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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session
appropriation; best land management practices
Purpose
Expands and extends the program to remove hazardous vegetative natural products on public lands (Program). Appropriates $4,000,000 in FY 2020 from the state General Fund (GF) to the State Forester to implement the Program.
Background
Current statute
requires the State Land Commissioner and the State Forester to establish a
program to remove vegetative natural products from state trust land for the
purposes of fire suppression and forest and watershed management on state lands
and to facilitate the development of wood products industries in this state. The
Program ends on July 1, 2027 (A.R.S.
37-483).
The National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 was enacted to promote action that
protects, restores and enhances the environment (42 U.S. Code
4321).
S.B. 1477 appropriates $4,000,000 in FY 2020 from the state GF to the State Forester.
Provisions
1. Requires the Program established by the State Land Commissioner and the State Forester to promote best land management practices and specifies that the Program is limited to the removal of vegetative natural products that are hazardous.
2. Appropriates $4,000,000 in FY 2020 from the state GF to the State Forester to implement the Program.
3. Expands the Program to include participation from any public agency and removal of vegetation from all state, federal and tribal lands.
4. Requires any action under the Program be made in accordance with standards set by NEPA.
5. Extends, from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2029, the termination date of the Program.
6. Makes technical and conforming changes.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 19, 2019
KN/LD/gs