HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2137

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                    Agriculture & Ecology

Title:  An act relating to department of ecology biennial progress reports.

Brief Description:  Requiring biennial progress reports from the department of ecology.

Sponsors:  Representatives Chandler, Chappell, Horn, Rust, Regala, Thompson and Murray; by request of Department of Ecology.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Agriculture & Ecology:  1/17/96, 1/29/96 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & ECOLOGY

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 14 members:  Representatives Chandler, Chairman; Koster, Vice Chairman; Chappell, Ranking Minority Member; Linville, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boldt; Clements; Delvin; Honeyford; Johnson; Murray; Ogden; Robertson; Rust and Schoesler.

Staff:  Rick Anderson (786-7114).

Background:  Current law requires the Department of Ecology to submit a number of reports to the Legislature regularly.  These reports include information on how the department spends (a) Referendum 39 funds (bond money for wastewater and solid waste facilities); (b) Clean Water Account funds (cigarette tax dollars for publicly owned sewage treatment plants and a variety of water quality projects); (c) wastewater discharge permit fees (fees assessed to dischargers pay for the administrative costs of regulating the dischargers); and (d) water pollution control revolving funds (federal funds requiring a 20 percent state match for local water quality projects).

Summary of Bill:  The reporting frequency for the reports addressing Referendum 39 funds, wastewater discharge permit fees, and the water pollution control revolving funds are changed from a one-year to a two-year cycle.

The department's report on the Water Quality Account is to be issued on December 31 of each odd-numbered year. 

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The bill will streamline the department's reporting requirements.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Dick Wallace, Department of Ecology (in favor).