BILL REQ. #:  H-1550.1 

Read first time 02/09/09.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to exempting certain cities from the national pollutant discharge elimination system municipal separate storm sewer systems permit program; adding a new section to chapter 90.48 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that under the federal clean water act, and the department of ecology's delegation of authority to implement the federal clean water act as provided in RCW 90.48.260, certain cities in Washington should not be required to be covered under the national pollutant discharge elimination system municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) permit program. Certain cities within Washington have unique soils and topography that makes storm water management in those areas extraordinarily challenging. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature that these cities be exempt from the national pollutant discharge elimination system municipal separate storm sewer systems permit program.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 90.48 RCW to read as follows:
     Cities with a population between twenty-four thousand five hundred and twenty-five thousand, as reported in the 2000 census, and located in a county with a population between forty thousand five hundred and forty-one thousand five hundred, as reported in the 2000 census, east of the crest of the Cascade mountains are exempt from the requirement to obtain a national pollutant discharge elimination system municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) permit, as provided in RCW 90.48.260.