CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

 

             ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5803

 

 

                   Chapter 262, Laws of 1999

 

 

                        56th Legislature

                      1999 Regular Session

 

 

DAIRY NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE

 

 

 

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  7/25/99

Passed by the Senate April 21, 1999

  YEAS 47   NAYS 0

 

 

               BRAD OWEN

President of the Senate

 

Passed by the House April 8, 1999

  YEAS 94   NAYS 1

             CERTIFICATE

 

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is  ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5803 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

 

 

             CLYDE BALLARD

Speaker of the

      House of Representatives

            TONY M. COOK

                            Secretary

 

 

 

              FRANK CHOPP

Speaker of the

      House of Representatives

 

 

Approved May 10, 1999 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.  

                                FILED          

 

 

             May 10, 1999 - 4:52 p.m.

 

 

 

              GARY LOCKE

Governor of the State of Washington

                 Secretary of State

                 State of Washington


          _______________________________________________

 

               ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5803

          _______________________________________________

 

                      AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

             Passed Legislature - 1999 Regular Session

 

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

 

By Senate Committee on Agriculture & Rural Economic Development (originally sponsored by Senators Rasmussen and Swecker)

 

Read first time 02/23/1999.

Changing dairy nutrient management provisions.   


    AN ACT Relating to dairy nutrients; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

 

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

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that a number of issues have arisen in regard to the dairy nutrient management program that have not been settled without direct legislative involvement. The legislature finds that continued cooperation is needed to resolve issues relating to the dairy nutrient management program.   

    The legislature intends to further the goal of establishing a reasonable and effective program that provides clear and consistent expectations.  The legislature finds that retention of productive dairy farms and maintaining the quality of state waters are of utmost importance to the state.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  By January 30, 2000, the department of ecology shall publish and send an informational guide to all registered dairy farms in the state that explains the expectations of the department when conducting an inspection.  The guide shall be titled "How to Survive a Dairy Nutrient Inspection."

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  (1) A dairy nutrient management task force is created.  The task force shall be comprised of eleven members, who are appointed as follows:

    (a) Two members of the house of representatives, one from each major caucus, appointed by the co-speakers of the house of representatives;

    (b) Two members of the senate, one from each major caucus, appointed by the president of the senate;

    (c) A representative of the department of ecology, appointed by the director of ecology;

    (d) A representative of the state conservation commission, appointed by its executive secretary;

    (e) A representative of local conservation districts, appointed by the president of a state-wide association of conservation districts;

    (f) Three active dairy farmers, appointed by a state-wide organization representing dairy farmers in the state, who shall be from different regions and different sizes of dairy operations; and

    (g) A representative of an environmental interest organization with familiarity and expertise in water quality issues, appointed by agreement of the co-speakers of the house of representatives and the president of the senate.

    (2) The task force shall conduct a review of the dairy nutrient management program administered by the department of ecology, the conservation commission, and local conservation districts.  The task force shall include but not be limited to examination of the following topics:

    (a) Compliance with the deadlines established in chapter 262, Laws of 1998, for the development, implementation, and approval of dairy nutrient management plans, or deadlines established under other state water quality laws;

    (b) Better assurance of consistency in interpretations between staff that conduct inspections, and between inspectors and staff that design and approve dairy nutrient management plans;

    (c) What constitutes waters of the state for purposes of the dairy nutrient management program;

    (d) Clarification of what constitutes a violation, including a review of the federal environmental protection agency guidance manual, and whether there must be an actual discharge and/or exceedance of state water quality standards;

    (e) Clarification as to the circumstances under which dairy operations are responsible to control flood waters arising from outside of the dairy operation to prevent mixing with dairy nutrients including flood waters that arise during major flood events;

    (f) Clarification of the criteria applicable to dairy operations as to what constitutes a potential to pollute under RCW 90.48.120;

    (g) A review of materials provided by state agencies to dairy farmers regarding dairy nutrient management inspections;

    (h) Review changes in any standards utilized in the development and approval of dairy nutrient management plans; and

    (i) The adequacy of funding to implement the dairy nutrient management program.

    (3) By December 10, 1999, the task force shall:

    (a) Provide recommendations to the department of ecology, to the conservation commission, and to local conservation districts for improvements in the implementation of the dairy nutrient management program; and

    (b) Provide recommendations to the legislature on statutory changes to clarify and improve the operation of various facets of the program.

    (4) The task force shall convene as soon as possible upon appointment of its members.  The task force shall elect a chair and adopt rules for conducting the business of the task force.  Staff support for the task force shall be provided by the department of ecology.

    (5) This section expires December 31, 1999.


    Passed the Senate April 21, 1999.

    Passed the House April 8, 1999.

Approved by the Governor May 10, 1999.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 10, 1999.