FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2137

                          C 37 L 96

                     Synopsis as Enacted

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.

House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:  The Department of Ecology is required to submit a number of reports to the Legislature.  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 to 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:  The reporting frequency is changed from a one-year to a two-year cycle for the reports addressing Referendum 39 funds, wastewater discharge permit fees, and the water pollution control revolving funds.

The Department of Ecology's report on the water quality account is to be issued on December 31 of each odd-numbered year. 

Votes on Final Passage:

House     97 0

Senate    49 0

Effective:  June 6, 1996