SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5083

          AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, FEBRUARY 26, 1991

Brief Description:  Reconstructing salmon hatcheries.

SPONSORS:Senators L. Smith, Snyder, Oke and Rasmussen.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5083 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Oke, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Barr, Conner, Owen, Patterson, and Snyder. 

Staff:  Ross Antipa (786‑7413)

Hearing Dates:February 4, 1991; February 19, 1991

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 5083 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, Hayner, L. Kreidler, Metcalf, Newhouse, Niemi, Owen, L. Smith, Talmadge, West, and Wojahn. 

Staff:  Michael Groesch (786-7715)

Hearing Date: February 25, 1991; February 26, 1991

BACKGROUND:

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens destroyed the salmon hatcheries on the Toutle River.  Recent tests have shown that Toutle River conditions are suitable for salmon production, however, salmon rearing facilities on the Toutle River are in disrepair. 

SUMMARY:

The Department of Fisheries shall reconstruct and operate the state funded salmon hatcheries on the Toutle River.  The department shall request federal funding to reconstruct and operate the Green River salmon hatchery which is located on a tributary of the Toutle River.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Passage of adult salmon above the hatchery is assured in order to facilitate natural spawning.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested January 30, 1991

TESTIMONY FOR (Environment & Natural Resources):

The hatchery should be reconstructed because it was very productive prior to the eruption of Mount St. Helens.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Environment & Natural Resources):   None

TESTIFIED (Environment & Natural Resources):  Senator L. Smith, prime sponsor; Ed Manary, Department of Fisheries

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SECOND SUBSTITUTE:

The department shall reconstruct and operate the previously state-funded hatcheries only to the extent that funds are available specifically for that purpose.  In no case shall the department's current operation of those facilities be reduced below the level of operation in effect on January 1, 1991.

If full funding for the reconstruction and operation of these hatcheries is not provided by the federal government the department shall prepare a report for the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on the efforts to secure federal funding and on the priorities used by the department to prioritize salmon hatchery funding.

TESTIMONY FOR (Ways & Means):

The potential for salmon production has increased in the Toutle watershed and the department should be putting resources in areas which provide the highest potential for return.

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Ways & Means):  None

TESTIFIED (Ways & Means):  Senator L. Smith, prime sponsor; Ed Manary, Department of Fisheries