E2SHB 1595 -
By Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature recognizes the importance
of shellfish to Washington's environment, economy, and heritage, and
further recognizes that certain locations merit additional protective
measures than currently exist. This act intends to expand the
protection of shellfish to Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson,
King, Kitsap, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish,
Thurston, and Whatcom counties.
Sec. 2 RCW 90.72.020 and 1985 c 417 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
((For purposes of this chapter,)) The definitions in this section
apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires
otherwise.
(1) "Shellfish areas" means all saltwater areas, whether tidal or
subtidal, containing shellfish species typically grown or harvested for
human consumption.
(2) "Shellfish threatened area" means:
(a) Those commercial shellfish areas classified by the department
of health as approved or conditionally approved that meet the following
conditions:
(i) Are compliant with existing health standards;
(ii) Have at least one additional water quality sampling station in
the area that the department of health determines exceeds the ninetieth
percentile value of thirty fecal coliforms per one hundred milliliters
of water using the department of health's bacterial standards; and
(iii) Have been classified for at least five years; or
(b) Those recreational shellfish areas classified as open that meet
the same conditions as specified in (a)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this
subsection.
(3) "Shellfish tidelands" means all saltwater tidelands on which
shellfish are grown or harvested for human consumption.
(4) "Specified county" means Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island,
Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit,
Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties.
Sec. 3 RCW 90.72.030 and 1992 c 100 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
For specified counties, the following applies to the legislative
authority of each county having shellfish areas within its boundaries:
(1) The legislative authority ((of each county having shellfish
tidelands within its boundaries)) is authorized to establish a
shellfish protection district to include areas in which ((nonpoint))
pollution ((threatens the water quality upon which the continuation or
restoration of shellfish farming or harvesting is dependent)) impacts
the water quality upon which the continuation or restoration of
shellfish farming or harvesting is dependent, or when the department of
health identifies a shellfish-threatened area as defined in this
chapter.
(2) The legislative authority ((shall)) constitutes the governing
body of the district and shall adopt a shellfish protection program to
be effective within the district.
(3) The legislative authority may appoint a local advisory council
to advise the legislative authority in preparation and implementation
of shellfish protection programs.
((This)) (4) The shellfish protection program ((shall)) must
include any elements deemed appropriate to deal with the nonpoint
pollution threatening water quality, including, but not limited to, the
following:
(a) Requiring the elimination or decrease of contaminants in storm
water runoff((,));
(b) Establishing monitoring, inspection, and repair elements to
ensure that on-site sewage systems are adequately maintained and
working properly((, assuring));
(c) Ensuring that animal grazing and manure management practices
are consistent with best management practices((,)); and
(d) Establishing educational and public involvement programs to
inform citizens on the causes of the ((threatening)) nonpoint pollution
and what ((they can)) citizens may do to decrease the amount of
((such)) the pollution. ((An element may be omitted where another
program is effectively addressing those sources of nonpoint water
pollution. Within the limits of RCW 90.72.040 and 90.72.070, the
county legislative authority shall have full jurisdiction and authority
to manage, regulate, and control its programs and to fix, alter,
regulate, and control the fees for services provided and charges or
rates as provided under those programs.))
(5) The legislative authority shall consult with the department of
health, the department of ecology, the department of agriculture, the
department of natural resources, or the conservation commission as
appropriate as to the elements of the program.
(6) If the legislative authority is effectively addressing failing
on-site sewage systems within an existing marine recovery area, as
provided in RCW 70.118A.040, then such effective actions satisfy the
corresponding element requirement in the shellfish protection district.
(7) The legislative authority has full jurisdiction and authority,
within the limits of RCW 90.72.040 and 90.72.070, to do the following:
(a) Manage, regulate, and control its shellfish protection program;
and
(b) Fix, alter, regulate, and control the fees for services
provided and charges or rates as provided under those programs.
(8) The department of health shall grant funds to legislative
authorities, as available, to assist with the costs of creating,
establishing, implementing, and enforcing the provisions of shellfish
protection programs formed for shellfish-threatened areas within the
specified counties.
(9) Programs established under this chapter((,)) may, but are not
required to, be part of a system of sewerage as defined in RCW
36.94.010.
Sec. 4 RCW 90.72.045 and 1992 c 100 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The county legislative authority in a specified county shall
create a shellfish protection district and establish a shellfish
protection program ((to address causes of pollution within one hundred
eighty days after the department of health, because of water quality
degradation due to ongoing nonpoint sources of pollution, has, after
June 11, 1992, closed or downgraded the classification of a
recreational or commercial shellfish growing area within the boundaries
of the county)), as provided in RCW 90.72.030, to address the causes or
suspected causes of pollution within one hundred eighty days after the
department of health, because of water quality degradation due to
ongoing sources of pollution, has closed, or downgraded the
classification of, a shellfish area.
(2) The department of health may grant an extension to the one
hundred eighty-day time limit to create a shellfish protection district
and establish a shellfish protection program, provided that all of the
following conditions are met:
(a) Each extension may not be more than thirty days;
(b) No more than two extensions may be granted for each shellfish
area; and
(c) The legislative authority requires additional time to establish
a taxing or fee district, or a funding account or source, to pay for
the cost of creating, implementing, or enforcing the shellfish
protection program.
(3) The county legislative authority is encouraged to implement
elements of the shellfish protection program as soon as practicable
following the department of health action requiring the formation of
the shellfish protection district.
(4) The county legislative authority shall initiate implementation
of all elements of the shellfish protection program no later than one
year after it is established.
(5) If water quality sampling or shoreline sanitary surveys
conducted by the department of health indicate that nonpoint sources of
pollution that are causing the closure of, or have caused the
downgraded classification or status of, a shellfish-threatened area
have been corrected prior to the deadline for creating a shellfish
protection district, then the requirement to form the district is
waived.
(6) The county legislative authority shall enforce the provisions
of shellfish protection programs upon implementation.
(7) A copy of the shellfish protection program must be provided to
the departments of health, ecology, and agriculture, to the applicable
local conservation districts, and to the conservation commission. An
agency that has regulatory authority for any of the sources of nonpoint
pollution regulated by the shellfish protection program shall cooperate
with the county in its implementation. The county legislative
authority shall submit a written report to the department of health
annually that describes the status and progress of the shellfish
protection program.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 A new section is added to chapter 90.72 RCW
to read as follows:
The department of health shall allocate available funding from the
shellfish contamination prevention and protection account, created in
section 6 of this act, with the following conditions:
(1) Funding to the specified counties must be restricted to the
creation, establishment, implementation, and enforcement of shellfish
protection districts for shellfish areas that have been identified as
shellfish-threatened areas for greater than one year.
(2) Specified counties that apply for one-time funding from the
department of health are eligible to receive matching funds. For these
matching funds, the department of health shall contribute one dollar
for every one dollar spent by the county.
(3) Specified counties that establish ongoing funding through a
taxing or fee district are eligible to receive matching funds from the
department of health. For these matching funds, the department of
health shall contribute two dollars for every one dollar spent by the
county.
(4) Specified counties that demonstrate, to the department of
health, an economic hardship and an inability to afford the county's
matching share under:
(a) Subsection (2) of this section, are eligible, and may apply
for, full one-time funding from the department of health; and
(b) Subsection (3) of this section, are eligible, and may apply
for, full ongoing funding from the department of health.
(5) Applications for full one-time funding and for full ongoing
funding, as provided in this section, must be separate applications.
Economic hardship must be demonstrated separately for each application.
(6) The department of health may reimburse itself for
administrative and technical assistance costs incurred under sections
3 and 4 of this act.
(7) Reimbursement to the department of health, as specified in
subsection (6) of this section, may be no more than ten percent of the
total funds provided for the purposes of sections 3 through 5 of this
act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 A new section is added to chapter 90.72 RCW
to read as follows:
The shellfish contamination prevention and protection account is
created in the state treasury. Moneys from the aquatic lands
enhancement account that are directed for deposit to the shellfish
contamination prevention and protection account must be deposited into
the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after
appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the
purposes of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2007, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void."
E2SHB 1595 -
By Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation
On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "programs;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 90.72.020, 90.72.030, and 90.72.045; adding new sections to chapter 90.72 RCW; and creating new sections."