ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

HB 2577: native plants; fire prevention; exemption

Sponsor: Representative Griffin, LD 19

Committee on Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Overview

Exempts the Arizona Department of Forestry & Fire Management (DFFM) and the State Forester from notification requirements to the Arizona Department of Agriculture (ADA) for the removal or destruction of protected native plants when preventing, managing or suppressing wildfires.

History

Currently, if a state agency proposes to remove or destroy protected native plants over an area of state land exceeding one-fourth acre, the agency must notify ADA in writing at least 60 days before the plants are destroyed, and any such destruction must occur within one year of the date of destruction disclosed in the notice (A.R.S. § 3-905).

The protected group of native plants is any plant or part of a plant that is growing wild on state, public or on privately owned land without being propagated or cultivated by human beings and which is included by the Director of ADA on any of the definitive lists of protected categories of protected native plants. A list of native plants can be found on ADA Rules (A.R.S. § 3-903 and A.C.C. Title 3, Art. 11, App. A)

Provisions

1. Exempts, as the State Forester determines necessary, DFFM from notifying ADA in writing 60 days before the removal or destruction of protected native plants when preventing, managing or suppressing wildfires. (Sec. 1 and 2)

2. Exempts the State Forester from notifying ADA of the removal or destruction of protected native plants for preventing, managing or suppressing wildfires. (Sec. 3)

3. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2 and 3)

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7. HB 2577

8. Initials BSR Page 0 Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

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