A More Efficient Way to Process Water Right Permits Nears Final Stages

Washington State Department of Ecology

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 8, 1997

97-161

CONTACT: Steve Hirschey (360) 407-6450
Mary Getchell (360) 407-6157; Pager (360) 534-8590

A More Efficient Way to Process Water Right Permits Nears Final Stages

Olympia, WA - During the next couple of weeks, the Washington Department of Ecology will be asking people for their input on how best to process water right permit applications. After operating under an emergency rule for several months, Ecology is in the final stages of developing a permanent rule for permit processing.

"This past spring, decisions from the Washington State Supreme Court and Kittitas County Superior Court directed Ecology to involve the public in how the agency makes water right decisions. That means in order for Ecology to create a more efficient and streamlined water right processing program, we must first ask the public for its ideas and opinions by proposing a formal administrative rule," said Keith Phillips, Ecology's Water Resources Program manager. "The stage we are now at is to ask the public that very question " how do we best go about making decisions for people, farmers, companies and communities asking to use water."

Public workshops and hearings will be offered around the state.

SPOKANE Oct. 14, 1997, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Ecology's Eastern Regional
Office North 4601 Monroe, Suite 100

WENATCHEE Oct. 14, 7:30-10:00 p.m.
Doubletree Inn, 1225 North Wenatchee Ave.

KENNEWICK Oct. 15, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Ecology's Hanford Project Office,
1315 West 4th Ave.

YAKIMA Oct. 16, 7:30-10:00 p.m.
Ecology's Central Regional Office
15 West Yakima Ave., Suite 200

EVERETT Oct. 21, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Everett Public Library, 2702 Hoyt.
The Everett Public Library is not sponsoring this event.

OLYMPIA Oct. 22, 12:30-3:30 p.m. Department of Ecology, Auditorium,
300 Desmond Drive

VANCOUVER Oct. 22, 7:00-9:30 p.m. Clark Public Utilities Building,
1200 Ft. Vancouver Way

The process Ecology is proposing to use in making water right decisions includes the following two key elements:

Making water right decisions based on date of application receipt within geographic areas of the state; and
Using watershed assessments as a tool for information gathering and water right decision-making.

In March of this year, the Washington State Supreme Court in its Hillis vs. Ecology decision raised questions about public involvement in the way Ecology sets priorities for processing of water right permits. Then in May, the Kittitas County Superior Court ordered Ecology to stop investigating or processing pending ground water right applications until appropriate rule making was completed.

In response to the court decisions, Ecology filed an emergency rule in June to allow the agency to process water right applications primarily addressing public health and safety. Ecology is now asking the public to comment on a permanent rule that incorporates and expands upon the emergency rule. The permanent rule also addresses basin assessments and an overall approach to making water right decisions.

Comments on the draft rule may be given at the public workshops and hearings, or written comments may be sent to Steve Hirschey, Ecology, 3190 160th Ave. SE, Bellevue, WA 98008-5452 by November 7, 1997. Ecology will consider all comments before making a final decision on the rule, which is scheduled to occur in December 1997.