S-2800.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6188
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 First Special Session
By Senators Prentice, Swecker, Haugen, McDonald, Gardner, Horn, Rasmussen and Deccio
Read first time 05/21/2001. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to improving the efficiency and accountability of the environmental permitting and compliance process for transportation projects; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. LEGISLATIVE INTENT AND FINDINGS. The legislature finds that the public health and safety of its citizens, natural resources, and the environment are vital interests of the state that need to be protected and preserved. The legislature further finds that the safety of the traveling public and the state's economic well-being are vital interests that depend upon the development of cost-effective and efficient transportation systems planned, designed, constructed, and maintained through expedited permit decision-making processes.
It is the intent of the legislature to achieve transportation permit reform to expedite the delivery of statewide significant transportation projects through a streamlined approach to environmental permit decision making while improving environmental benefits through a watershed‑based approach to aquatic and natural resource management. In order to optimize the limited resources available for transportation system improvements and environmental protection, state regulatory and natural resource agencies, public and private sector interests, Indian tribes, and the department of transportation must work cooperatively to establish common goals, minimize project delays, develop consistency in the application of environmental standards, maximize environmental benefits through coordinated investment strategies, and eliminate duplicative processes through delegation of selected permit drafting and compliance activities between state and federal agencies.
Therefore, the transportation permit efficiency and accountability committee is created. The committee must conduct three environmental permit streamlining pilot programs. The committee must also identify and develop general permits and a programmatic consultation process. Finally, the committee must explore other permit streamlining opportunities by designating transportation projects of statewide significance and selected delegation of permit authority.
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