H-0499.2                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1169

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives King, Basich, Orr, Fuhrman, Chappell and Wood

Read first time 01/20/93.  Referred to Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife.

Regulating marine finfish rearing facilities.

          AN ACT Relating to marine finfish rearing facilities; and adding a new section to chapter 90.48 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 90.48 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) For the purposes of this section "marine finfish rearing facilities" means those private and public facilities located within the salt water of the state where finfish are fed, nurtured, held, maintained, or reared to reach the size of release or for market sale.

          (2) Not later than October 31, 1993, the department shall adopt standards under chapter 34.05 RCW for waste discharges from marine finfish rearing facilities.  In establishing these standards, the department shall review and incorporate, to the extent possible, studies conducted by state and federal agencies on waste discharges from marine finfish rearing facilities, and any reports and other materials prepared by technical committees on waste discharges from marine finfish rearing facilities.  The department shall issue a general permit as authorized by the federal clean water act, 33 U.S.C. et seq., or RCW 90.48.160 by October 31, 1993, for marine finfish rearing facilities.  The department shall approve or deny applications for coverage under the general permit for marine finfish rearing facilities within one hundred eighty days from the date of application, unless a longer time is required to satisfy public participation requirements in the permit process in accordance with applicable rules, or compliance with the requirements of the state environmental policy act under chapter 43.21C RCW.  The department shall notify applicants for a general permit as soon as it determines that a proposed discharge meets or fails to comply with the standards or general permit conditions required under this section, or that a time period longer than one hundred eighty days is necessary to satisfy public participation requirements or the state environmental policy act.

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