HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2037

BYRepresentatives Raiter, Cooper, Morris, Brumsickle, Vekich, Peery, Bowman, Schoon and H. Myers 

Extending exemptions for Mt. St. Helens recovery operations.

House Committe on State Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Anderson, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Republican Member; Hankins, R. King, Morris, Rector, Sayan and Silver.

House Staff:Barbara McLain (786-7135)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 15, 1989

BACKGROUND:

When Mount St. Helens erupted in May, 1980, the north face of the mountain lost three billion cubic yards of sand, silt, and rock.  Recovery operations to correct damage to property and river systems have been coordinated through local, state and federal governments, with expenditures to date totalling over $1 billion.

In 1982 the Legislature enacted a series of laws to provide exemptions from certain state requirements for Mount St. Helens emergency recovery operations. These exemptions include the requirements related to:  1) water and flood control under the Department of Ecology; 2) the State Environmental Policy Act; 3) county regulations on diking and drainage; and 4) the Shorelines Management Act.

In addition, the legislation:  a) requires the Directors of Fisheries and Wildlife to process within 15 days hydraulic applications for work in certain portions of the Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers; and b) allows land owners who dredge and pull debris onto their property to sell the debris without paying a royalty charge to the Department of Natural Resources.

These exemptions and special legislation are effective through June 30, 1990.

SUMMARY:

The exemptions of Mount St. Helens recovery operations from laws regarding:  1) water and flood control under the Department of Ecology; 2) the State Environmental Policy Act; 3) county regulations on diking and drainage; and 4) the Shorelines Management Act, are extended from June 30, 1990, to June 30, 1995.

The requirement for the Directors of Fisheries and Wildlife to process within 15 days hydraulic applications for flood control and dredging projects in certain portions of the Cowlitz and Toutle rivers is extended from June 30, 1990, to June 30, 1995.  This requirement is also to be applied to hydraulic applications for the South Fork Toutle River through river mile three.

Land owners who dredge and pull Mount St. Helens debris onto their property and sell the debris are not required to pay a royalty charge for this debris to the Department of Natural Resources through June 30, 1995 (extended from June 30, 1990).

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 22, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative George Raiter, prime sponsor; Pat Harper, Department of Natural Resources; Loren Stern, Department of Fisheries; and Lee Smith, Department of Wildlife.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    State efforts in the Mountt St. Helens recovery operations have been very effective and need to be continued until the operations are complete.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.