SENATOR DREW OFFERS LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN
WSU ROLE IN TRUST LANDS
Legislation that would require approval from the
University's representative to the Board of Natural Resources
prior to the negotiation of a habitat conservation plan was introduced
today by Senate Natural Resources Chairman Kathleen Drew, D-Issaquah.
Drew, who is also a member of the Senate Higher Education
Committee, has expressed concern that proposals for a federal
ìhabitat conservation planî have been pushed ahead
despite unanswered questions from the University of Washington,
Washington State University, and other trust land beneficiaries.
Her legislation, Senate Bill 6778, states that "any
agreement that is developed under the federal endangered species
act...relating to a habitat conservation plan for state lands
administered by the state Department of Natural Resources must
be approved in advance by a unanimous vote of the board of natural
resources. All members of the board must be present when the
vote is taken."
WSU and UW are represented on the six-member board
of natural resources but have withheld support for the habitat
conservation plan until they are provided information as to how
it will impact university trust lands. Under current law, their
support is not necessary for the plan to move ahead if the other
four members support it.
WSU supports the legislation which is similar to
language adopted by the House version of the supplemental operating
budget this week in an amendment offered by House Education Chairman
Bill Brumsickle, R-Centralia. Despite increasing bipartisan legislative
support for this proposal, Gov. Mike Lowry's staff has
indicated that the Governor is likely to veto such legislation.
Cosponsors of the Drew bill include Sen. Bob Oke,
R-Port Orchard; Senate Majority Leader Sid Snyder, D-Long Beach;
and Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam. The bill has been referred
to Drew's Natural Resources Committee.
Trust Lands are an Important Source of Funding
for WSU
When Washington became a state in 1889, the federal
government granted to the state millions of acres of land to be
held in trust for specific beneficiaries, including WSU. Revenue
from this land, mainly in the form of timber harvests, has been
spent on construction of university buildings. Many of the buildings
on WSU's campus were constructed through tax-free revenue
from WSU's trust land income. Other beneficiaries include
our K-12 public schools, other colleges and universities across
the state, and timber counties, among others.
WSU, as a land grant institution, has held 151,000
acres of agriculture and scientific trust lands since statehood,
which are managed by the state Department of Natural Resources.
By law, these agencies must manage the land with the goal of
maximizing revenue to WSU over the long-term to the exclusion
of all other interests. This relationship has worked well in
the past. Unfortunately, there are now concerns surrounding how
WSUís trust lands are managed.
- From 1990 to 1994, revenue from WSUís
trust declined from more than $13 million per year to $3.6 million,
an alarming 72 percent decrease.
- From 1990 to 1995, the trusts returned an
average of $6.3 million per year, yet DNR says it can return approximately
$10 million annually.
- WSU's trust lands are valued at approximately
$422 million. In 1994, when the trusts produced only $3.6
million, the rate of return was under 1 percent.
- WSU isn't alone in its concern over
trust land management. More than a dozen school districts
and eight counties have sued the state Department of Natural Resources
over its management of some 150,000 acres of K-12 trust land.
This update is shared by broadcast fax and electronic
mail to friends of Washington State University as state government
developments occur. Contact Karen Fischer, WSU State-wide Affairs,
509/335-6665. Larry Ganders is at 360/438-7552; Fax: 360/438-8104.
Internet address is ganders@wsunix.wsu.edu. Visit our web page
at www.wsu.edu/IR/wsulegis/olympia.html.
