H-4260.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 3076

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Representatives G. Chandler, Fisher, Mitchell, Cooper, Hankins, Skinner, Ericksen, McDonald, Radcliff, Mulliken and Pflug

Read first time 01/27/2000.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Convening a workshop on streamlining project permit processes.

    AN ACT Relating to a transportation certification program; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) It is the intent of the legislature to encourage the development of creative programs that streamline project permit processes, reduce costs of program implementation, and increase environmental benefits and compliance.

    (2) The environmental affairs office of the department of transportation, in coordination with the department of ecology, the department of fish and wildlife, and representatives from cities and counties, shall convene a workshop to evaluate and assess existing transportation certification programs for applicability to the environmental permit streamlining process.  The workshop will consider, but is not limited to, technical expertise requirements, evaluation criteria, compliance mechanisms, monitoring requirements, audit functions of external agencies, enforcement capacity, and reporting requirements.  Cost-benefit analysis of the proposed program should be included.  The workshop shall present its report to the legislature by December 1, 2000.

    (3) This section expires December 31, 2000.

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