HB 2879-S - DIGEST

(SUBSTITUTED FOR - SEE 2ND SUB)

     Declares that the purpose of this act is to take immediate action to facilitate the review and approval of fish enhancement projects today and to encourage efforts that will continue to improve the process in the future.

     Directs the department of ecology permit assistant center to immediately modify the joint aquatic resource permit application form to incorporate the permit process established in this act.

     Directs the department of fish and wildlife, the conservation commission, local governments, fish 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 and best management practices for each type of fish enhancement project;

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

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

     (4) an evaluation of the potential for local governments to incorporate fish enhancement projects into their comprehensive planning process;

     (5) continued work with the federal government agencies on federal permitting for fish enhancement projects; and

     (6) an evaluation of the potential for using technical evaluation teams in evaluating specific project proposals or stream reaches.

     Requires a report back to the legislature on the group's progress by December 1, 1998.