AN ACT Relating to watershed management actions by watershed improvement districts; amending RCW 39.34.190, 77.55.021, and 87.03.019; adding a new section to chapter 36.70A RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.21C RCW; adding a new section to chapter 90.48 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 90.58 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:

Any county or city planning under this chapter shall allow a watershed improvement district organized under Title 87 RCW to perform watershed management actions as defined in RCW 87.03.019.

Sec. 2.  RCW 39.34.190 and 2008 c 301 s 26 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislative authority of a city or county and the governing body of any special purpose district enumerated in subsection (2) of this section may authorize up to ten percent of its water-related revenues to be expended in the implementation of watershed management plan projects or activities that are in addition to the county's, city's, or district's existing water-related services or activities. Such limitation on expenditures shall not apply to water-related revenues of a public utility district organized according to Title 54 RCW or a watershed improvement district organized according to Title 87 RCW. Water-related revenues include rates, charges, and fees for the provision of services relating to water supply, treatment, distribution, and management generally, and those general revenues of the local government that are expended for water management purposes. A local government may not expend for this purpose any revenues that were authorized by voter approval for other specified purposes or that are specifically dedicated to the repayment of municipal bonds or other debt instruments.

(2) The following special purpose districts may exercise the authority provided by this section:

(a) Water districts, sewer districts, and water-sewer districts organized under Title 57 RCW;

(b) Public utility districts organized under Title 54 RCW;

(c) Irrigation, reclamation, conservation, and similar districts organized under Titles 87 and 89 RCW;

(d) Port districts organized under Title 53 RCW;

(e) Diking, drainage, and similar districts organized under Title 85 RCW;

(f) Flood control and similar districts organized under Title 86 RCW;

(g) Lake or beach management districts organized under chapter 36.61 RCW;

(h) Aquifer protection areas organized under chapter 36.36 RCW; and

(i) Shellfish protection districts organized under chapter 90.72 RCW.

(3) The authority for expenditure of local government revenues provided by this section shall be applicable broadly to the implementation of watershed management plans addressing water supply, water transmission, water quality treatment or protection, or any other water-related purposes. Such plans include but are not limited to plans developed under the following authorities:

(a) Watershed plans developed under chapter 90.82 RCW;

(b) Salmon recovery plans developed under chapter 77.85 RCW;

(c) Watershed management elements of comprehensive land use plans developed under the growth management act, chapter 36.70A RCW;

(d) Watershed management elements of shoreline master programs developed under the shoreline management act, chapter 90.58 RCW;

(e) Nonpoint pollution action plans developed under the Puget Sound water quality management planning authorities of chapter 90.71 RCW and chapter 400-12 WAC;

(f) Other comprehensive management plans addressing watershed health at a WRIA level or sub-WRIA basin drainage level;

(g) Coordinated water system plans under chapter 70.116 RCW and similar regional plans for water supply; and

(h) Any combination of the foregoing plans in an integrated watershed management plan.

(4) The authority provided by this section to expend revenues for watershed management plan implementation shall be construed broadly to include, but not be limited to:

(a) The coordination and oversight of plan implementation, including funding a watershed management partnership for this purpose;

(b) Technical support, monitoring, and data collection and analysis;

(c) The design, development, construction, and operation of projects included in the plan; and

(d) Conducting activities and programs included as elements in the plan.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 43.21C RCW to read as follows:

Decisions pertaining to watershed management actions, as defined in RCW 87.03.019, by a watershed improvement district organized under Title 87 RCW are not subject to the requirements of RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c).

Sec. 4.  RCW 77.55.021 and 2012 1st sp.s. c 1 s 102 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as provided in RCW 77.55.031, 77.55.051, 77.55.041, and 77.55.361, in the event that any person or government agency desires to undertake a hydraulic project, the person or government agency shall, before commencing work thereon, secure the approval of the department in the form of a permit as to the adequacy of the means proposed for the protection of fish life.

(2) A complete written application for a permit may be submitted in person or by registered mail and must contain the following:

(a) General plans for the overall project;

(b) Complete plans and specifications of the proposed construction or work within the mean higher high water line in saltwater or within the ordinary high water line in freshwater;

(c) Complete plans and specifications for the proper protection of fish life;

(d) Notice of compliance with any applicable requirements of the state environmental policy act, unless otherwise provided for in this chapter; and

(e) Payment of all applicable application fees charged by the department under RCW 77.55.321.

(3) The department may establish direct billing accounts or other funds transfer methods with permit applicants to satisfy the fee payment requirements of RCW 77.55.321.

(4) The department may accept complete, written applications as provided in this section for multiple site permits and may issue these permits. For multiple site permits, each specific location must be identified.

(5) With the exception of emergency permits as provided in subsection (12) of this section, applications for permits must be submitted to the department's headquarters office in Olympia. Requests for emergency permits as provided in subsection (12) of this section may be made to the permitting biologist assigned to the location in which the emergency occurs, to the department's regional office in which the emergency occurs, or to the department's headquarters office.

(6) Except as provided for emergency permits in subsection (12) of this section, the department may not proceed with permit review until all fees are paid in full as required in RCW 77.55.321.

(7)(a) Protection of fish life is the only ground upon which approval of a permit may be denied or conditioned. Approval of a permit may not be unreasonably withheld or unreasonably conditioned.

(b) Except as provided in this subsection and subsections (12) through (14) ((and)), (16), and (17) of this section, the department has forty-five calendar days upon receipt of a complete application to grant or deny approval of a permit. The forty-five day requirement is suspended if:

(i) After ten working days of receipt of the application, the applicant remains unavailable or unable to arrange for a timely field evaluation of the proposed project;

(ii) The site is physically inaccessible for inspection;

(iii) The applicant requests a delay; or

(iv) The department is issuing a permit for a storm water discharge and is complying with the requirements of RCW 77.55.161(3)(b).

(c) Immediately upon determination that the forty-five day period is suspended under (b) of this subsection, the department shall notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for the delay.

(d) The period of forty-five calendar days may be extended if the permit is part of a multiagency permit streamlining effort and all participating permitting agencies and the permit applicant agree to an extended timeline longer than forty-five calendar days.

(8) If the department denies approval of a permit, the department shall provide the applicant a written statement of the specific reasons why and how the proposed project would adversely affect fish life.

(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, issuance, denial, conditioning, or modification of a permit shall be appealable to the board within thirty days from the date of receipt of the decision as provided in RCW 43.21B.230.

(b) Issuance, denial, conditioning, or modification of a permit may be informally appealed to the department within thirty days from the date of receipt of the decision. Requests for informal appeals must be filed in the form and manner prescribed by the department by rule. A permit decision that has been informally appealed to the department is appealable to the board within thirty days from the date of receipt of the department's decision on the informal appeal.

(9)(a) The permittee must demonstrate substantial progress on construction of that portion of the project relating to the permit within two years of the date of issuance.

(b) Approval of a permit is valid for up to five years from the date of issuance, except as provided in (c) of this subsection and in RCW 77.55.151.

(c) A permit remains in effect without need for periodic renewal for hydraulic projects that divert water for agricultural irrigation or stock watering purposes and that involve seasonal construction or other work. A permit for stream bank stabilization projects to protect farm and agricultural land as defined in RCW 84.34.020 remains in effect without need for periodic renewal if the problem causing the need for the stream bank stabilization occurs on an annual or more frequent basis. The permittee must notify the appropriate agency before commencing the construction or other work within the area covered by the permit.

(10) The department may, after consultation with the permittee, modify a permit due to changed conditions. A modification under this subsection is not subject to the fees provided under RCW 77.55.321. The modification is appealable as provided in subsection (8) of this section. For a hydraulic project that diverts water for agricultural irrigation or stock watering purposes, when the hydraulic project or other work is associated with stream bank stabilization to protect farm and agricultural land as defined in RCW 84.34.020, the burden is on the department to show that changed conditions warrant the modification in order to protect fish life.

(11) A permittee may request modification of a permit due to changed conditions. The request must be processed within forty-five calendar days of receipt of the written request and payment of applicable fees under RCW 77.55.321. A decision by the department is appealable as provided in subsection (8) of this section. For a hydraulic project that diverts water for agricultural irrigation or stock watering purposes, when the hydraulic project or other work is associated with stream bank stabilization to protect farm and agricultural land as defined in RCW 84.34.020, the burden is on the permittee to show that changed conditions warrant the requested modification and that such a modification will not impair fish life.

(12)(a) The department, the county legislative authority, or the governor may declare and continue an emergency. If the county legislative authority declares an emergency under this subsection, it shall immediately notify the department. A declared state of emergency by the governor under RCW 43.06.010 shall constitute a declaration under this subsection.

(b) The department, through its authorized representatives, shall issue immediately, upon request, verbal approval for a stream crossing, or work to remove any obstructions, repair existing structures, restore stream banks, protect fish life, or protect property threatened by the stream or a change in the streamflow without the necessity of obtaining a written permit prior to commencing work. Conditions of the emergency verbal permit must be reduced to writing within thirty days and complied with as provided for in this chapter.

(c) The department may not require the provisions of the state environmental policy act, chapter 43.21C RCW, to be met as a condition of issuing a permit under this subsection.

(d) The department may not charge a person requesting an emergency permit any of the fees authorized by RCW 77.55.321 until after the emergency permit is issued and reduced to writing.

(13) All state and local agencies with authority under this chapter to issue permits or other authorizations in connection with emergency water withdrawals and facilities authorized under RCW 43.83B.410 shall expedite the processing of such permits or authorizations in keeping with the emergency nature of such requests and shall provide a decision to the applicant within fifteen calendar days of the date of application.

(14) The department or the county legislative authority may determine an imminent danger exists. The county legislative authority shall notify the department, in writing, if it determines that an imminent danger exists. In cases of imminent danger, the department shall issue an expedited written permit, upon request, for work to remove any obstructions, repair existing structures, restore banks, protect fish resources, or protect property. Expedited permit requests require a complete written application as provided in subsection (2) of this section and must be issued within fifteen calendar days of the receipt of a complete written application. Approval of an expedited permit is valid for up to sixty days from the date of issuance. The department may not require the provisions of the state environmental policy act, chapter 43.21C RCW, to be met as a condition of issuing a permit under this subsection.

(15)(a) For any property, except for property located on a marine shoreline, that has experienced at least two consecutive years of flooding or erosion that has damaged or has threatened to damage a major structure, water supply system, septic system, or access to any road or highway, the county legislative authority may determine that a chronic danger exists. The county legislative authority shall notify the department, in writing, when it determines that a chronic danger exists. In cases of chronic danger, the department shall issue a permit, upon request, for work necessary to abate the chronic danger by removing any obstructions, repairing existing structures, restoring banks, restoring road or highway access, protecting fish resources, or protecting property. Permit requests must be made and processed in accordance with subsections (2) and (7) of this section.

(b) Any projects proposed to address a chronic danger identified under (a) of this subsection that satisfies the project description identified in RCW 77.55.181(1)(a)(ii) are not subject to the provisions of the state environmental policy act, chapter 43.21C RCW. However, the project is subject to the review process established in RCW 77.55.181(3) as if it were a fish habitat improvement project.

(16) The department may issue an expedited written permit in those instances where normal permit processing would result in significant hardship for the applicant or unacceptable damage to the environment. Expedited permit requests under this subsection require a complete written application as provided in subsection (2) of this section and must be issued within fifteen calendar days of the receipt of a complete written application. Approval of an expedited permit under this subsection is valid for up to sixty days from the date of issuance. The department may not require the provisions of the state environmental policy act, chapter 43.21C RCW, to be met as a condition of issuing a permit under this subsection.

Sec. 5.  RCW 87.03.019 and 2003 c 327 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In addition to the authority provided throughout this title, an irrigation district, reclamation district, and similar districts organized pursuant to the authority of this title may participate in and expend revenue on cooperative watershed management actions, including watershed management partnerships under RCW 39.34.210 and other intergovernmental agreements, for purposes of water supply, water quality, and water resource and habitat protection and management. For the purposes of this section, "watershed management actions" include, but are not limited to, ditch maintenance and sediment management, without regard to whether these actions are performed cooperatively or through a watershed management partnership under RCW 39.34.210 or other intergovernmental agreement.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  A new section is added to chapter 90.48 RCW to read as follows:

If the department reviews a project for watershed management actions, as defined in RCW 87.03.019, by a watershed improvement district organized under Title 87 RCW, for certification under section 401 of the federal clean water act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1341), the department must issue a decision on certification no later than fifteen days after receiving a complete application for the project. This section does not alter any requirement of section 401 of the federal clean water act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1341) relating to waiver of the certification requirements of that section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7.  A new section is added to chapter 90.58 RCW to read as follows:

Every master program must allow a watershed improvement district organized under Title 87 RCW to perform watershed management actions as defined in RCW 87.03.019.

--- END ---