SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 1572

BYHouse Committee on Environmental Affairs (originally sponsored by Representatives Rust, Brough, K. Wilson, Cole, Jacobsen, Sutherland, Miller, Brekke and Pruitt; by request of Governor Gardner)

Creating a wetlands management committee.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Senate Committee on Agriculture

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 23, 1988; February 25, 1988

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended and refer to Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Barr, Chairman; Anderson, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Halsan, Hansen, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Tom McDonald (786-7404)

                  February 25, 1988

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 29, 1988

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended by Committee on Agriculture.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Deccio, Fleming, Hayner, Johnson, Lee, Moore, Newhouse, Saling, Smith, Talmadge, Vognild, Warnke, Williams, Wojahn, Zimmerman.

Senate Staff:Chuck Langen (786-7715)

                  February 29, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, FEBRUARY 29, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Marshes, swamps, bogs and other similarly saturated lands constitute the wetland areas of the state.  Wetlands are found in association with lakes, streams and other waterways and in isolated areas where the soil is simply saturated with water.

Increasingly wetlands are being regarded as essential feeding and nesting sites for many species of birds, fish and other animals, including one-third of the state's threatened species.  Wetlands also play an important role in flood, pollution and erosion control, and in the recharge of ground water for future water use.  The wetlands, however, continue to disappear or to be altered.  Over 50 percent of the original wetlands have been drained or otherwise altered, and over 90 percent of the original saltwater wetlands in urban areas of Puget Sound have been eliminated.

There remain many questions on the extent and the values of wetlands in the state, and the available options to reduce adverse effects on this resource.  The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has conducted a small scale inventory of Washington's wetlands as part of the National Wetlands Inventory. This information could be accessed by the state to assist in maintaining a comprehensive wetlands inventory.

SUMMARY:

A committee is established to study and report on several issues on the state's wetlands resources.  The committee will include eight members of the Legislature and representatives from several state agencies and affected interest groups.  The committee will address the extent and values of the wetlands resources, the definition of wetlands, legislative options to reduce adverse impacts, a unified state mitigation policy, public information and education needs, the existing federal, state and local programs dealing with wetlands, and an examination of landowner incentive programs.

The Department of Ecology will provide the staff support for the committee and will utilize the technical expertise available in other state, federal and local agencies.  The committee shall present its report to the 1989 Legislature.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENTS:

The interest groups represented on the study committee are specified and limited.  Four members of the Legislature will be on the committee, one member from each caucus in the House of Representatives and in the Senate.  The committee is also to evaluate the distinctions between wetlands east and west of the Cascades and give attention to the relationship of irrigated agriculture on wetlands.

The study is extended to a two-year study with the report to be submitted to the 1990 Legislature.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Appointments by Legislature Required:     Two members from each caucus in the House of Representatives will be appointed by the Speaker of the House and two members from each caucus in the Senate will be appointed by the President of the Senate to represent the Legislature on the wetlands study committee.

Senate Committee - Testified: AGRICULTURE:  Representative Rust

Senate Committee - Testified: WAYS & MEANS: No one