HB 2844-S - DIGEST
(SUBSTITUTED FOR - SEE 2ND SUB)

Supports city efforts to conserve, protect, improve, and expand Washington's urban forest in order to reduce storm water pollution in Puget Sound, flooding, energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions, air pollution, and storm impacts to utility infrastructure.

Requires a prioritized statewide inventory and assessment of community and urban forests.

Requires the department, with the advice of the evergreen cities partnership task force created in this act, to develop the criteria for an evergreen cities recognition program whereby the state can recognize cities and counties, to be designated as evergreen cities, who are developing excellent urban forest management programs that include urban forestry inventories, assessments, plans, ordinances, maintenance programs, partnerships, and community involvement.

Requires the department to, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, coordinate with the department of natural resources and the department of ecology in the development and implementation of a needs-based evergreen cities grant and competitive awards program to provide financial assistance to cities, towns, and counties for the development, adoption, or implementation of evergreen cities management plans or ordinances developed under this act.

Requires the department to develop model evergreen city urban forest management plans and ordinances pursuant to this act with measurable goals and timelines to guide local government plan and ordinance adoption or development consistent with this act.

Allows a local jurisdiction to adopt an evergreen cities ordinance and an evergreen cities urban forest management plan, including enforcement mechanisms and civil penalties for violations of their jurisdiction's evergreen city ordinance.