FINAL BILL REPORT

2SSB 6263

PARTIAL VETO

C 252 L 12

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Facilitating marine management planning.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Ranker, Hargrove, Delvin, Litzow, Swecker, Rolfes, Schoesler, Kilmer, Fraser, Kohl-Welles, Hobbs and Hatfield).

Senate Committee on Energy, Natural Resources & Marine Waters

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources

House Committee on General Government Appropriations & Oversight

Background: Marine Management Planning. In 2010 the Legislature passed SSB 6350, which established a process for marine management planning in Washington. The bill created the Marine Interagency Team (team), consisting of the Governor's Office and natural resources agencies with jurisdiction over marine issues. The team was initially tasked with, and has completed, an assessment of existing marine planning efforts in the state and a recommended framework for integrating marine spatial planning into management planning efforts.

Subject to federal, private, or other nonstate funding, the Legislature also directed the team to coordinate development of a comprehensive marine management plan for the state's marine waters. The team may develop the plan in geographic segments, and may incorporate elements from an existing plan. Elements of the plan include:

• an ecosystem assessment that analyzes the health and status of marine waters;

• a series of maps providing information on the marine ecosystem, human uses of marine waters, and areas with high potential for renewable energy production and low potential for conflicts with existing uses and sensitive environments;

• recommendations to the federal government for use priorities and limitations within the Exclusive Economic Zone; and

• a strategy for plan implementation using existing state and local authorities.

The team has two years to complete the plan once it initiates the planning process. In developing the plan, the team must seek input from specified stakeholders. The marine management plan may not affect any project, use, or activity existing prior to completion of the plan. Upon completion, the Director of the Department of Ecology must submit the plan to the federal government for review, approval, and inclusion in the state's Coastal Zone Management Plan.

The 2010 bill created a dedicated account, the Marine Resources Stewardship Trust Account (MRSTA), to fund marine management planning and associated activities.

Summary: Modifies Marine Management Planning Authorities. The statutes governing the marine management planning process are modified to:

• specifically authorize the team to develop the comprehensive marine management plan in geographic segments, moving forward with plans for geographic areas on different schedules;

• remove the requirement that the comprehensive marine management plan be completed within two years of the plan initiation; and

• remove the requirement that the availability of nonstate funding be a prerequisite to initiating the comprehensive planning process and other specified relevant actions.

Until July 1, 2016, the permissible uses of funding from the MRSTA are temporarily narrowed to:

• ecosystem assessments and mapping activities, with a focus on those that relate to marine resource uses and the development of potential economic opportunities;

• development of a marine management plan for the outer coast; and

• coordination of regional marine waters planning activities.

Votes on Final Passage:

Partial Veto Summary: The Governor vetoed provisions of the act creating the Washington State Coastal Solutions Council (Council) in the Office of the Governor. The Council was to be composed of state agency representation and various stakeholders with an interest in coastal resource management. The Council was assigned a number of duties, including:

• serving as a forum for communication on coastal resource issues including fisheries, shellfish, and ocean energy;

• serving as an interagency resource for responding to coastal management issues;

• identifying funding opportunities for relevant programs and activities; and

• providing policy recommendations regarding coastal resource management issues.