H-1512.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2035

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Sullivan and Ericksen

Read first time 02/15/1999.  Referred to Committee on Local Government.

Allowing counties to establish marine resource committees.

    AN ACT Relating to the creation of county marine resource committees; adding a new section to chapter 36.01 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that many issues relating to the marine environment can and should be addressed at the county level.  The legislature further finds that county governments could benefit from the establishment of marine resource committees.  The committees would be responsible for ensuring that issues of importance relating to the marine environment were solved in a public manner, and with the input of interested parties.  The legislature further finds that state governmental entities often can provide technical expertise that would aid in solving marine issues of local importance.  Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to enable county governments to adopt the marine resource committee structure, and to encourage state government agencies to assist in such processes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 36.01 RCW to read as follows:

    County governments may form marine resource committees for the purpose of addressing issues of concern relating to the local marine environment.  These issues may include but are not limited to:  Declines in fisheries, the operation of personal and other watercraft, general increases in human activity on a development of the shoreline, the impact of both point and nonpoint pollution sources, and the establishment of voluntary no-take fishing zones in conjunction with the Washington fish and wildlife commission.  The committees may be specifically authorized to provide advice to the county legislative authority.

    A committee that is formed under this section may request the involvement and assistance of state agencies.  A state agency that receives such a request should provide needed assistance, unless specific reasons for not providing assistance exist.  The assistance may include:  Technical aid, identification of funding sources, and expertise on state programs relating to wildlife, habitat, pollution sources, recreation, economic development, aquatic lands, or any other related subject.

    A committee that adopts a voluntary no-take zone shall provide specific details regarding the zone, including a map, to the fish and wildlife commission.  This information shall be included in all published informational materials relating to fishing seasons that are regularly issued by the fish and wildlife commission.

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