6002-S AMS SHEL MCNA 898

SSB 6002 - S AMD 532

By Senators Sheldon, Fraser

WITHDRAWN 02/27/2014

    On page 163, after line 25, insert the following:

    "(4) (a) The Puget Sound partnership shall convene a governor-appointed work group of state agencies,  local integrating  organizations, congressional staff, and others participating as funders or eligible recipients of nontribal, federal environmental protection agency national estuary program grants for Puget Sound restoration.  The governor shall invite representatives of the United States environmental protection agency region ten and affected tribes to participate.  State participation shall include the departments of health, ecology, fish and wildlife and natural resources.

    (b) The purpose of the work group is to develop recommendations to improve outcomes for Puget Sound recovery targets and streamline the nontribal, national estuary program fund distribution process, including Puget Sound geographic initiative funds, and state investments for Puget Sound recovery.  The workgroup shall:

    (i) Include lean process improvement tools in its approach;

    (ii)Identify both short-term and long-term recommendations to improve the funding distribution process within the context of the national estuary program, and any related changes to the Puget Sound action agenda;

    (iii) Examine the size, distribution and use of non-tribal national estuary program funding in relation to the size, distribution and use of total state funding and, to the extent possible, other federal funding for Puget Sound restoration;

    (iv) Identify from existing information any funding gaps in puget sound restoration related to implementing local priorities in the action agenda for Puget Sound recovery;

    (v) Examine the pros and cons of national estuary grant management and distribution:

           (A) Through a single state agency;

           (B) Through the current multiple state agency approach; and

           (C) Through a consortium of local integrating organizations as a receiver and distributor of a portion of grant funds; and

    (vi) Examine the feasibility of creating a centralized location to access information on how national estuary grant funds have been distributed and to whom.

    (c) The work group shall submit its findings and recommendations to the governor, appropriate committees of the legislature and environmental protection agency region ten by September 1, 2014."

EFFECT:   Requires the Puget Sound Partnership to convene a governor-appointed work group to develop recommendations to improve outcomes for Puget Sound recovery by evaluating the current funding process and distributions.

FISCAL IMPACT:  Within available resources.

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