S-3283.1

1236-S.E AMS WM S3283.1

ESHB 1236 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Ways & Means

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that a water right confers significant economic benefits to the water right holder. The fees associated with acquiring a water right have not changed significantly since 1917. Water rights applicants pay less than two percent of the costs of the administration of the water rights program. The legislature finds that, since water rights are of significant value, water rights applicants should contribute more to the cost of administration of the water rights program.

The legislature also finds that an abrupt increase in water rights fees could be disruptive to water rights holders and applicants. The legislature further finds that water rights applicants have a right to know that the water rights program is being administered efficiently and that the fees charged for various services relate directly to the cost of providing those services.

Therefore, the legislature creates a task force to review the water rights program, to make recommendations for streamlining the application process and increasing the overall efficiency and accountability of the administration of the program, and to return to the legislature with a proposal for a fee schedule where the fee levels relate clearly to the cost of services provided.

Sec. 2. RCW 90.03.470 and 1987 c 109 s 98 are each amended to read as follows:

Except as otherwise provided in subsection (15) of this section, the following fees shall be collected by the department in advance:

(1) For the examination of an application for permit to appropriate water or on application to change point of diversion, withdrawal, purpose or place of use, a minimum of ten dollars, to be paid with the application. For each second foot between one and five hundred second feet, two dollars per second foot; for each second foot between five hundred and two thousand second feet, fifty cents per second foot; and for each second foot in excess thereof, twenty cents per second foot. For each acre foot of storage up to and including one hundred thousand acre feet, one cent per acre foot, and for each acre foot in excess thereof, one-fifth cent per acre foot. The ten dollar fee payable with the application shall be a credit to that amount whenever the fee for direct diversion or storage totals more than ten dollars under the above schedule and in such case the further fee due shall be the total computed amount less ten dollars.

Within five days from receipt of an application the department shall notify the applicant by registered mail of any additional fees due under the above schedule and any additional fees shall be paid to and received by the department within thirty days from the date of filing the application, or the application shall be rejected.

(2) For filing and recording a permit to appropriate water for irrigation purposes, forty cents per acre for each acre to be irrigated up to and including one hundred acres, and twenty cents per acre for each acre in excess of one hundred acres up to and including one thousand acres, and ten cents for each acre in excess of one thousand acres; and also twenty cents for each theoretical horsepower up to and including one thousand horsepower, and four cents for each theoretical horsepower in excess of one thousand horsepower, but in no instance shall the minimum fee for filing and recording a permit to appropriate water be less than five dollars. For all other beneficial purposes the fee shall be twice the amount of the examination fee except that for individual household and domestic use, which may include water for irrigation of a family garden, the fee shall be five dollars.

(3) For filing and recording any other water right instrument, four dollars for the first hundred words and forty cents for each additional hundred words or fraction thereof.

(4) For making a copy of any document recorded or filed in his office, forty cents for each hundred words or fraction thereof, but when the amount exceeds twenty dollars, only the actual cost in excess of that amount shall be charged.

(5) For certifying to copies, documents, records or maps, two dollars for each certification.

(6) For blueprint copies of a map or drawing, or, for such other work of a similar nature as may be required of the department, at actual cost of the work.

(7) For granting each extension of time for beginning construction work under a permit to appropriate water, an amount equal to one-half of the filing and recording fee, except that the minimum fee shall be not less than five dollars for each year that an extension is granted, and for granting an extension of time for completion of construction work or for completing application of water to a beneficial use, five dollars for each year that an extension is granted.

(8) For the inspection of any hydraulic works to insure safety to life and property, the actual cost of the inspection, including the expense incident thereto.

(9) For the examination of plans and specifications as to safety of controlling works for storage of ten acre feet or more of water, a minimum fee of ten dollars, or the actual cost.

(10) For recording an assignment either of a permit to appropriate water or of an application for such a permit, a fee of five dollars.

(11) For preparing and issuing all water right certificates, five dollars.

(12) For filing and recording a protest against granting any application, two dollars.

(13) The department shall provide timely notification by certified mail with return receipt requested to applicants that fees are due. No action may be taken until the fee is paid in full. Failure to remit fees within sixty days of the department's notification shall be grounds for rejecting the application or canceling the permit. Cash shall not be accepted. Fees must be paid by check or money order and are nonrefundable.

(14) For purposes of calculating fees for ground water filings, one cubic foot per second shall be regarded as equivalent to four hundred fifty gallons per minute.

(15) For the period beginning July 1, 1993, and ending June 30, 1994, there is imposed and the department shall collect a fifty dollar surcharge on all water rights applications or changes filed under this section, and upon all water rights applications or changes pending as of July 1, 1993. This charge shall be in addition to any other fees imposed under this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) There is created a water rights fees task force. The task force shall be comprised of fourteen members, who are appointed as follows:

(a) Two members of the Washington state house of representatives, one from each major caucus, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(b) Two members of the Washington state senate, one from each major caucus, to be appointed by the president of the senate;

(c) Ten members, to be appointed jointly by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate, to represent the following interests: Agriculture, aquaculture, business, cities, counties, the state department of ecology, environmentalists, water recreation interests, water utilities, and hydropower interests. The task force may establish technical advisory committees as necessary to complete its tasks.

(2) The task force shall conduct a comprehensive review of water rights fees. The task force's tasks shall include but not be limited to:

(a) Identification of the costs associated with the various activities and services provided by the water rights program and examination of how these costs compare with the fees charged for these activities and services;

(b) Identification of appropriate accountability measures for the department of ecology to employ in administration of the water rights program. Recommendations of accountability requirements and measurements shall take into account the distinctive characteristics of the water rights program, that is, that the department receives a large number of applications on a one-time basis and that the department of ecology must meet its legal obligations under the doctrine of prior appropriation;

(c) Identification of which program activities should be eligible for cost recovery from fees, as well as which direct and indirect costs of program administration;

(d) Review of the application, examination, and water rights permit requirements for marine water users to determine if these users should receive special fee consideration;

(e) Review of the definition and treatment of nonconsumptive water uses to determine if special fee consideration should be given to these users;

(f) Review of the fees and accounting methods for the dam safety program;

(g) Identification of the appropriate distribution of responsibility between the applicant and the department of ecology for provision of technical information and analysis; and

(h) Establishment of a reasonable time framework for completion of new and pending water rights applications, and an analysis of the staff and funding levels required to meet the established time framework.

(3) Before December 1, 1993, the task force shall:

(a) Provide recommendations to the department of ecology on ways to improve the efficiency and accountability of the water rights program;

(b) Provide recommendations to the legislature on statutory changes necessary to make these efficiency and accountability improvements; and

(c) Propose a new fee schedule for the water rights program which incorporates the results of the task force's work and which funds through fees fifty percent of the cost of the activities and services provided by the program.

(4) The department of ecology and the legislature shall jointly provide for the staff support of the task force.

(5) The task force shall convene as soon as possible upon the appointment of its members. Task force members shall elect a chair and adopt rules for conducting the business of the task force. The task force shall expire on June 30, 1994.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected."

ESHB 1236 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Ways & Means

On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "approvals;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 90.03.470; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency."