S-3479.2 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6081
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 1st Special Session
By Senators Swecker and Oke
Read first time 05/22/95. Referred to Committee on Senate Select Committee on Water Policy.
AN ACT Relating to watershed planning; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) It is the intent of the legislature to examine the effectiveness of water resource planning done locally, at the watershed level. To accomplish this, such planning shall be conducted under this chapter on a pilot basis for the following WRIAs: (a) The Duwamish-Green, WRIA number nine; (b) the upper Chehalis, WRIA number twenty-three; (c) the Entiat, WRIA number forty-six; (d) the middle Snake, WRIA number thirty-five; and (e) the lower Yakima, Naches, and upper Yakima, WRIAs number thirty-seven, thirty-eight, and thirty-nine.
(2) A majority vote of all county legislative authorities is required to initiate planning for a pilot project outlined in subsection (1) of this section. County approval shall include a detailed description of the scope of the planning effort, the composition of the planning group, and a proposed budget. In creating the planning group, the county legislative authorities shall attempt to include as many groups or individuals interested in the planning effort as possible. Interest groups to be considered for participation should include, but not be limited to, individuals from within the planning area that represent: County government; city government; public utility districts; well drillers; home builders and developers; fishery interests; tribal governments; irrigated agriculture; nonirrigated agriculture; environmentalists; and industrial water users.
(3) Upon completion of a draft plan, the planning group shall present its findings and recommendations to each of the county legislative authorities. Within ninety days of the presentation of the draft plan to the county legislative authorities, each county shall hold at least two public meetings to receive comment on the plan. Within sixty days of the final hearing on the draft plan, each county legislative body shall approve or reject the plan. If all county legislative bodies approve the plan, it shall be deemed adopted.
(4) Once adopted, the county legislative authorities in a pilot planning area outlined in subsection (1) of this section may submit the plan to the legislature for funding of plan implementation costs.
(5) This section expires June 30, 1997.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the department of ecology to fund the five watershed planning projects listed in section 1 (1) through (3) of this act. Not more than five hundred thousand dollars may be allocated for any one pilot project.
--- END ---