AN ACT Relating to irrigation; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:

(a) The wise management and utilization of the state's water resources is in the best interests of the citizens of the state of Washington;

(b) Long-term planning of water uses and water supply projects is necessary to assure our state's water resources will be managed and utilized with the vision to maximize long-term benefits to assure that long-term opportunities are not permanently lost based on short-term conditions;

(c) Future allocations of water shall be considered in conjunction with an analysis of competing demands for water resources;

(d) It is the policy of the state to join with federal agencies and others in developing economically feasible, environmentally sound, and water conservation oriented facilities; and

(e) The state is participating in studies now being conducted by the federal government through the bureau of reclamation in the Yakima river and Columbia river basins for the purpose of determining plans for the proper development and utilization of the state's water resources under sound financing arrangements.

(2) It is the intent of the legislature that additional information be developed on future agricultural needs for water.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The director of the department of agriculture shall organize a committee including but not limited to irrigation and dry land farmers, irrigation district representatives, agricultural economists, electric utility representatives, fisheries group representatives, and electric ratepayer representatives to conduct a study on water supply availability in the Columbia Basin area. The study shall include the following:

(a) An examination of the potential for expansion of irrigated land in the state;

(b) An evaluation of the alternatives that are available to renew water rights reserved to maintain future options to expand the production of food;

(c) A review of areas in the state in which available water and irrigable land both exist that have a reasonable potential for food production to meet growing demand for food in coming decades;

(d) An analysis of the impact of additional irrigation on the competitive position and profitability of existing agriculture;

(e) A review of the impact of additional irrigation on electricity costs in the Pacific northwest and alternatives for mitigating electrical cost impact;

(f) An analysis of options that facilitate water supply availability for irrigation through conservation and other methods;

(g) A supply and demand analysis of major crops produced in the state including an investigation of alternative crops for those that are in surplus;

(h) A review of available analyses of jobs and economic activity derived from future expansion of other major energy consuming industries and major water uses and their related dependent industries as compared to the jobs and economic activity of future expansion of irrigated agriculture and its related dependent industries. Consistent economic assumptions and methodology shall be used in developing this comparative analysis; and

(i) A review of the bureau of reclamation draft environmental impact statement and other relevant federal reports. The committee organized by the director of agriculture under this section shall not create new data which duplicates the data being developed by the environmental impact statement process.

(2) The director of the department of agriculture shall submit a preliminary report by January 1, 1987, and a final report by January 1, 1988, to the governor and the legislature.

(3) Persons appointed to the committee shall be entitled to reimbursement by the department of agriculture under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 for travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The director of the department of ecology shall:

(1) Continue to participate with the federal government in its studies of the Yakima enhancement project and of options for future development of the second half of the Columbia Basin project;

(2) Vigorously represent the state's interest in said studies, particularly as they relate to protection of existing water rights and resolution of conflicts in the adjudication of the Yakima river within the framework of state water rights law and propose means of resolving the conflict that minimize adverse effects on the various existing uses;

(3) As a cooperative federal and nonfederal effort, work with members of the congressional delegation to identify and advance for federal authorization elements of the Yakima enhancement project which: Have general public support and acceptable cost-sharing arrangements, meet study objectives, and otherwise have potential for early implementation; and

(4) In developing acceptable cost-sharing arrangements, request federal recognition of state credit for expenditures of moneys from Washington state utility ratepayers.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The department of ecology is authorized to transfer funds currently available from Referendum 38, up to one hundred fifty thousand dollars, to the department of agriculture, together with necessary full-time equivalent staff years, for direct, indirect, and contractual purposes to conduct studies required under section 2 of this act.

(2) The department of ecology is authorized to expend up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars of currently available Referendum 38 funds, together with necessary full- time equivalent staff years, for direct, indirect, and contractual purposes to accomplish the activities required under section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.