AN
ACT Relating to the regional fisheries enhancement program; amending RCW
75.50.080 and 75.50.160; adding new sections to chapter 75.50 RCW; and creating
new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. (1)
The legislature finds that:
(a)
Currently, many of the salmon stocks on the Washington coast and in Puget Sound
are severely depressed and may soon be listed under the federal endangered
species act.
(b)
Immediate action is needed to reverse the severe decline of this resource and
ensure its very survival.
(c)
The cooperation and participation of private landowners is crucial in efforts
to restore and enhance salmon populations.
(d)
Regional fisheries enhancement groups have been exceptionally successful in
their efforts to work with private landowners to restore and enhance salmon
habitat on private lands.
(e)
State funding for regional fisheries enhancement groups has been declining and
is a significant limitation to current fisheries enhancement and habitat
restoration efforts.
(f)
Therefore, a stable funding source is essential to the success of the regional
enhancement groups and their efforts to work cooperatively with private
landowners to restore salmon resources.
(2)
The legislature further finds that:
(a)
The increasing population and continued development throughout the state, and
the transportation system needed to serve this growth, have exacerbated
problems associated with culverts, creating barriers to fish passage.
(b)
These barriers obstruct habitat and have resulted in reduced production and
survival of anadromous and resident fish at a time when salmonid stocks
continue to decline.
(c)
Current state laws do not appropriately direct resources for the correction of
fish passage obstructions related to transportation facilities.
(d)
Current fish passage management efforts related to transportation projects lack
necessary coordination on a watershed, regional, and state-wide basis, have
inadequate funding, and fail to maximize use of available resources.
(e)
Therefore, the legislature finds that the department of transportation and the
department of fish and wildlife should work with state, tribal, local
government, and volunteer entities to develop a coordinated, watershed-based
fish passage barrier removal program.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. A
new section is added to chapter 75.50 RCW to read as follows:
The
department may provide start-up funds to regional fisheries enhancement groups
for costs associated with any enhancement project. The regional fisheries enhancement
group advisory board and the department shall develop guidelines for providing
funds to the regional fisheries enhancement groups.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3. A
new section is added to chapter 75.50 RCW to read as follows:
The
regional fisheries enhancement salmonid recovery account is created in the
state treasury. All receipts from federal sources and moneys from state
sources specified by law must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the
account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account
may be used for the sole purpose of fisheries enhancement and habitat
restoration by regional fisheries enhancement groups.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 4. The
regional fisheries enhancement group advisory board shall conduct a study of
federal, state, and local permitting requirements for fisheries enhancement and
habitat restoration projects. The study shall identify redundant, conflicting,
or duplicative permitting requirements and rules, and shall make
recommendations for streamlining and improving the permitting process. The
results of the study shall be reported to the senate natural resources and
parks committee and the house of representatives natural resources committee by
November 1, 1997.
Sec.
5. RCW
75.50.080 and 1993 sp.s. c 2 s 47 are each amended to read as follows:
Regional
fisheries enhancement groups, consistent with the long-term regional policy
statements developed under RCW 75.50.020, shall seek to:
(1)
Enhance the salmon and steelhead resources of the state;
(2)
Maximize volunteer efforts and private donations to improve the salmon and
steelhead resources for all citizens;
(3)
Assist the department in achieving the goal to double the state-wide salmon and
steelhead catch by the year 2000 ((under chapter 214, Laws of 1988));
and
(4)
Develop projects designed to supplement the fishery enhancement capability of
the department.
Sec.
6. RCW
75.50.160 and 1995 c 367 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
The
((department's habitat division shall work with)) department and the
department of transportation shall convene a fish passage barrier removal task
force. The task force shall consist of one representative each from the
department, the department of transportation, the department of ecology,
tribes, cities, counties, ((and)) a business organization, an
environmental organization, regional fisheries enhancement groups, and
other interested entities as deemed appropriate by the cochairs. The persons
representing the department and the department of transportation shall serve as
cochairs of the task force and shall appoint members to the task force. The
task force shall make recommendations to ((develop a)) expand the
program in RCW 75.50.170 to identify and expedite the removal of
human-made or caused impediments to anadromous fish passage in the most
efficient manner practical. Program recommendations shall include a funding
mechanism and other necessary mechanisms to coordinate and prioritize state,
tribal, local, and volunteer efforts within each water resource inventory area.
A priority shall be given to projects that immediately increase access to
available and improved spawning and rearing habitat for depressed, threatened,
and endangered stocks. The department or the department of transportation
may contract with cities and counties to assist in the identification and
removal of impediments to anadromous fish passage.
A report on the ((progress of impediment identification and
removal and the need for)) recommendations to develop a program to
identify and remove fish passage barriers and any additional legislative
action needed to implement the program shall be submitted to the ((senate
and the house of representatives natural resources)) appropriate
standing committees of the legislature no later than ((January 1,
1996)) December 1, 1997.
