NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The development of a bistate megaproject takes years of hard work and difficult decisions. Once a megaproject has reached the stage in its development when the federal government has issued a record of decision, the megaproject must move forward. To allow otherwise is to waste tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money, destroy bistate relationships and trust, and stall economic growth and productivity in the entire region.

(1) As used in this section, "bistate megaproject" means a highway construction project valued at five hundred million dollars or more that extends across the border between Washington and another state.

(2) The department must notify the transportation committees of the legislature when it initiates work with another state to prepare an environmental impact statement that complies with the national environmental policy act on a bistate megaproject.

(3) In conjunction with developing the environmental impact statement with the other state, the department must establish a bistate megaproject work group. The purpose of the work group is to assist the department in the preparation of the environmental impact statement and to facilitate communication between the legislative bodies and other key stakeholders of the respective states. The bistate megaproject work group must serve as an advisory body that will support the department by providing continuity in the development of the megaproject, beginning with crafting the environmental impact statement all the way through the final construction of the megaproject. The bistate megaproject work group must, at a minimum, contain members of the legislature of both states, representatives of the executive branches of both states, and other appropriate public and private stakeholders as determined by the department. The department must provide administrative and staff support to the work group as necessary.


State of Washington	64th Legislature	2015 Regular Session