HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHB 326

BYRepresentatives Grant, Nealey, Kremen, Bristow, McLean, Rayburn, Braddock, Rasmussen, Madsen, Prince, Holm and Miller

Requiring two and one-half percent of the department of ecology's appropriation from the water quality account to be transferred to the state conservation commission.

House Committe on Agriculture & Rural Development

Majority Report:     Do pass.  (12)

     Signed by Representatives Rayburn, Chair; Kremen, Vice Chair; Bristow, Brooks, Doty, Grant, Holm, Jacobsen, McLean, Moyer, Nealey and Rasmussen.

House Staff:Kenneth Hirst (786-7105)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 11, 1987

BACKGROUND:

In 1986, the legislature established the Water Quality Account in the state treasury to receive revenues from certain taxes on cigarettes, tobacco products, and components or ingredients of water pollution control facilities or activities.  Monies deposited in the account are subject to appropriation and are administered by the Department of Ecology.  State law establishes limitations on the department's total distribution of funds appropriated from the account during the period from July 1, 1987 to June 30, 1995.  One of those limitations is that not more than two and one half percent of amounts distributed for certain point and nonpoint water pollution control activities may be transferred by the department to the State Conservation Commission for water related activities.

SUMMARY:

State law establishing limitations on the distribution of monies from the Water Quality Account during the period from July 1, 1987, to June 30, 1995, is altered.  The maximum amount which current law authorizes the Department of Ecology to transfer to the Conservation Commission becomes the amount that shall be appropriated to the commission.  Not less than 10 percent of these monies appropriated to the commission shall be expended for research activities.

Fiscal Note:    Attached.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Ron Juris, Washington Association of Conservation Districts; Jim Williams, Washington State Association of Counties; Stu Trefry, Washington State Grange.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     (1) The program for helping to clean up Puget Sound will rely on the conservation districts to do the work on nonpoint pollution but does not supply funding; the bill will provide long term funding.  (2) The conservation district programs will assist groundwater management planning as well as pollution control efforts.  (3) The bill would establish in statute the Department of Ecology's current policy.

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.