H-2503.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1854

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology (originally sponsored by Representatives Chandler, Linville, Koster, Doumit, Grant, Lantz, Kessler, Hatfield, Schoesler, Honeyford and Sullivan)

Read first time 03/05/97.

Funding conservation districts to address nonpoint source pollution water quality problems. 

    AN ACT Relating to funding for conservation districts to address nonpoint source pollution water quality problems; reenacting and amending RCW 70.146.060; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 70.146.060 and 1987 c 527 s 1 and 1987 c 436 s 7 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) During the period from July 1, ((1987)) 1997, until June 30, ((1995)) 2007, the following limitation((s shall apply)) applies to the department's total distribution of funds appropriated from the water quality account:

    (((1) Not more than fifty percent for water pollution control facilities which discharge directly into marine waters;

    (2) Not more than twenty percent for water pollution control activities that prevent or mitigate pollution of underground waters and facilities that protect federally designated sole source aquifers with at least two-thirds for the Spokane-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer;

    (3) Not more than ten percent for water pollution control activities that protect freshwater lakes and rivers including but not limited to Lake Chelan and the Yakima and Columbia rivers;

    (4) Not more than ten percent for activities which control nonpoint source water pollution;

    (5) Ten percent and such sums as may be remaining from the categories specified in subsections (1) through (4) of this section for water pollution control activities or facilities as determined by the department; and

    (6) Two and one-half percent of the total amounts of moneys under subsections (1) through (5) of this section from February 21, 1986, until December 31, 1995, shall be appropriated biennially)) Five million dollars per biennium shall be distributed to the state conservation commission for distribution to conservation districts for the purposes of ((this chapter.  Not less than ten percent of the moneys received by the state conservation commission under the provisions of this section shall be expended on research activities)) addressing nonpoint source pollution water quality problems.  Bonds may not be issued for the purposes of this subsection.

(2) The distribution under this section shall not be required to be met in any single fiscal year.

(3) Funds provided for facilities and activities under this chapter may be used for payments to a service provider under a service agreement pursuant to RCW 70.150.060.  If funds are to be used for such payments, the department may make periodic disbursements to a public body or may make a single lump sum disbursement.  Disbursements of funds with respect to a facility owned or operated by a service provider shall be equivalent in value to disbursements that would otherwise be made if that facility were owned or operated by a public body.  Payments under this chapter for waste disposal and management facilities made to public bodies entering into service agreements pursuant to RCW 70.150.060 shall not exceed amounts paid to public bodies not entering into service agreements.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 1997.

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