SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESHB 2589

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

   Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation, February 23, 2000

Title:  An act relating to clarifying what projects are eligible for funding by the salmon recovery funding board.

Brief Description:  Clarifying what projects are eligible for funding by the salmon recovery funding board.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Buck, Regala, Stensen, Anderson, Sump, G. Chandler, Pennington, Ericksen, Clements, Eickmeyer, Doumit, Alexander, Rockefeller and Dunn).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation:  2/21/2000, 2/23/2000 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, PARKS & RECREATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; T. Sheldon, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Morton, Oke, Rossi, Snyder, Spanel and Stevens.

Staff:  Ross Antipa (786-7413)

Background:  The Salmon Recovery Funding Board was created by the Legislature during the 1999 legislative session.  The board is required to consider several factors specified in statute in evaluating, ranking and awarding funds for salmon recovery projects.  The board is also prohibited from funding projects required solely as a mitigation or a condition of a permit.  The statutes do not address whether other types of projects that may be required of a landowner under law, such as installing a fish screen next to a water diversion, are eligible for funding by the board.

Summary of Bill:  The Salmon Recovery Funding Board may award a grant or loan for a salmon recovery project on public or private land to a landowner who has an obligation under federal, state, or local law to fund a salmon recovery project, when expedited action provides a clear benefit to salmon recovery and there is harm to salmon recovery if the project is delayed.  A legal obligation does not include a project required solely as a mitigation or condition of permitting.

The board may condition a grant or loan to prohibit the transfer of property to a federal agency unless the agency agrees to comply with all terms of the grant or loan.  Property that was improved because of a grant or loan by the board may be conveyed to a federal agency, but only if the agency agrees to comply with all conditions of the grant or loan.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The Salmon Recovery Funding Board is sometimes faced with high priority funding requests on private or public land that need immediate funding in order to assist in salmon or trout restoration.  Such projects might include funding a fish ladder or stabilizing a landslide that impedes migration.  The board needs flexibility in funding these time sensitive projects.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Len Barson, The Nature Conservancy; Willy O=Neil, AGC; Tim Smith, WDFW.