BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to facilitating the review and approval of fish habitat enhancement projects; amending RCW 90.58.147, 35.63.230, 35A.63.250, 36.70.992, 36.70A.460, 43.21C.0382, and 89.08.470; adding a new section to chapter 75.20 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 19.27 RCW; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that fish habitat enhancement projects play a key role in the state's salmon and steelhead recovery efforts. The legislature further finds that, despite repeated attempts to minimize the expense and delays of various permitting processes, more improvements are necessary in order to allow fish habitat enhancement projects to be put into place quickly and easily. The purpose of this act is to take immediate action to facilitate the review and approval of fish habitat enhancement projects today and to encourage efforts that will continue to improve the process in the future.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The department of ecology permit assistant center shall immediately modify the joint aquatic resource permit application form to incorporate the permit process established in section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 75.20 RCW to read as follows:

(1) In order to receive the permit review and approval process created in this section, a fish habitat enhancement project must meet the criteria under (a) and (b) of this subsection:

(a) A fish habitat enhancement project must be a project to accomplish one or more of the following tasks:

(i) Elimination of human-made fish passage barriers, including culvert repair and replacement;

(ii) Restoration of an eroded or unstable stream bank employing the principle of bioengineering, including limited use of rock as a stabilization only at the toe of the bank, and with primary emphasis on using native vegetation to control the erosive forces of flowing water; or

(iii) Placement of woody debris or other instream structures that benefit naturally reproducing fish stocks.

The department may develop size or scale threshold tests to determine if projects accomplishing any of these tasks should be evaluated under the process created in this section or under other project review and approval processes. A project proposal shall not be reviewed under the process created in this section if the department determines that the scale of the project raises concerns regarding public health and safety; and

(b) A fish habitat enhancement project must be approved in one of the following ways:

(i) By the department pursuant to chapter 75.50 or 75.52 RCW;

(ii) By the sponsor of a watershed restoration plan as provided in chapter 89.08 RCW;

(iii) By the department as a department-sponsored fish habitat enhancement or restoration project;

(iv) Through the review and approval process for the jobs for the environment program;

(v) Through the review and approval process for conservation district-sponsored projects;

(vi) Through a formal grant program established by the legislature or the department for fish habitat enhancement or restoration; and

(vii) Through other formal review and approval processes established by the legislature.

(2) Fish habitat enhancement projects meeting the criteria of subsection (1) of this section are expected to result in beneficial impacts to the environment. Decisions pertaining to fish habitat enhancement projects meeting the criteria of subsection (1) of this section and being reviewed and approved according to the provisions of this section are not subject to the requirements of RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c).

(3) Hydraulic project approval is required for projects that meet the criteria of subsection (1) of this section and are being reviewed and approved under this section. An applicant shall use a joint aquatic resource permit application form developed by the department of ecology permit assistance center to apply for approval under this chapter. On the same day, the applicant shall provide copies of the completed application form to the department and to each appropriate local government. Local governments shall accept the application as notice of the proposed project. The department shall provide a fifteen-day comment period during which it will receive comments regarding environmental impacts. In no more than forty-five days, the department shall either issue hydraulic project approval, with or without conditions, deny approval, or make a determination that the review and approval process created by this section is not appropriate for the proposed project. The department shall base this determination on identification during the comment period of adverse impacts that cannot be mitigated by hydraulic project approval. If the department determines that the review and approval process created by this section is not appropriate for the proposed project, the department shall notify the applicant and the appropriate local governments of its determination. The applicant may reapply for approval of the project under other review and approval processes.

Any person aggrieved by the approval, denial, conditioning, or modification of hydraulic project approval under this section may formally appeal the decision to the hydraulic appeals board pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(4) No local government may require permits or charge fees for fish habitat enhancement projects that meet the criteria of subsection (1) of this section and that are reviewed and approved according to the provisions of this section.

Sec. 4. RCW 90.58.147 and 1995 c 333 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A public or private project that is designed to improve fish or wildlife habitat or fish passage shall be exempt from the substantial development permit requirements of this chapter when all of the following apply:

((~~(1)~~)) (a) The project has been approved by the department of fish and wildlife;

((~~(2)~~)) (b) The project has received hydraulic project approval by the department of fish and wildlife pursuant to chapter 75.20 RCW; and

((~~(3)~~)) (c) The local government has determined that the project is substantially consistent with the local shoreline master program. The local government shall make such determination in a timely manner and provide it by letter to the project proponent.

(2) Fish habitat enhancement projects that conform to the provisions of section 3 of this act are determined to be consistent with local shoreline master programs.

Sec. 5. RCW 35.63.230 and 1995 c 378 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

A permit required under this chapter for a watershed restoration project as defined in RCW 89.08.460 shall be processed in compliance with RCW 89.08.450 through 89.08.510. A fish habitat enhancement project meeting the criteria of section 3(1) of this act shall be reviewed and approved according to the provisions of section 3 of this act.

Sec. 6. RCW 35A.63.250 and 1995 c 378 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

Sec. 7. RCW 36.70.992 and 1995 c 378 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:

Sec. 8. RCW 36.70A.460 and 1995 c 378 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:

Sec. 9. RCW 43.21C.0382 and 1995 c 378 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

Decisions pertaining to watershed restoration projects as defined in RCW 89.08.460 are not subject to the requirements of RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c). Decisions pertaining to fish habitat enhancement projects meeting the criteria of section 3(1) of this act and being reviewed and approved according to the provisions of section 3 of this act are not subject to the requirements of RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c).

Sec. 10. RCW 89.08.470 and 1995 c 378 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) By January 1, 1996, the Washington conservation commission shall develop, in consultation with other state agencies, tribes, and local governments, a consolidated application process for permits for a watershed restoration project developed by an agency or sponsored by an agency on behalf of a volunteer organization. The consolidated process shall include a single permit application form for use by all responsible state and local agencies. The commission shall encourage use of the consolidated permit application process by any federal agency responsible for issuance of related permits. The permit application forms to be consolidated shall include, at a minimum, applications for: ((~~(1)~~)) (a) Approvals related to water quality standards under chapter 90.48 RCW; ((~~(2)~~)) (b) hydraulic project approvals under chapter 75.20 RCW; and ((~~(3)~~)) (c) section 401 water quality certifications under 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1341 and chapter 90.48 RCW.

(2) If a watershed restoration project is also a fish habitat enhancement project that meets the criteria of section 3(1) of this act, the project sponsor shall instead follow the permit review and approval process established in section 3 of this act with regard to state and local government permitting requirements. The sponsor shall so notify state and local permitting authorities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. A new section is added to chapter 19.27 RCW to read as follows:

A fish habitat enhancement project meeting the criteria of section 3(1) of this act is not subject to grading permits, inspections, or fees and shall be reviewed according to the provisions of section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. The legislature finds that, while the process created in this act can improve the speed with which fish habitat enhancement projects are put into place, additional efforts can improve the review and approval process for the future. The legislature directs the department of fish and wildlife, the conservation commission, local governments, fish habitat enhancement project applicants, and other interested parties to work together to continue to improve the permitting review and approval process. Specific efforts shall include the following:

(1) Development of common acceptable design standards, best management practices, and standardized hydraulic project approval conditions for each type of fish habitat enhancement project;

(2) An evaluation of the potential for using technical evaluation teams in evaluating specific project proposals or stream reaches;

(3) An evaluation of techniques appropriate for restoration and enhancement of pasture and crop land adjacent to riparian areas;

(4) A review of local government shoreline master plans to identify and correct instances where the local plan does not acknowledge potentially beneficial instream work;

(5) An evaluation of the potential for local governments to incorporate fish habitat enhancement projects into their comprehensive planning process; and

(6) Continued work with the federal government agencies on federal permitting for fish habitat enhancement projects.

The department of fish and wildlife shall coordinate this joint effort and shall report back to the legislature on the group's progress by December 1, 1998.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. 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 immediately.