S-3383.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6475

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Heavey and Patterson

Read first time 01/17/2000.  Referred to Committee on Environmental Quality & Water Resources.

Changing procedures for designating lead agencies for public proposals under SEPA.

    AN ACT Relating to designating a lead agency for public proposals under the state environmental policy act; and adding a new section to chapter 43.21C RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 43.21C RCW to read as follows:

    (1) An agency that is the primary sponsor or proponent of a project or proposal shall not serve as the lead agency responsible for complying with the review procedures under this chapter.  In the case of such a public project or proposal subject to review under this chapter, the lead agency shall be determined by agreement among all agencies with jurisdiction and agencies with expertise.

    (2) For purposes of this section:

    (a) "Agency with jurisdiction" means an agency with authority to approve, veto, or finance all or part of a project or proposal; and

    (b) "Agency with expertise" means an agency with special expertise on the environmental impacts involved in a proposal or alternative significantly affecting the environment.

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