SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5762

As of February 14, 2001

Title:  An act relating to environmental mitigation in transportation projects.

Brief Description:  Clarifying environmental mitigation efforts.

Sponsors:  Senators Prentice, Swecker, Oke, Horn, Haugen and Kohl‑Welles; by request of The Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/14/01.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Staff: Jennifer Ziegler (786-7316)

Background:  The Legislature and the Governor formed the Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation in 1998 to assess the local, regional, and state transportation system; ensure that current and future money is spent wisely; make the system more accountable and predictable; and prepare a 20-year plan for funding and investing in the transportation system.  The commission consisted of 46 members representing business, labor, agriculture, tribes, government, ports, shipping, trucking, transit, rail, environmental interests, and the general public.

The commission made 18 recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature. Recommendation Seven directed the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to achieve construction and project delivery efficiencies.  The commission concluded that one method for achieving those efficiencies is making environmental mitigation more cost effective.

Summary of Bill:  Counties must include information regarding environmental mitigation actions for each individual project in  their six-year program submittal to the County Road Administration Board (CRAB).  CRAB must develop policies to assure that environmental mitigation actions applied to county road projects are cost-effective and presented to CRAB as a percentage of overall project costs.

If the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) considers providing funding to a city or county, the city or county must include environmental mitigation actions needed for the project to be considered in the project application.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.