H-3646.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2337

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representatives Romero, Wolfe, Gardner, Linville, L. Thomas, Costa, Anderson, D. Sommers, Constantine and Lantz

Prefiled 1/7/98.  Read first time 01/12/98.  Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Ecology.

Protecting groundwater aquifers near department of transportation rights of way.

    AN ACT Relating to protection of groundwater aquifers near department of transportation rights of way; and adding a new section to chapter 47.28 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 47.28 RCW to read as follows:

    In order to protect groundwater aquifers that are the sole source of drinking water for a given jurisdiction and in order to prevent the contamination of watersheds that are controlled for the purpose of drinking water quality, in accordance with rules of the department of health, from harmful chemicals applied during vegetation management along transportation right of ways, the department of transportation shall serve written notification of upcoming chemical treatments of noxious weeds within state right of way to those cities and counties having Group A water systems that serve a minimum of twenty thousand residences within their respective jurisdictions.

    In order to help the department of transportation better serve the unique needs of cities and counties and in order to ensure that chemical applications do not impact significant water sources, the legislature strongly urges local jurisdictions to submit to their regional department of transportation office, the documentation required by WAC 246-290-135 as well as the local jurisdiction's policy on the use of chemicals to control noxious weeds.

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