AN ACT Relating to Hood Canal; and adding new sections to chapter 90.58 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the Hood Canal area is an area of unique values and of resources of state-wide significance. Therefore the legislature finds it appropriate that the state assume an enhanced role designed to protect the environmental quality of the canal. The purpose of this act is to establish the Hood Canal policy to ensure that all actions and programs affecting Hood Canal are evaluated for their impacts on environmental quality, and that decisions be made giving the protection and enhancement of the environment the highest priority.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) Hood Canal and all of its tributaries shall be designated shorelines of state-wide significance in accordance with RCW 90.58.310. This designation will allow the counties and the state greater control over development that could degrade the canal environment and also provide increased management authority over agricultural and silvicultural practices.

(2) The department of ecology shall implement the Hood Canal policy by requiring that all departmentally reviewed and/or administered permits, variances, and conditional uses, and certifications are consistent with applicable laws and regulations and comply with this policy. To carry out this policy, each permit will be evaluated for its impact on: (a) Water quality; (b) wildlife, shellfish, and fishery resources; (c) public access and recreational opportunities; (d) stability of shoreline slope, erosion, and sedimentation; (e) scenic and aesthetic values; and (f) loss or reduction of water surface, bedlands, and wetlands.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The department of ecology shall establish a task force comprised of personnel from the following agencies: Department of ecology, department of fisheries, department of game, parks and recreation commission, department of natural resources, association of counties, and department of transportation.

This task force shall be responsible for the coordination, review, and development of information pertinent to the implementation of the Hood Canal policy and shall make recommendations to their respective member agencies.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The department of ecology shall take the necessary actions to reactivate or to establish a new Hood Canal advisory committee comprised of individuals from each affected local government and citizens of the area. This committee shall have the responsibility to review and recommend appropriate guidelines for master programs and to assist the local governments in preparing new or amended master program elements consistent with those guidelines.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) The department of ecology in cooperation with other agencies, shall provide for an area by area inventory and analysis of the existing septic systems. The analysis shall contain the following types of information: Type of disposal, density of area, that is, housing units per square mile, adequacy of system (age, capacity, drainfield condition, etc.), location, and recommendation for local or state action.

(2) A proposal for sewage treatment facilities shall be developed and a feasibility analysis conducted for selected areas determined through the sewage disposal inventory and analysis. Selected areas shall be limited to those with a high density, existing or high potential water quality problems (coliform), and lack of other feasible alternatives. Full consideration shall be given to the existing Hood Canal advanced waste treatment policy of the department of ecology in any recommendations or decisions regarding waste discharge.

(3) Provisions for septic or sewage treatment facilities for any new developments shall be based on shoreline and development plans for the region. The master program updates shall include appropriate land use types, densities, setbacks, buffers, etc., to ensure that future water quality problems will not be created through unplanned residential, commercial, and industrial growth. After the updating of the master programs, the department of ecology and the counties shall evaluate the desirability and feasibility of developing regional sewerage basin plans for the canal area consistent with the shoreline and land use plans for the area.

(4) The department of ecology shall review its monitoring efforts to determine where additional monitoring is necessary. In assessing additional monitoring needs, the shellfish protection strategy should be consulted as it relates to "threatened" shellfish growing areas.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) The department of ecology and other agencies shall identify key individuals who shall be contact points for local governments and citizens with regard to possible violations and other enforcement related issues. These individuals shall assist the department of ecology enforcement officer in developing policies and procedures for dealing with enforcement issues on the canal. Special attention shall be paid to the shellfish protection strategy as an element of enforcement policy. Regional enforcement personnel, shoreline personnel, an assistant attorney general, and the department of ecology enforcement officer shall participate in the enforcement effort.

(2) The department of ecology shall ensure close coordination between other planning and operating units within state government. This coordination shall include the Puget Sound water quality authority, the department of ecology instream resources protection program, the Puget Sound water quality program, and other units as necessary and appropriate.

(3) The department of ecology shall assure effective implementation by involving local and federal agencies, affected interests, and the public. The department of ecology will also coordinate activities with Indian tribes, the United States forest service, the United States fish and wildlife service, fish and shellfish associations, county planning commissions, environmental organizations, home builders, and others, as identified in the planning.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 6 of this act are each added to chapter 90.58 RCW.