NWIFC Policy Tracker

SB 6263 (Facilitating marine management planning) passed out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources & Marine Waters yesterday with an amendment regarding how the bill is funded. The bill was passed onto the Senate Ways and Means committee. No staff report regarding the changes to bill have been posted yet.

Here is the staff report (pdf file) that summarizes the changes to the bill.

You can view the vote on the bill and the discussion here or in the window below:

Four bills have been scheduled for an executive session  in the House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 31:

• HB 1157 (Regarding the forest practices permitting system)
• HB 2388 (Exempting certain forest practices from the requirements of the hydraulic code)
• HB 2415 (Regarding water rights transfer protocols)
• HB 1297 (Concerning the relinquishment of a water right)

The hearing will be held in House Hearing Room A of the John L. O’Brien Building.

Here is the staff analysis for HB 1157 (pdf file), which was last heard in public hearing last year.

Here is the staff analysis for HB 2388 (pdf file).

Here is the staff analysis for HB 2415 (pdf file).

Here is the staff analysis for HB 1297 (pdf file).

HB 2238 (Regarding wetlands mitigation) was referred to the House Committee on General Government Appropriations & Oversight and scheduled for a hearing on Thursday, February 2 at 8 a.m. The hearing will be held in House Hearing Room C of the John L. O’Brien Building.

Here is the most recent bill report (pdf file).

SB 6093 (Regarding wetlands mitigation) was the topic of a public hearing yesterday. You can view the public hearing here or in the window below.

You can find the most recent bill report here (pdf file).

HB 2415 (Regarding water rights transfer protocols) was the topic of a public hearing yesterday in the House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources. You can view the hearing here.

The bill was also heard in earlier hearings on January 20 and January 24.

Here is the most recent bill analysis.

HB 2388 (Exempting certain forest practices from the requirements of the hydraulic code) was the topic of a public hearing yesterday. You can view the hearing here or in the window below.

Here is the bill analysis (pdf file).

HB 2618 (Facilitating marine management planning) was the topic of a public hearing yesterday. You can view the hearing here or in the window below.

The bill analysis can be found here (pdf file).

HB 2238 (Regarding wetlands mitigation) received a due pass vote in the House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources yesterday. The bill report from the committee indicates that it will pass with some edits.

The differences from the original bill are described below, from the report (pdf file):

A new wetland mitigation option is created for the proponents of projects that reduce existing
wetland function. This option is the agreement to provide a monetary payment to a specific
state program that enhances or preserves riparian and aquatic resources. The programs that
are eligible to receive monetary payments in exchange for wetland mitigation credits are the
Forestry Riparian Easement Program, cost assistance for small forest landowners to repair
forest roads, riparian and open space conservation easements, and incentives to promote
landowner conservation measures.

The exercise of this option, like all mitigation plans, must be agreed to and approved by the
Department of Ecology or other appropriate agency responsible for environmental
management. The agreement and approval process must include commitments as to which
program will be funded, the appropriate funding level commitment, and how the funds will
be ultimately used by the selected program. This negotiation process must occur between the
project proponent and the approving agency; however, the Forest Practices Board and any
other relevant state or federal agency must be consulted in an attempt to match the funding
with an appropriate project within the selected state program.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The original bill created a new account, managed by the Forest Practices Board (Board), in
which mitigation payments would be deposited. The Board would have been responsible for
matching the payments with the selected state programs absent input from the project
sponsor or the agency responsible for approving the mitigation plan. The original bill also
allowed other, unnamed state programs to be considered for mitigation payments. The
substitute bill limits the programs to a specific list.

SB 5453 (Enhancing the production of Pacific salmon) has been scheduled for a hearing on Thursday, January 26 at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources & Marine Waters. The hearing will be held in Senate Hearing Room 2 of the J.A. Cherberg Building.

SB 6093 (Regarding wetlands mitigation) has been scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday, January 25 at 3:30 p.m. in the Senate Committee on Transportation. The hearing will be held in Senate Hearing Room 1 of the J.A. Cherberg Building.