Environment & Water

AWC Priority
Clean Up and Protection of the Puget Sound (E2SSB 5372)

This AWC-supported bill passed both chambers and, being one of her top priorities for the session, will soon be signed by the Governor. In the final days of session, the bill temporarily stalled in the Senate. The stall did not occur because lack of support; rather, it occurred because Senate leadership hoped to tag on (to the Puget Sound Partnership bill) a bill dealing with gravel operations on Maury Island. As a result, a number of interests became concerned that the Puget Sound bill would either fail or need to be renegotiated. Ultimately, because of opposition in the House, the Maury Island bill was not amended on to the Puget Sound Partnership bill and E2SSB 5372 passed out of the Legislature on April 22.

As we have previously reported, once signed by the Governor, this bill will trigger a reshuffling of state, local and federal efforts to identify and address issues and actions that are negatively impacting the health of the Puget Sound. A new state agency, the Puget Sound Partnership, will replace the current Puget Sound Action Team.

There will be renewed and more concentrated efforts to engage local "stakeholders" in taking action to help this clean-up effort. All cities in the 12 counties bordering the sound will be called upon to share in this effort. AWC will likely help organize discussion groups among interested cities as a means of facilitating information exchange and input within this new process.

For more information, please contact Dave Williams, davew@awcnet.org.

AWC Priority
Residential Yard Waste Burning in Small Cities (SSB 6081)

SSB 6081 failed to pass the Legislature, but portions of the bill were included in the Capital Budget.

As of January 1, 2007, residents in GMA-planning cities under 5,000 are not permitted to burn yard waste. Had SSB 6081 passed, residents in such communities in most GMA-planning counties and with fewer than 2500 residents would have been allowed to burn after adoption of a local ordinance and only until July 1, 2008.

AWC and bill advocates were unable to convince members of the House majority to pass the bill before various cut-off points in the process. Late in the session it appeared that we had a "deal" to move the bill forward; but we could not make it happen.

However, we were successful in getting legislators in both chambers, as well as the Department of Ecology, to acknowledge that the current law (which allows burning some places and not others) may not make "perfect" sense. With the leadership and persistence of Sen. Linda Evans Parlette (R-Wenatchee), the following provisions were included in the state’s Capital Budget:

• Up to $2,000,000 for grants to local governments to provide alternatives to backyard burning of organic materials. Priority for these grants will be given to:
  • Urban growth areas of less than 5,000 people affected by the January 1, 2007, ban on outdoor burning;
  • Projects that develop infrastructure for an on-going program; and
  • Projects that coordinate regionally.
• Up to $75,000 for the Department of Ecology (Ecology) to convene a work group with representatives of affected stakeholders to assess opportunities, other than burning, to manage vegetative solid waste and recommend best management practices, consistent with good solid waste management practices, that work for smaller communities. Ecology is required to provide the recommendations to affected cities and to the appropriate standing committees of the Legislature. The work group recommendations must be completed by December 31, 2007.

AWC will work with Ecology to organize this work group and, as a first step, we are jointly planning on holding one or more "listening sessions" for communities impacted by the ban.

We are disappointed that legislation did not pass. However, we very much appreciate the budget provisions noted above.

AWC would also like to thank all the support and encouragement provided by interested cities. More work is ahead and we will communicate with impacted cities as the work group prepares to convene.

For more information, please contact either Tim Gugerty, timg@awcnet.org, or Dave Williams, davew@awcnet.org.

[ previous article ] [ return to top ] [ next article ]