H-3462.2          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2375

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State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

By Representatives Chandler, Koster, Mastin, Honeyford, McMorris and Mulliken

Read first time 01/10/96.  Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Ecology.

Prohibiting a moratorium on new appropriations of Columbia or Snake river waters based on certain contingencies.

     AN ACT Relating to water resources; adding a new section to chapter 90.03 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.21A RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 43.27A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 90.03 RCW to read as follows:

     Nothing in this title authorizes the department of ecology to withdraw Columbia or Snake river waters from further appropriation based upon uncertainty as to whether sufficient waters would be available, following new appropriations, to satisfy the needs of any unquantified or speculative future instream uses of the waters of these rivers.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.21A RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The department of ecology shall not withdraw Columbia or Snake river waters from further appropriation based upon uncertainty as to whether sufficient waters would be available, following new appropriations, to satisfy the needs of any unquantified or speculative future instream uses of the waters of these rivers.

     (2) WAC 173-563-015 and 173-564-040 as they existed prior to the effective date of this section are in conflict with subsection (1) of this section and are void.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 43.27A RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The department of ecology shall not withdraw Columbia or Snake river waters from further appropriation based upon uncertainty as to whether sufficient waters would be available, following new appropriations, to satisfy the needs of any unquantified or speculative future instream uses of the waters of these rivers.

     (2) WAC 173-563-015 and 173-564-040 as they existed prior to the effective date of this section are in conflict with subsection (1) of this section and are void.

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