(1) Notwithstanding any time restrictions imposed by the provisions of chapter
90.14 RCW, a person may file a claim pursuant to RCW
90.14.041 if such person obtains a certification from the pollution control hearings board as provided in this section.
(2) A certification shall be issued by the pollution control hearings board if, upon petition to the board, it is shown to the satisfaction of the board that:
(a) Waters of the state have been applied to beneficial use continuously (with no period of nonuse exceeding five consecutive years) in the case of surface water beginning not later than June 7, 1917, and in the case of groundwater beginning not later than June 7, 1945, or
(b) Waters of the state have been applied to beneficial use continuously (with no period of nonuse exceeding five consecutive years) from the date of entry of a court decree confirming a water right and any failure to register a claim resulted from a reasonable misinterpretation of the requirements as they related to such court decreed rights.
(3) The board shall have jurisdiction to accept petitions for certification from any person through September 1, 1985, and not thereafter.
(4) A petition for certification shall include complete information on the claim pursuant to RCW
90.14.051 (1) through (8), and any such information as the board may require.
(5) The department of ecology is directed to accept for filing any claim certified by the board as provided in subsection (2) of this section. The department of ecology, upon request of the board, may provide assistance to the board pertinent to any certification petition.
(6) A certification by the pollution control hearings board or a filing with the department of ecology of a claim under this section shall not constitute a determination or confirmation that a water right exists.
(7) The provisions of RCW
90.14.071 shall have no applicability to certified claims filed pursuant to this section.
(8) This section shall have no applicability to groundwaters resulting from the operations of reclamation projects.