H-3945.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2341

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representatives Thompson, Mulliken, Gardner, Romero, Anderson, Lambert and Lantz

Prefiled 1/7/98.  Read first time 01/12/98.  Referred to Committee on Government Reform & Land Use.

Requiring preparation of a model wetlands mitigation banking ordinance.

    AN ACT Relating to preparation of a model wetlands mitigation banking ordinance; and adding a new section to chapter 36.70A RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:

    As part of its technical assistance program, the department shall prepare a model wetlands mitigation banking ordinance for optional use by cities and counties.  The purpose of the model ordinance is to promote mitigation banking by encouraging consistency among counties and cities, while respecting local autonomy, and by providing counties and cities with technical expertise.  For purposes of this section, "wetlands mitigation banking" means the restoration, creation, enhancement, or, in exceptional circumstances, preservation of wetlands for the purpose of providing compensatory mitigation in advance of unavoidable authorized impacts to similar resources.

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