HB 2320-S2 - DIGEST

(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 2ND SUBSTITUTE)

Finds that because impacts to wetlands and aquatic resources often affect state-owned aquatic lands, the department should work within established state and federal regulatory mitigation processes to ensure that individual compensatory mitigation sites and mitigation bank sites on state-owned aquatic lands are properly planned for and protected over the long term.

Declares an intent to establish the proprietary mechanisms for the department, on state-owned aquatic lands, to: Serve as the long-term manager of compensatory mitigation sites; utilize in- lieu fee mitigation funds for habitat improvement projects; and develop, implement, and manage mitigation banks.

Authorizes the department to create an endowment for the purpose of generating funds that are to be used for the long-term monitoring, maintenance, and management of proprietary compensatory mitigation sites and mitigation bank sites.

Provides that any endowment created by the department may accept money from public or private entities. However, the department may only accept money for an endowment that will fund compensatory mitigation sites and compensatory mitigation bank sites that are: (1) Developed by the public or private entities that donate the money;

(2) Are located on state-owned aquatic lands; and

(3) Are approved through state or federal regulatory mitigation processes.

Declares that nothing in this act affects the authority of the department to exchange state-owned tidelands and shorelands under RCW 79.90.457.