Clark County Supports Trust-Land Transfer Application for Little Baldy Mountain Parcel Inside Camp Bonneville Perimeter

Clark County staff sought council support on Sept. 24 to submit a trust-land transfer application to the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for a parcel commonly called Little Baldy Mountain that lies inside the Camp Bonneville perimeter. Councilors agreed to proceed and indicated the county manager may sign the application and required letter of intent.

Kevin Tyler, lands management division manager in Public Works, explained the DNR trust-land transfer program and the application timeline. He said the program allows DNR to transfer trust properties to eligible receiving entities, after which the state Legislature may appropriate replacement funds and DNR can seek replacement acreage to meet trust obligations. Tyler noted earlier transfers of DNR acreage in 2008 and 2009 left approximately 135–140 acres inside the Camp Bonneville perimeter that were not transferred at that time, likely related to prior quarry activity at Livingston Quarry.

Tyler described supporting documents that govern cleanup and transfer expectations, including a Department of Ecology consent decree tied to Camp Bonneville cleanup, the environmental services cooperative agreement that funds cleanup work, and the Camp Bonneville reuse plan and memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Army. He told council the DNR application deadline was Sept. 30 and that the application requires a county official with signing authority to submit a letter of intent.

Tyler said the property would remain subject to cleanup obligations under the consent decree and that any transfer would return to council for final approval of deed acceptance. He said the property management committee reviewed the request and recommended seeking the trust-land transfer application. The staff presentation made clear there was no guarantee the legislature would fund the replacement property in the 2027–2029 biennium; Tyler said transfers, if approved, are funded by the Washington state Legislature.

Councilors supported submitting the application and having the county manager sign the letter of intent; a councilor said Camp Bonneville topics “have high interest in the community.” Tyler noted that if a transfer were approved, the deed acceptance would be a future council action item.

Staff will submit the September 30 application on behalf of Clark County and, if DNR and the legislature approve replacement funding and the transfer, staff will return to the council with the deed and any required approvals.