Governor signs Morton bill to expand critical habitat  

June 1, 2009

Olympia…A bill sponsored by Sen. Bob Morton, R-Kettle Falls, to expand the Department of Natural Resources program to buy critical habitat for endangered and threatened species has been signed into law. 

Since 2001, the department has purchased 583 acres of land where stream water is prone to move and where the movement would result in a potential near-term loss of stream bank (riparian forest) for the landowner. 

Substitute Senate Bill 5401 authorizes DNR to purchase land outside stream channels from private landowners at fair market value. 

The idea for Morton’s bill came from a work group organized to settle ongoing litigation over the northern spotted owl. 

Riparian lands cannot be harvested and are acquired to comply with the state’s Riparian Open Space Program under the state Forest Practices Act. 

“Expansion of this program is a win-win situation,” Morton said. “More critical habitat can be preserved and landowners will receive a fair price if they choose to participate.”

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Additional contact: Penny Drost (360) 786-7522 or drost.penny@leg.wa.gov