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Agencies report hundreds of acquired acres and flag maintenance, policy shifts in monitoring forum
Summary
At the monitoring forum covering the 2021–2023 biennium, agencies reported dozens of acquisitions (examples: McLaughlin Falls — 339 acres; Simcoe — 598 acres; State Parks — 298 acres costing $7.25 million) and raised concerns about post‑acquisition maintenance funding and a $110 million ADA settlement backlog at State Parks. RCO signaled policy changes under consideration including higher appraisal‑waiver thresholds.
The Habitat and Recreation Lands Coordinating Group’s monitoring forum reviewed acquisitions and lessons from projects funded in the 2021–2023 biennium.
Matthew Trenda, real estate services manager for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the agency proposed nine projects and acquired land on eight of them. He highlighted three projects: McLaughlin Falls West (339 acres acquired of 730 proposed; acquisition aided by a tribal partnership with the Colville tribe), Simcoe 2020 (598 of 5,112 proposed acres acquired; part of a multiyear phased acquisition), and Twin Rivers (acquired all proposed 216 acres and protected approximately 2,800 linear feet of shoreline). Trenda said some parcels were not available because landowners declined to sell and that the department can follow up to check whether those lands later sold to other buyers.
Tanya Moore, property and acquisition specialist for Washington State Parks, reported six of eight forecasted projects were completed, totaling 298 acres with…
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