S-5628               _______________________________________________

                                          SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 8027

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                      1990 Second Special Session

By Senators Hansen, Sutherland and Madsen

Read first time 6/5/90 and referred to Committee on Agriculture.

TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE HONORABLE GOVERNOR BOOTH GARDNER, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, AND TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE DEUKMEJIAN, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND TO THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The late United States Senator Henry (Scoop) Jackson in the late 1960's shepherded through Congress two moratoria protecting the waters of Washington state from appropriation by those outside this state and ensuring the beneficial use of those waters by the citizens of Washington; and

          WHEREAS, In 1967, the Washington State Legislature enacted the Water Rights Claims Registration Act to assist in the efficient administration of our waters and to assure these waters are put to beneficial use for the citizens of Washington; and

          WHEREAS, The waters of the state of Washington and its citizens are a property right used for the benefit of the citizens of this state; and

          WHEREAS, Elected officials in the State of California recently proposed diverting to California up to three billion gallons of water daily from the Columbia River;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the federal government and the State of California respect the water rights of the citizens of the State of Washington and cease any activities aimed at obtaining, diverting, using, or otherwise appropriating any of the waters of this state.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That the Governor of the State of Washington take any and all immediate and expeditious actions necessary to secure the water rights of its citizens free from the intervention of any other government in accord with the 1917 Water Rights Act; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the Honorable Governor Booth Gardner, Governor of the State of Washington, the Honorable George Deukmejian, Governor of the State of California, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate and Assembly of the State of California, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.