FINAL BILL REPORT

2SSB 5501

                                  C 259 L 87

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Vognild, Metcalf, Nelson, Rasmussen and Talmadge)

Creating the aquatic land dredged material disposal site account.

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Committee on Ways & Means

House Committe on Natural Resources

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The closure of existing dredge spoil sites due to environmental concerns has created a need for new sites.  In 1984 the Department of Ecology, the Commissioner of Public Lands, and the Administrator of Region 10 of the federal Environmental Protection Agency petitioned the Corps of Engineers in Seattle to conduct a study of open water dredge disposal sites in Puget Sound.

The Corps of Engineers agreed to undertake a two-phase study.  Phase one of the study is the selection of sites in Commencement Bay, Elliott Bay, and Port Gardner.  The remaining sites will be investigated in a second phase to be completed in 1988.  The study involves selection of sites, evaluation of procedures on what could go into the sites, and methods for management and monitoring.  Phase one of the study is in final draft and will be made public in the form of an environmental impact statement in the spring of 1987.

Funds are needed for monitoring the three sites selected in phase one and for monitoring of future sites.  Dredge disposal fees assessed on dredge material will eventually cover the Department of Natural Resources monitoring and administrative costs.

SUMMARY:

The Legislature finds that the Department of Natural Resources manages and monitors aquatic land disposal sites on state-owned aquatic lands for materials dredged from rivers, harbors, and shipping lanes.  These sites are approved through a cooperative planning process conducted by the Departments of Natural Resources and Ecology, the United States Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority.  The sites are essential to commerce, and monitoring of the sites is necessary to protect the environment and to assure appropriate use of state-owned aquatic lands. 

An aquatic land dredge material disposal site account is created in the office of the State Treasurer.  The account will consist of funds appropriated to the account by the Legislature, funds transferred or paid to the account pursuant to settlements, court or agency orders and judgments, gifts to the account, and all funds received by the Department of Natural Resources from user fees.

The fund may be used for the management and environmental monitoring of aquatic land dredged material disposal sites.  The account is subject to allotment procedure as provided in Chapter 43.88 and the fund is subject to legislative appropriation.

The Department shall examine the costs of site management and environmental monitoring and may establish fees for the use of such sites in amounts no greater than necessary to cover estimated costs.  All such revenues will be placed in the aquatic land dredged material disposal site account.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Senate    48     0

      House 97   0 (House amended)

      Senate    47     0 (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 1, 1987