6020-S AMS KEIS SIMS 169

SSB 6020 - S AMD 548

By Senators Keiser, McCoy, Hatfield

ADOPTED 02/28/2014

    On page 34, after line 7, insert the following:

"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to 2013 2nd sp.s. c 19 (uncodified) to read as follows:

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY

    Flood Hazard Reduction Grants (91000239)

    The appropriation in this section is subject to the following conditions and limitations:

    (1) $15,00,000 of the appropriation in this section is provided solely for a statewide competitive grant program for flood hazard reduction projects that also protect or restore floodplain ecosystem functions.

    (a) Grants may be distributed on a competitive basis to the following eligible entities:  Counties, cities, federally recognized Indian tribes; port districts; flood control districts; conservation districts; and diking and drainage districts.

    (b) Applicants must provide a twenty percent match from nonstate sources.  The nonstate match may include cash on hand, the value of real property when acquired solely for the purpose of the project, the proceeds of a letter of credit or other binding loan commitment, a pledge commitment, and in-kind contributions.  Applicants may receive credit for properly documented nonstate matching funds that were contributed no earlier than ten years prior to the grant solicitation round and that are related to the needs identified in the project application.  The department may develop additional requirements related to documenting the value of the nonstate match.

    (c) The department, in consultation with the office of financial management, must evaluate, score, and rank applications based on the following criteria, in descending order of priority:

    (i) Projects that achieve multiple benefits, including, but not limited to, cost-effective flood hazard reduction to people, property, critical facilities, and transportation corridors, flood risk reduction, salmon recovery, water quality improvements, habitat restoration, agricultural viability, public access, and channel migration zone protection.  Projects must address both reduction and prevention of flood risks, and protection or restoration of floodplain ecosystem functions.  For the Chehalis river basin, projects may also include, but not be limited to, an upstream water retention facility.

    (A) Priority must first be given to projects that:

    (I) Are located in a county or counties covered by ten or more state emergency flood proclamations from 1996 to 2012; and

    (II) Are part of a basin-wide strategy created by a governor's work group in close collaboration with an Indian tribe and a multicounty flood authority.

    (B) Priority must next be given to projects in counties that have historically been and are projected to continue to be at greatest risk and most vulnerable to flooding;

    (ii) Projects that are consistent with and recommended by a collaborative planning and approval process that includes public comment, such as a comprehensive flood hazard management plan, a hazard mitigation plan, a comprehensive plan, a watershed plan, or other applicable plans;

    (iii) Projects that minimize or eliminate future costs for maintenance, operation, or emergency response; and

    (iv) Projects that are ready to proceed with the scope of work, and whose sponsors have the capacity to complete the project successfully.

Appropriation:

    State Building Construction Account--State........ $15,000,000

    Prior Biennia (Expenditures)............................... $0

    Future Biennia (Projected Costs)........................... $0

           TOTAL                                           $15,000,000"

     Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

EFFECT:   Provides $15 million in bonds for flood hazard mitigation grants.

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