H‑0534.1   _____________________________________________

HOUSE BILL 1016

           _____________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representative Pennington

Read first time 01/10/2001.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

_1      AN ACT Relating to lead entities in salmon recovery; adding a

_2  new section to chapter 77.85 RCW; providing an effective date; and

_3  declaring an emergency.

_4  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

_5      NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 77.85

_6  RCW to read as follows:

_7      (1) Lead entities have assumed a critical role in statewide

_8  efforts to protect and restore salmon habitat.  Lead entities are

_9  responsible for ensuring that certain core activities take place

10  within the watersheds they serve in order to be eligible for funds

11  from the salmon recovery funding board.  These core activities

12  include organizing and staffing the citizens committee and a

13  technical advisory group; soliciting, reviewing, and ranking

14  project proposals; ensuring that the projects contained on a

15  habitat project list address limiting factors to salmon recovery

16  in the watershed; preparing an application package to the salmon

17  recovery funding board; and maintaining a habitat work schedule.

18  In addition, some lead entities oversee projects in more than one

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_1  WRIA, some are developing strategic approaches to habitat

_2  restoration, some are involved in watershed planning and salmon

_3  recovery planning, and some are actively working with landowners

_4  and sponsors to develop projects that will address critical needs

_5  in the area.  In recognition of the various levels of effort by lead

_6  entities, and to help ensure that habitat project funds are used

_7  efficiently and effectively, the legislature finds that there is a

_8  need to increase funding available to lead entities, create a

_9  funding allocation method that accounts for the different levels

10  of effort among lead entities, and institute a process for

11  measuring the performance of lead entities.

12      (2) Each lead entity established pursuant to RCW 77.85.050 may

13  apply for funds from the department of fish and wildlife.   Funds

14  shall be provided from and to the extent appropriations by the

15  legislature to the department expressly for this purpose.

16      (3)(a) Each lead entity that is eligible to receive funds under

17  this section may apply for an operational grant of up to one

18  hundred thousand dollars per biennium to conduct core activities

19  identified in subsection (1) of this section.

20      (b) Each lead entity may apply for a biennial grant of up to an

21  additional one hundred thousand dollars per WRIA served for

22  providing enhanced functions.  "Enhanced functions" for purposes of

23  this section means:

24      (i) Actively working with landowners to secure their support

25  for and participation in habitat projects;

26      (ii) Developing a habitat protection and restoration strategy

27  that:  Establishes goals that address the habitat needs of fish and

28  that are tailored to meet local conditions and values; defines

29  priorities and areas for action; and identifies and sequences

30  actions to ensure that projects provide the maximum benefit for

31  fish;

32      (iii) Assisting sponsors in identifying high priority needs and

33  developing sound proposals to address them;

34      (iv) Coordinating public outreach activities to both inform and

35  invite the public to participate in salmon recovery activities; or

36      (v) Tracking project implementation and monitoring the

37  effectiveness of the projects.

38      (c) The department shall develop performance measures to ensure

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_1  that core activities are met, and to help ensure that any funding

_2  for enhanced functions is being directed to high priority habitat

_3  needs.  These performance measures shall be included in all grant

_4  contracts with lead entities.  Funding provided under this section

_5  shall be considered a contractual obligation against the moneys

_6  appropriated for this purpose.

_7      (d) If sufficient funds are not available to fund all lead

_8  entity grant requests, the department shall prioritize funds based

_9  upon the number of fish species listed as endangered or threatened

10  under the federal endangered species act, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et

11  seq., contained in the area served by the lead entity.

12      NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  This act is necessary for the immediate

13  preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of

14  the state government and its existing public institutions, and

15  takes effect July 1, 2001.

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