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DNR describes planned Bear Springs land transfer to tribe; committee asks how taxing districts will share proceeds
Summary
DNR staff described a proposed direct transfer/sale of the Bear Springs hatchery parcel to a tribe, a boundary adjustment that would expand the parcel to about 53 acres, and said sale proceeds would go into a land‑replacement account unless counties request distribution under the RCW process.
DNR staff presented details about a proposed direct transfer and sale of the Bear Springs parcel to a tribe that currently holds a lease for a salmon hatchery. The presenter said the DNR and the tribe began formal purchase‑sale discussions in 2020, completed surveys and an internal appraisal, and now are negotiating a purchase‑and‑sale agreement that could be presented to the Board of Natural Resources this summer.
The DNR representative said the parcel originally under lease was roughly 12–13 acres and that, following a boundary‑line adjustment, the tribe is now seeking ownership of about 53 acres that would include infrastructure such as two bearing ponds, a house and shops used for hatchery management. The DNR staff explained that sale proceeds typically go into a land‑replacement account used to acquire replacement trust lands, but that an RCW now allows counties to request a share of revenue for beneficiaries if they submit a request to the DNR and the board approves it.
Committee members asked what taxing districts (the participants discussed 503 and hospital and fire districts as examples) would be eligible and when a formal request must be filed. DNR staff said the cleanest administrative practice is for counties to file the request at the time the board approves the transaction, but the RCW does not appear to impose a strict deadline; DNR staff also said the transactions division manages replacement‑land purchases and would provide more specifics at a follow‑up meeting.
Why it matters: Committee members said proceeds from direct transfers and sales can materially affect junior taxing districts’ revenues and that clarity about when and how to request funds matters for local budgeting and levy messaging. Several members asked that DNR provide a transactions‑program briefing at a future meeting so districts understand replacement‑land timelines and how revenue attribution is tracked.
Public comment at the meeting included opposition to the sale from a resident who said the transfer lacked a public process and that neighboring parcels previously transferred to state parks remain unmanaged. DNR staff did not announce a change to the process during the meeting.
Next steps: DNR agreed to coordinate a follow‑up briefing from its transactions program and to provide contact information for county counsel to discuss RCW participation and possible amicus coordination on other agenda items.
