(1) The commission shall develop and adopt management policies for publicly owned or leased land on the rivers designated by the legislature as being a part of the state's scenic river system and within the associated river areas. The commission may adopt rules identifying river classifications which reflect the characteristics common to various segments of scenic rivers and may adopt management policies consistent with local government's shoreline management master plans appropriate for each such river classification. All such policies shall be adopted by the commission in accordance with the provisions of chapter 34.05 RCW, as now or hereafter amended. Any variance with such a policy by any public agency shall be authorized only by the approval of the commission and shall be made only to alleviate unusual hardships unique to a given segment of the system.

     (2) Any policies developed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall include management plans for protecting ecological, economic, recreational, aesthetic, botanical, scenic, geological, hydrological, fish and wildlife, historical, cultural, archaeological, and scientific features of the rivers designated as being in the system. Such policies shall also include management plans to encourage any nonprofit group, organization, association, person, or corporation to develop and adopt programs for the purpose of increasing fish propagation.

     (3) The commission shall identify on a river by river basis any publicly owned or leased lands which could be included in a river area of the system but which are developed in a manner unsuitable for land to be managed as part of the system. The commission shall exclude lands so identified from the provisions of any management policies implementing the provisions of this chapter.

     (4) The commission shall determine the boundaries which shall define the river area associated with any included river. With respect to the rivers named in RCW 79A.55.070, the commission shall make such determination, and those determinations authorized by subsection (3) of this section, within one year of September 21, 1977.

     (5) Before making a decision regarding the river area to be included in the system, a variance in policy, or the excluding of land from the provisions of the management policies, the commission shall hold hearings in accord with chapter 34.05 RCW, with at least one public hearing to be held in the general locale of the river under consideration. The commission shall cause to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the area which includes the river or rivers to be considered, a description, including a map showing such river or rivers, of the material to be considered at the public hearing. Such notice shall appear at least twice in the time period between two and four weeks prior to the public hearing.

     The commission shall seek and receive comments from the public regarding potential additions to the system, shall initiate studies, and may submit to any session of the legislature proposals for additions to the state scenic river system. These proposals shall be accompanied by a detailed report on the factors which, in the commission's judgment, make an area a worthy addition to the system.

[2009 c 187 § 6. Prior: 1999 c 249 § 802; 1999 c 151 § 1702; 1977 ex.s. c 161 § 3. Formerly RCW 79.72.030.]

NOTES:

     Severability -- 1999 c 249: See note following RCW 79A.05.010.

     Part headings not law -- Effective date -- 1999 c 151: See notes following RCW 18.28.010.