 s 6.]

The legislature finds that: (1) There is an increasing and continuing need by the people of Washington for certain areas of the state to be conserved, in rural as well as urban settings, for the benefit of present and future generations; (2) such areas are worthy of conservation …

Lands possessing the following characteristics are considered by the legislature to be worthy of consideration for conservation purposes: (1) Lands identified as having high priority for conservation, natural systems, wildlife, and low-impact public use values; (2) An area of lan…

As used in this chapter: "Commissioner" means the commissioner of public lands. "Department" means the department of natural resources. "Conservation purposes" include but are not limited to: (1) Maintaining, enhancing, or restoring ecological systems, including but not limited t…

The department is authorized to acquire property or less than fee interests in property, as defined by RCW 64.04.130, by all means, except eminent domain, for creating natural resources conservation areas, where acquisition is the best way to achieve the purposes of this chapter.…

The department is authorized to transfer fee simple interest or less than fee interests in trust land, as defined by Article XVI of the Washington Constitution, for the creation of natural resources conservation areas, provided the owner of the trust land receives full fair marke…

The department shall hold a public hearing in the county where the majority of the land in the proposed natural resources conservation area is located prior to establishing the boundary. An area proposed for designation must contain resources consistent with characteristics ident…

The department shall develop a management plan for each designated area. The plan shall identify the significant resources to be conserved consistent with the purposes of this chapter and identify the areas with potential for low-impact public and environmental educational uses. …

The department is authorized to administer natural resources conservation areas and may enter into management agreements for these areas with federal agencies, state agencies, local governments, and private nonprofit conservancy corporations, as defined in RCW 64.04.130, when suc…

There is hereby created the natural resources conservation areas stewardship account in the state treasury to ensure proper and continuing management of land acquired or designated pursuant to this chapter. Funds for the stewardship account shall be derived from appropriations of…

The legislature hereby designates certain areas as natural resources conservation areas: (1) The Mt. Si conservation area (King County), RCW 79A.05.725, is hereby designated the Mt. Si natural resources conservation area. The department is directed to continue its management of t…

The property currently designated as the Elk river natural area preserve is transferred from management under chapter 79.70 RCW as a natural area preserve to management under chapter 79.71 RCW as a natural resources conservation area. The legislature finds that hunting is a suita…

The state treasurer, on behalf of the department, must distribute to counties for all lands acquired for the purposes of this chapter an amount in lieu of real property taxes equal to the amount of tax that would be due if the land were taxable as open space land under chapter 84…

Except as provided in chapter 79A.05 RCW, the portion of the Milwaukee Road corridor from the west end of the bridge structure over the Columbia river, which point is located in section 34, township 16 north, range 23 east, W.M., to the Idaho border purchased by the state shall b…

The portion of the Milwaukee Road corridor under management and control of the department shall be open to individuals or organized groups that obtain permits from the department to travel the corridor for recreational purposes. The department shall, for the purpose of issuing pe…

The department may do the following with respect to the portion of the Milwaukee Road corridor under its control: (1) Enter into agreements to allow the realignment or modification of public roads, farm crossings, water conveyance facilities, and other utility crossings; (2) Regu…

(1) The department shall offer to lease, and shall subsequently lease if a reasonable offer is made, portions of the Milwaukee Road corridor under its control to the person who owns or controls the adjoining land for periods of up to ten years commencing with June 7, 1984. The le…