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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, Second Regular Session
appropriation; best land management practices
Purpose
Expands the Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) and the Arizona State Land Department 's (ASLD) natural vegetative product removal program to include the removal of hazardous vegetation on public lands. Appropriates $4,000,000 in FY 2021 from the state General Fund (GF) to DFFM to implement the program.
Background
Laws 2017, Chapter 166 required the State Land Commissioner and the State Forester to collaborate to establish a program to remove natural vegetative products from State Trust Land for fire suppression and forest and watershed management on state lands and to facilitate the development of wood products industries in Arizona. The current program terminates on July 1, 2027 (A.R.S. § 37-483).
S. B. 1488 appropriates $4,000,000 in FY 2021 from the state GF to the State Forester.
Provisions
1. Directs the State Land Commissioner and the State Forester, on or before January 1, 2021, to expand the natural vegetative removal program to include the promotion of best land management practices for the identification and removal of hazardous vegetation on state, federal and tribal land.
2. Appropriates $4,000,000 in FY 2021 from the state GF to DFFM to implement the program and exempts the appropriation from lapsing.
3. Requires the program expansion to include a plan to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with public agencies to share the cost to identify and remove hazardous vegetation from state, federal and tribal land to protect critical infrastructure.
4. Extends, from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2029, the termination date of the program.
5. Defines public agency as the federal government or any federal department or agency, Indian tribe, Arizona, any other state, all departments, agencies, boards and commissions of Arizona or any other state, counties, school districts, charter schools, cities, towns, all municipal corporations, and any other political subdivisions of Arizona or any other state.
6. Makes technical and conforming changes.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 17, 2020
KN/CDT/gs