SENATE BILL REPORT

                           ESHB 2741

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, FEBRUARY 25, 1994

Brief Description:  Coordinating watershed‑based natural resource planning.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Representatives Linville, Pruitt, King, Rust, Valle, R. Johnson, Roland, Rayburn, R. Meyers, J. Kohl, Kremen, L. Johnson and Karahalios)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Owen, Chairman; Hargrove, Vice Chairman; Erwin, Haugen, Oke, Sellar, Snyder and Spanel.

Staff:  Vic Moon (786‑7469)

Hearing Dates: February 23, 1994; February 25, 1994

BACKGROUND:

A number of federal, state, and local government agencies, tribes, individuals, and organizations are exploring natural resource management issues using watersheds as the unit of management.  A survey of significant watershed-based activity compiled this fall by the Governor's office indicates that there are several hundred such watershed-based efforts going on in the state.

SUMMARY:

State agencies involved in watershed-based natural resource planning efforts are required to coordinate their planning and implementation processes.  The various state agencies are to meet as a group and include at these meetings representatives from federal agencies, local governments, tribes, private landowners, environmental groups, and other interested parties.  The Commissioner of Public Lands will coordinate the group's discussions, and the Department of Natural Resources will provide staff support for the group.

By December 1994, the Department of Natural Resources will prepare an interim report for the Legislature based on the group's discussions and findings.  The report is to include, at a minimum, the identification of barriers to coordination and cooperation; recommendations on the collection, storage, and maintenance of information; identification of overlap in existing and proposed projects; and examination of the possible establishment of a central depository for information.

The Governor is directed to establish a process which yields:  (1) the identification of strategies for developing cooperative watershed-based planning efforts, (2) identification of approaches for coordinating and financing the implementation of watershed-based plans, and (3) recommendations for on-going, program-level coordination of watershed-based natural resource planning and management activities.  The Governor is to submit recommendations to the Legislature by December, 1995.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED COMMITTEE AMENDMENT:

Affected public water users are included in the advisory group.  The authority given to the Governor is given to the Commissioner of Public Lands.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

There are too many different planning efforts on watershed management.  Coordination is needed.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

Public municipal water users should be included.

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Judy Turpin, WEC; Tim Boyd, WFPA; Paul Parker, WA State Assn. of Counties; Dawn Vyvyan, Skagit System Coop, Yakima Indian Nation; Joe LaTourrette, Rivers Council of WA, WA Wildlife Federation; Kaleen Cottingham, DNR; John Kirmer, Tacoma Water; Kent Lebsack, WA Cattlemen's Assn.