2SHB 3181 -
By Representative Springer
NOT CONSIDERED 03/11/2010
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 This act may be known and cited as the
clean water act of 2010.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) The legislature finds that nonpoint
water pollution and contaminated storm water runoff is a major problem
in the state creating a significant burden on the rivers, aquifers,
lakes, streams, and marine receiving waters across Washington.
(2) The legislature recognizes that the burden of nonpoint and
storm water pollution is caused by both increased volumes of water
runoff due to the expansion of impervious surfaces and the toxic
substances that pollute the runoff. The burden of storm water and
nonpoint pollution from hazardous substances is difficult to offset
because the source of pollution is not a single physical point, but
occurs wherever the toxic substances are manufactured, used, or
consumed.
(3) The legislature finds that the federal government and the state
of Washington have identified control of pollutants in storm water
runoff through national pollutant discharge elimination system phase I
and II municipal storm water permits as a requirement for the state and
local jurisdictions. Impacts from the polluted storm water may be
prevented or controlled through retrofit projects for existing
infrastructure as well as other means.
(4) The legislature finds that resources available to offset the
direct burdens of storm water pollution by hazardous substances are
insufficient to meet existing needs. Existing funding is raised
largely by local governments and is disproportionately borne by fees
levied on individuals and property owners.
(5) Finally, the legislature finds that increasing the tax on
hazardous substances is necessary to fund programs that will offset the
burdens that pollution places on the environment and the waters of the
state.
Sec. 3 RCW 82.21.030 and 1989 c 2 s 10 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1)(a) A tax is imposed on the privilege of possession of hazardous
substances in this state. The rate of the tax ((shall be)) is seven-tenths of one percent multiplied by the wholesale value of the
substance.
(b) Beginning May 1, 2010, an additional tax is imposed on the
privilege of possession of hazardous substances in this state. The
rate of the tax is 0.85 percent multiplied by the wholesale value of
the substance. A credit is allowed, in accordance with rules adopted
by the department, for taxes paid under this subsection (1)(b) with
respect to any possession of petroleum products when the petroleum
products are exported for use or sale outside this state.
(2)(a) Moneys collected under ((this chapter shall)) subsection
(1)(a) of this section must be deposited in the toxics control accounts
under RCW 70.105D.070 and expended in accordance with the purposes
stated therein.
(b) Moneys collected under subsection (1)(b) of this section must
be deposited into the clean water legacy fund hereby created in the
state treasury.
(3) Chapter 82.32 RCW applies to the tax imposed in this chapter.
The tax due dates, reporting periods, and return requirements
applicable to chapter 82.04 RCW apply equally to the tax imposed in
this chapter.
(4) A credit is allowed, in accordance with rules adopted by the
department, for taxes owed under this section by an air carrier, as
defined in RCW 82.42.030, in excess of five hundred thousand dollars
during any calendar year.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 90.48 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The storm water account is created in the state treasury. Any
moneys in the account are allocated to the department of ecology and
may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account
must be used on activities or projects that mitigate or prevent storm
water pollution as provided in this section.
(2)(a) After deducting the department's administrative costs of no
more than four percent of the appropriations included in the omnibus
operating and capital appropriations acts associated with administering
a competitive grant process, moneys must be distributed annually as
provided in (b) of this subsection.
(b)(i) By January 1, 2011, and by January 1st of each year
thereafter, seventy-five thousand dollars must be provided to each
jurisdiction that is subject to the national pollutant discharge
elimination system phase I or phase II requirements.
(ii)(A) Until July 1, 2011, all of the remaining moneys must be
allocated through the grant process to local governments covered by
national pollutant discharge elimination system municipal phase I or
phase II permits to fund local government projects or activities that
mitigate or prevent contamination of storm water or the recontamination
of receiving waters previously remediated under federal or state-approved activities. To be eligible, local governments must provide
fifty percent of project or activity costs from other nonstate fund
sources.
(B) Beginning July 1, 2011, fifty percent of the remaining moneys
must be allocated through the grant process described in (b)(ii)(A) of
this subsection.
(iii) Beginning July 1, 2011, forty percent of the remaining moneys
must be allocated through the grant process to local governments for
retrofit projects that address contamination of storm water, or
projects that directly reduce toxic diesel emissions that result in air
deposition of storm water pollutants. The moneys for retrofit projects
must be prioritized for projects that utilize low-impact development
retrofit strategies, but moneys may be awarded for other retrofit
projects if the site does not lend itself to low-impact development
techniques or other retrofit techniques that are shown to be more
effective in terms of addressing water quality problems associated with
the site.
(iv) Beginning July 1, 2011, ten percent of the remaining moneys
must be allocated through either existing storm water grant programs or
the grant process to projects under (b)(i) or (ii) of this subsection
and to the highest priority projects based upon ecological and water
quality benefits determined by the department. For projects qualifying
under this subsection, moneys may be allocated to meet the matching
requirements under (b)(i) of this subsection to jurisdictions that
demonstrate economic hardship in meeting the matching requirement.
(3) In consultation with stakeholders, the department must develop
criteria for administering the program and ranking projects for funding
based on water quality benefits. In developing criteria applicable to
projects in the Puget Sound basin, the department must consult with the
Puget Sound partnership. Consistent with RCW 90.71.340, when making
grants under this section that contribute to Puget Sound protection and
recovery, the department must consult with the Puget Sound partnership
to ensure that grants are for projects and activities that are
consistent with the prioritization of the 2020 action agenda. All
activities or capital projects approved for funding must demonstrate
the potential to achieve clear ecological or water quality benefits.
The department must endeavor to distribute the moneys within each
geographic region of the state in proportion to the severity of impacts
to waterways from storm water pollution.
(4) The department must initiate the grant application process by
July 1, 2010.
(5) By December 1, 2013, and every two years thereafter, the
department must report to the governor and the appropriate committees
of the legislature on the progress of the program and the suitability
of the percentage allocations specified in subsection (2)(b) of this
section.
(6) The definitions in this section apply throughout this section
unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "Department" means the department of ecology.
(b) "Low-impact development" means a storm water management and
land use strategy applied, where feasible, at the parcel and
subdivision, or drainage area, level that emphasizes conservation and
use of on-site natural features integrated with engineered, small-scale
hydrologic controls to more closely mimic predevelopment hydrologic
functions.
(c) "Retrofit" means the renovation of existing development to
improve or eliminate storm water problems associated with the site or
drainage area.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 A new section is added to chapter 90.48 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The water quality action account is created in the state
treasury. Any moneys in the water quality action account are allocated
to the department of ecology and may be spent only after appropriation.
The account may not be used to fund specific state activities that are
required to be funded through fees paid by state and federal water
quality permittees.
(2) Moneys in the water quality action account may be used only for
state responsibilities to carry out the purposes of this chapter to:
Prevent pollution of streams, rivers, aquifers, marine receiving
waters, and drinking water; prevent beach and shellfish bed closures
due to polluted surface runoff; and protect fish and wildlife habitat
from polluted surface runoff. More specifically, moneys may be used
for, but not limited to, the following purposes:
(a) Creation and maintenance of a storm water technology center to
assist businesses and governmental entities by developing resources for
testing, monitoring, adopting, and implementing new clean water
practices and technologies;
(b) Improved storm water research, data management, and monitoring;
(c) Development of clean water guidance and best management
practices for nonpermitted surface runoff activities; and
(d) Improved source control actions, such as collaboration with
local governments to provide local source control inspectors.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 A new section is added to chapter 90.71 RCW
to read as follows:
Consistent with RCW 90.71.340, the Puget Sound partnership must use
any money deposited in the Puget Sound recovery account from the clean
water legacy fund to fund activities or capital projects that are
consistent with the prioritization of the 2020 action agenda.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 If any provision of this act or its
application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 This act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the
state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect
May 1, 2010."
Correct the title.
EFFECT: Replaces the annual 0.1 percent tax increase with a 0.85 percent tax increase. Changes the export exemption to a credit. Deposits the entire tax increase into a clean water legacy fund. Adds back the water quality action account. Removes section that requires money placed in motor vehicle account from the clean water legacy fund to be used for storm water related activities. Caps the amount of hazardous substance tax paid by an air carrier at $500,000 per year.