Brief Description: Establishing the Puget Sound scientific research account.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Rolfes, Upthegrove, B. Sullivan, Appleton, Chase, Santos, Dickerson and Sells).

House Select Committee on Puget Sound
House Committee on Appropriations
Senate Committee on Water, Energy & Telecommunications
Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

Puget Sound is a 2,800-square-mile inland body of water connected to the Pacific Ocean via the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It extends from Admiralty Inlet in the north, to Olympia, Washington, in the south. It includes: open marine waters; inland marine waters; Hood Canal, a glacially scoured fjord; numerous river and stream channels; and 2,500 miles of shoreline.

The Aquatic Rehabilitation Zone One (ARZ-1) is an area within Jefferson, Kitsap, and Mason Counties. The ARZ-1 includes watersheds that drain into Hood Canal from south of the line projected from Tala Point in Jefferson County, to Foulweather Bluff in Kitsap County.

The Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership) is a new state agency that succeeds the Puget Sound Action Team upon the adoption of independent legislation by the 2007 Legislature. The Partnership's task is to restore the Puget Sound by the year 2020 and is led by a Governor-appointed Leadership Council. The Leadership Council sets the agency's policies, controls its budget, and has responsibility of its performance. The Partnership also has a Puget Sound Science Panel (Science Panel), which advises and assists the Leadership Council on science decisions and matters.

Summary:

An account is created to fund scientific research programs and projects that address scientific research gaps regarding protection and restoration of Puget Sound and the ARZ-1. The Leadership Council, with assistance from the Science Panel, identifies and prioritizes the gaps and funds programs and projects accordingly.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   97   0
Senate   45   1   (Senate amended)
House   98   0   (House concurred)

Effective: July 22, 2007

Partial Veto Summary: The Governor vetoed the section of the bill that requires the Puget Sound Leadership Council to identify gaps in scientific information, develop a competitive funding process for the new account, develop a peer review process, and solicit research projects for funding.