SB 5100-S - DIGEST

(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/13/01)

     Establishes provisions relating to expediting the processing of pending applications relating to existing water rights by clarifying when pending applications for new water rights are not existing rights, allowing pending applications relating to existing water rights to be processed independently of pending applications for new water rights, allowing applications to be processed ahead of previously filed applications that have insufficient information, calculating annual consumptive quantity using the average of the two years of greatest use within the most recent five years.

     Declares that, nothing in this act authorizes the processing of applications relating to existing water rights to stop the processing of applications for new water rights.  The processing of applications assigned priority by rule shall not stop the processing of other applications, and at least half of the resources available to the department for processing applications shall be devoted to the processing of nonpriority applications.