S-1839.1  _______________________________________________

 

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5837

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

 

By Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Shorelines (originally sponsored by Senators T. Sheldon, Swecker, Spanel, Snyder and Oke)

 

READ FIRST TIME 02/27/01.

Establishing a pilot project culturing shellfish on nonproductive oyster reserve land.


    AN ACT Relating to state oyster reserve lands; amending RCW 79.96.110, 43.84.092, and 43.84.092; adding new sections to chapter 77.60 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 90.71 RCW; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.

 

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

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 77.60 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The department shall initiate a pilot project to evaluate the feasibility and potential of intensively culturing shellfish on currently nonproductive oyster reserve land in Puget Sound.  The pilot program shall include no fewer than three long-term lease agreements with commercial shellfish growers.  Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, revenues from the lease of such lands shall be deposited in the oyster reserve land account created in section 2 of this act.

    (2) The department shall form one advisory committee each for the Willapa Bay oyster reserve lands and the Puget Sound oyster reserve lands.  The advisory committees shall make recommendations on management practices to conserve, protect, and develop oyster reserve lands.  The advisory committees may make recommendations regarding the management practices on oyster reserve lands, in particular to ensure that they are managed in a manner that will:  (a) Increase revenue through production of high-value shellfish; (b) not be detrimental to the market for shellfish grown on nonreserve lands; and (c) avoid negative impacts to existing shellfish populations.  The advisory committees may also make recommendation on the distribution of funds in section 2(2)(a) of this act.  The department shall attempt to structure each advisory committee to include equal representation between shellfish growers that participate in reserve sales and shellfish growers that do not.

    (3) The department shall submit a brief progress report on the status of the pilot programs to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature by January 7, 2003.

    (4) The department of natural resources, in consultation with the department of fish and wildlife, shall administer the leases for oyster reserves entered into under this chapter.  In administering the leases, the department of natural resources shall exercise its authority under RCW 79.96.090.  Vacation of state oyster reserves by the department of fish and wildlife shall not be a requirement for the department of natural resources to lease any oyster reserves under this section.  The department of natural resources may recover reasonable costs directly associated with the administration of the leases for oyster reserves entered into under this chapter.  All administrative fees collected by the department of natural resources pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the resource management cost account established in RCW 79.64.020.  The department of fish and wildlife may not assess charges to recover the costs of consulting with the department of natural resources under this subsection.

    (5) The Puget Sound pilot program shall not include the culture of geoduck.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 77.60 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The oyster reserve land account is created in the state treasury.  All receipts from revenues from the lease of land or sale of shellfish from oyster reserve lands must be deposited into the account.  Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.  Expenditures from the account may be used only as provided in this section.

    (2) Funds in the account shall be used for the purposes provided for in this subsection:

    (a) Up to forty percent for the management expenses incurred by the department that are directly attributable to the management of the oyster reserve lands and for the expenses associated with new research and development activities at the Pt. Whitney and Nahcotta shellfish laboratories managed by the department.  As used in this subsection, "new research and development activities" includes an emphasis on the control of aquatic nuisance species and burrowing shrimp;

    (b) Up to ten percent may be deposited into the state general fund; and

    (c) All remaining funds in the account shall be used for the shellfish - on-site sewage grant program established in section 3 of this act.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 90.71 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The action team shall establish a shellfish - on-site sewage grant program in Puget Sound and for Pacific and Grays Harbor counties.  The action team shall provide funds to local health jurisdictions to be used as grants to individuals for improving their on-site sewage systems.  The grants may be provided only in areas that have the potential to adversely affect water quality in commercial and recreational shellfish growing areas.  A recipient of a grant shall enter into an agreement with the appropriate local health jurisdiction to maintain the improved on-site sewage system according to specifications required by the local health jurisdiction.  The action team shall work closely with local health jurisdictions and shall endeavor to attain geographic equity between Willapa Bay and the Puget Sound when making funds available under this program.  For the purposes of this subsection, "geographic equity" means issuing on-site sewage grants at a level that matches the funds generated from the oyster reserve lands in that area.

    (2) In the Puget Sound, the action team shall give first priority to areas that are:

    (a) Identified as "areas of special concern" under WAC 246-272-01001; or

    (b) Included within a shellfish protection district under chapter 90.72 RCW.

    (3) In Grays Harbor and Pacific counties, the action team shall give first priority to preventing the deterioration of water quality in areas where commercial or recreational shellfish are grown.

    (4) The action team and each participating local health jurisdiction shall enter into a memorandum of understanding that will establish an applicant income eligibility requirement for individual grant applicants from within the jurisdiction and other mutually agreeable terms and conditions of the grant program.

    (5) The action team may recover the costs to administer this program not to exceed ten percent of the shellfish - on-site sewage grant program.

    (6) For the 2001-2003 biennium, the action team may use up to fifty percent of the shellfish - on-site sewage grant program funds for grants to local health jurisdictions to establish areas of special concern under WAC 246-272-01001, or for operation and maintenance programs therein, where commercial and recreational uses are present.

 

    Sec. 4.  RCW 79.96.110 and 2000 c 11 s 30 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) In ((case the director of)) the event that the fish and wildlife commission approves the vacation of the whole or any part of ((said)) a reserve, the department of natural resources may vacate and offer for lease such parts or all of ((said)) the reserve as it deems to be for the best interest of the state, and all moneys received for the lease of such lands shall be paid to the department of natural resources((:  PROVIDED, That nothing in RCW 79.96.090 through 79.96.110 shall be construed as authorizing the lease of any tidelands which have heretofore, or which may hereafter, be set aside as)).

    (2) Notwithstanding RCW 77.60.020, subsection (1) of this section, or any other provision of state law, the state oyster reserves in Eld Inlet, Hammersley Inlet, or Totten Inlet, situated in Mason or Thurston counties((:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That any portion of Plat 138, Clifton's Oyster Reserve, which has already been vacated, may be leased by the department)) shall permanently be designated as state oyster reserve lands.

 

    Sec. 5.  RCW 43.84.092 and 2000 2nd sp.s. c 4 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) All earnings of investments of surplus balances in the state treasury shall be deposited to the treasury income account, which account is hereby established in the state treasury.

    (2) The treasury income account shall be utilized to pay or receive funds associated with federal programs as required by the federal cash management improvement act of 1990.  The treasury income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for refunds or allocations of interest earnings required by the cash management improvement act.  Refunds of interest to the federal treasury required under the cash management improvement act fall under RCW 43.88.180 and shall not require appropriation.  The office of financial management shall determine the amounts due to or from the federal government pursuant to the cash management improvement act.  The office of financial management may direct transfers of funds between accounts as deemed necessary to implement the provisions of the cash management improvement act, and this subsection.  Refunds or allocations shall occur prior to the distributions of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

    (3) Except for the provisions of RCW 43.84.160, the treasury income account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking services on behalf of treasury funds including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state treasury and affected state agencies.  The treasury income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to financial institutions.  Payments shall occur prior to distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

    (4) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings credited to the treasury income account.  The state treasurer shall credit the general fund with all the earnings credited to the treasury income account except:

    (a) The following accounts and funds shall receive their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's and fund's average daily balance for the period:  The capitol building construction account, the Cedar River channel construction and operation account, the Central Washington University capital projects account, the charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions account, the common school construction fund, the county criminal justice assistance account, the county sales and use tax equalization account, the data processing building construction account, the deferred compensation administrative account, the deferred compensation principal account, the department of retirement systems expense account, the drinking water assistance account, the Eastern Washington University capital projects account, the education construction fund, the emergency reserve fund, the federal forest revolving account, the health services account, the public health services account, the health system capacity account, the personal health services account, the state higher education construction account, the higher education construction account, the highway infrastructure account, the industrial insurance premium refund account, the judges' retirement account, the judicial retirement administrative account, the judicial retirement principal account, the local leasehold excise tax account, the local real estate excise tax account, the local sales and use tax account, the medical aid account, the mobile home park relocation fund, the multimodal transportation account, the municipal criminal justice assistance account, the municipal sales and use tax equalization account, the natural resources deposit account, the oyster reserve land account, the perpetual surveillance and maintenance account, the public employees' retirement system plan 1 account, the public employees' retirement system plan 2 account, the Puyallup tribal settlement account, the resource management cost account, the site closure account, the special wildlife account, the state employees' insurance account, the state employees' insurance reserve account, the state investment board expense account, the state investment board commingled trust fund accounts, the supplemental pension account, the teachers' retirement system plan 1 account, the teachers' retirement system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the tobacco prevention and control account, the tobacco settlement account, the transportation infrastructure account, the tuition recovery trust fund, the University of Washington bond retirement fund, the University of Washington building account, the volunteer fire fighters' and reserve officers' relief and pension principal fund, the volunteer fire fighters' and reserve officers' administrative fund, the Washington judicial retirement system account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' system plan 1 retirement account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' system plan 2 retirement account, the Washington school employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and 3 account, the Washington state health insurance pool account, the Washington state patrol retirement account, the Washington State University building account, the Washington State University bond retirement fund, the water pollution control revolving fund, and the Western Washington University capital projects account.  Earnings derived from investing balances of the agricultural permanent fund, the normal school permanent fund, the permanent common school fund, the scientific permanent fund, and the state university permanent fund shall be allocated to their respective beneficiary accounts.  All earnings to be distributed under this subsection (4)(a) shall first be reduced by the allocation to the state treasurer's service fund pursuant to RCW 43.08.190.

    (b) The following accounts and funds shall receive eighty percent of their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period:  The aeronautics account, the aircraft search and rescue account, the county arterial preservation account, the department of licensing services account, the essential rail assistance account, the ferry bond retirement fund, the grade crossing protective fund, the high capacity transportation account, the highway bond retirement fund, the highway safety account, the motor vehicle fund, the motorcycle safety education account, the pilotage account, the public transportation systems account, the Puget Sound capital construction account, the Puget Sound ferry operations account, the recreational vehicle account, the rural arterial trust account, the safety and education account, the special category C account, the state patrol highway account, the transportation equipment fund, the transportation fund, the transportation improvement account, the transportation improvement board bond retirement account, and the urban arterial trust account.

    (5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state Constitution, no treasury accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings without the specific affirmative directive of this section.

 

    Sec. 6.  RCW 43.84.092 and 2000 2nd sp.s. c 4 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) All earnings of investments of surplus balances in the state treasury shall be deposited to the treasury income account, which account is hereby established in the state treasury.

    (2) The treasury income account shall be utilized to pay or receive funds associated with federal programs as required by the federal cash management improvement act of 1990.  The treasury income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for refunds or allocations of interest earnings required by the cash management improvement act.  Refunds of interest to the federal treasury required under the cash management improvement act fall under RCW 43.88.180 and shall not require appropriation.  The office of financial management shall determine the amounts due to or from the federal government pursuant to the cash management improvement act.  The office of financial management may direct transfers of funds between accounts as deemed necessary to implement the provisions of the cash management improvement act, and this subsection.  Refunds or allocations shall occur prior to the distributions of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

    (3) Except for the provisions of RCW 43.84.160, the treasury income account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking services on behalf of treasury funds including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state treasury and affected state agencies.  The treasury income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to financial institutions.  Payments shall occur prior to distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

    (4) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings credited to the treasury income account.  The state treasurer shall credit the general fund with all the earnings credited to the treasury income account except:

    (a) The following accounts and funds shall receive their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's and fund's average daily balance for the period:  The capitol building construction account, the Cedar River channel construction and operation account, the Central Washington University capital projects account, the charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions account, the common school construction fund, the county criminal justice assistance account, the county sales and use tax equalization account, the data processing building construction account, the deferred compensation administrative account, the deferred compensation principal account, the department of retirement systems expense account, the drinking water assistance account, the Eastern Washington University capital projects account, the education construction fund, the emergency reserve fund, the federal forest revolving account, the health services account, the public health services account, the health system capacity account, the personal health services account, the state higher education construction account, the higher education construction account, the highway infrastructure account, the industrial insurance premium refund account, the judges' retirement account, the judicial retirement administrative account, the judicial retirement principal account, the local leasehold excise tax account, the local real estate excise tax account, the local sales and use tax account, the medical aid account, the mobile home park relocation fund, the multimodal transportation account, the municipal criminal justice assistance account, the municipal sales and use tax equalization account, the natural resources deposit account, the oyster reserve land account, the perpetual surveillance and maintenance account, the public employees' retirement system plan 1 account, the public employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the Puyallup tribal settlement account, the resource management cost account, the site closure account, the special wildlife account, the state employees' insurance account, the state employees' insurance reserve account, the state investment board expense account, the state investment board commingled trust fund accounts, the supplemental pension account, the teachers' retirement system plan 1 account, the teachers' retirement system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the tobacco prevention and control account, the tobacco settlement account, the transportation infrastructure account, the tuition recovery trust fund, the University of Washington bond retirement fund, the University of Washington building account, the volunteer fire fighters' and reserve officers' relief and pension principal fund, the volunteer fire fighters' and reserve officers' administrative fund, the Washington judicial retirement system account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' system plan 1 retirement account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' system plan 2 retirement account, the Washington school employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and 3 account, the Washington state health insurance pool account, the Washington state patrol retirement account, the Washington State University building account, the Washington State University bond retirement fund, the water pollution control revolving fund, and the Western Washington University capital projects account.  Earnings derived from investing balances of the agricultural permanent fund, the normal school permanent fund, the permanent common school fund, the scientific permanent fund, and the state university permanent fund shall be allocated to their respective beneficiary accounts.  All earnings to be distributed under this subsection (4)(a) shall first be reduced by the allocation to the state treasurer's service fund pursuant to RCW 43.08.190.

    (b) The following accounts and funds shall receive eighty percent of their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period:  The aeronautics account, the aircraft search and rescue account, the county arterial preservation account, the department of licensing services account, the essential rail assistance account, the ferry bond retirement fund, the grade crossing protective fund, the high capacity transportation account, the highway bond retirement fund, the highway safety account, the motor vehicle fund, the motorcycle safety education account, the pilotage account, the public transportation systems account, the Puget Sound capital construction account, the Puget Sound ferry operations account, the recreational vehicle account, the rural arterial trust account, the safety and education account, the special category C account, the state patrol highway account, the transportation equipment fund, the transportation fund, the transportation improvement account, the transportation improvement board bond retirement account, and the urban arterial trust account.

    (5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state Constitution, no treasury accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings without the specific affirmative directive of this section.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7.  Section 5 of this act expires March 1, 2002.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8.  Section 6 of this act takes effect March 1, 2002.

 


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