2741-S.E AMS OWEN S5852.4

ESHB 2741 - S AMD TO NAT COMM AMD (S5619.1) - 000463

By Senators Owen and Rinehart

                                                    ADOPTED 3/4/94

    On page 1, line 24 of the amendment, strike "and"

    On page 1, line 27 of the amendment, after "other" insert "; and

    (7) Coordination of state, federal, and local resources is needed to maximize the value of the state's forty million dollar biennial investment in anadromous fish protection to improve stocks in critical and depressed condition"

ESHB 2741 - S AMD TO NAT COMM AMD (S5619.1)

By Senators Owen and Rinehart

                                                    ADOPTED 3/4/94

    On page 2, after line 33 of the amendment, insert the following:

    "(4) The commissioner of public lands shall cochair with the director of the department of fish and wildlife, a committee named the watershed council.  The council shall consist of, but not be limited to, the director of the department of ecology, the secretary of transportation, the chair of the conservation commission, a representative of forest landowners, and a representative of agricultural landowners for the purpose of coordinating the state's efforts in addressing threatened anadromous fish resources and to preclude endangered species listings.  The council shall coordinate the allocation of state resources in conjunction with federal, tribal, private, and local resources for watershed restoration and protection in order to maximize the state's effort to improve fish stocks in critical and depressed condition.  The coordination is intended to maximize the expenditure of public funds, not to change statutory mandates for specific programs.

    The council shall report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature on or before December 15, 1994.  The report shall include a plan for coordinating and targeting existing and new state, federal, and local resources toward this goal of precluding endangered species listings.  It will be the goal that at least fifty percent of the fiscal year 1995 watershed-related expenditures be targeted for this purpose.  This plan shall include:  (a) A prioritized listing of watersheds based on department of natural resources watershed analysis and department of fish and wildlife stock assessments; (b) a definition of the geographical unit for watershed management that all state agencies shall use; (c) recommendations for the establishment of common protocols governing data collection and a central depository of information to be used by all state agencies involved in watershed management efforts; (d) an identification of gaps of coverage in existing and proposed watershed planning efforts; (e) an identification of state agency responsibilities by watershed; (f) an identification of barriers to state agency cooperation in watershed management efforts and recommendations to overcome such barriers; (g) an identification of barriers and incentives to encourage local government and private landowner cooperation in watershed management activities; and (h) recommendations for integration of watershed habitat protection with land use planning and regulation by local governments under the growth management act."

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