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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ? Sept. 16, 1998
98-164
Contacts: Mary Getchell, Public Information Manager, (360) 407-6157;
pager, (360) 534-8590
Peggy Clifford, Rules Coordinator, (360) 407-7262
OLYMPIA - The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) is hosting a public workshop on a proposal to involve county governments in processing water right decisions.
A law established by the state legislature in 1997 allows counties to establish local water boards to process water right applications for changes to existing water right permits, certificates or claims. Under the law, Ecology approves the establishment of the local water-conservancy boards and reviews water right decisions made by boards.
To help implement the law, Gov. Gary Locke directed Ecology to develop a pilot rule to specify training requirements for the boards and other details of how the boards and Ecology would work together. Under the pilot rule, two local governments, Benton and Lewis counties, are acting as "pilots" to test the rule and conservancy-board process.
"We have the privilege to implement the most progressive water transfer legislation in the U.S. This type of opportunity is very rare, an ability to improve in real tangible terms water resources management in our state," said Max Benitz Jr., Benton County Commissioner.
Ecology is holding a workshop in Kennewick to hear from people in one of the areas that is participating as a pilot community. The workshop will last from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Department of Ecology office in Kennewick. The address is 1315 4th Ave., Kennewick; the phone is 509-635-7581 (for directions to the workshop).
Another workshop will be conducted in Lewis County later this fall for residents of that pilot area.
Currently, approximately 6,000 water right permits statewide are awaiting decisions by Ecology. About 23 percent of the applications are changes to existing water rights.
"We want to get citizens' and local governments' ideas and opinions on how best to involve county governments in processing water-right change applications," said Keith Phillips, Ecology's Water Resources Program manager. "Conservancy boards are a very important step toward our goal of watershed management at the local level."
It is important to note that a water right change does not affect the amount of water being used. A change may be made to the place where water is used, the location where water is withdrawn or diverted (including adding points of withdrawal or diversion), and/or the purpose of the water right (e.g., from irrigation to domestic use).
The conservancy board would investigate applications and issue a decision to approve, deny or condition the water right change. Ecology would have 45 days to review the board's decision and issue final approval or denial of the water-right change.
Following a year of testing the rule, in Benton and Lewis counties and gaining public comment throughout Washington state, Ecology expects to adopt the final rule in the fall of 1999. Once the rule is adopted, Ecology will work with other communities that have an interest in establishing conservancy boards.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
