South Stevens Land Exchange
The original proposal for this exchange considered roughly 15,100 acres of state-owned parcels in Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Kittitas, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman and Yakima counties. These parcels would be exchanged with private land owners through an intermediary. DNR originally contemplated acquiring about 15,900 acres in Asotin, Chelan, Franklin, Lincoln, Okanogan, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties in return.
After hearings were held in October 2007, DNR held a second round of hearings in December 2007 and added several parcels of state trust land in Grays Harbor and Chelan counties for consideration in the exchange. DNR has reached agreement on Phase 1 of the exchange, which is anticipated to close in May 2008. DNR and Clearwater Group LLC are exploring phase 2 of this exchange in calendar year 2008 and some of the originally proposed parcels have been removed from the exchange proposal.
December 2007 — Parcels Added to Exchange
In December 2007, DNR received testimony regarding the proposed inclusion of additional parcels located in Grays Harbor County and Chelan County in this proposed land transaction.
Additional Parcels
January 2008 — Phase One closed
At its monthly meeting in January 2008, the state Board of Natural Resources approved the first phase of this transaction — the exchange of 3,875 acres of state trust land for 2,880 acres of privately owned land in several eastern Washington counties. The lands exchanged and received by each trust are of roughly equivalent value based on independent appraisals.
This first phase of the exchange involves state lands managed by DNR that provide revenue to beneficiaries of the Common School trust; Agricultural School trust; Charitable, Penal, Educational and Reformatory Institutions trust; and Capitol Building trust.
South Stevens Phase 1 Parcel list
South Stevens Phase 1 Maps
March 2008 - Exchange parcels removed from further consideration
June 2008 — Phase Two - Parcels under current consideration
Phase 2 involves DNR and Clearwater Group LLC evaluating the potential exchange of up to 10,225 acres of state owned parcels for up to 6,360 acres of private property. Exchange parcels are located in Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Kittitas, Lincoln, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman, and Yakima Counties.
A decision in regards to Phase 2 is anticipated to occur in the summer or fall of 2008 upon presentation to the Board of Natural Resources. Additional information may be posted at this website in the future.
South Stevens Phase 2 Land Exchange, #86-082780
Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) anticipates presenting the South Stevens Phase 2 land exchange proposal to the Board of Natural Resources for a decision at the December 2, 2008 meeting. Board meetings begin at 9:00 a.m. in Room 172, Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington Street Southeast, in Olympia, Washington.
This exchange would involve DNR conveying 655 acres of State property located in Yakima, Kittitas, and Whitman counties and DNR receiving 531 acres of private property located in Stevens and Lincoln counties. DNR goals for the transaction is to consolidate trust lands, reduce management costs and obtain increased revenue on behalf of the Common School trust.
South Stevens Phase 2 Parcel list
South Stevens Phase 2 Maps
Potential South Stevens Phase 3 Land Exchange
The Department is in the process of evaluating which South Stevens land exchanges parcels that were not conveyed or received in either South Stevens Phase 1 or South Stevens Phase 2 should continue to be explored for a potential South Stevens Phase 3 land exchange.
DNR Manages Trust Land
DNR manages more than 3 million acres of trust lands statewide to provide revenue that helps fund the construction of public schools, universities, other state educational institutions and prisons, as well as services in many counties. Revenue-producing activities on these trust lands include harvesting timber and forest products, leasing agricultural lands (for orchards, vineyards, row crops, dryland crops, and grazing), mineral leases, and leasing communication sites and commercial propertiesTransaction Summary Information