AWC Legislative Bulletin - Volume 30, No. 2
January 12, 2007  (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
From the Director: Governor Gregoire's State of the State
What You Need to Know Now
2007 City Legislative Action Conference (CLAC)
Energy & Telecommunications
Environment & Water
General Local Government
Infrastructure, Transportation, & Economic Development
Land Use & Housing
Law & Justice
Municipal Finance
Personnel & Labor Relations
Online Legislative Advocacy Tools
AWC Legislative Contacts & Board of Directors

Environment & Water

Committees Receive Municipal Stormwater Briefings

During a week in which the Department of Ecology (DOE) is expected to adopt its long-anticipated NPDES Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit, committees in both the House and Senate will receive what AWC hopes will be the first of several briefings on the stormwater issues and opportunities facing cities.

On Tuesday, January 16 at 10 am, the Senate Water, Energy and Telecommunications Committee will hear from a number of interests about stormwater. AWC and a representative from both an eastern and western Washington city required to obtain a Phase II NPDES Permit will present information. A representative from Seattle, one of our two Phase I cities (the other being Tacoma), will also be presenting. Both Seattle and Tacoma have been operating under a Phase I permit for over 10 years and their permit is about to be reissued with new requirements.

On Wednesday, January 17 at 8 am, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will conduct a similar work session and will again hear from AWC. In the meantime, a growing number of cities are evaluating issues they expect will be raised in the Phase II Permit, which is supposed to be adopted by DOE on January 17.

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

Puget Sound Clean Up and Governance Issues

Following the work conducted over the past several months by the Puget Sound Partnership (www.pugetsoundpartnership.org/), key legislative committees are preparing to evaluate proposals on how to better coordinate funding for clean-up activities and for oversight of actions impacting the health of the Sound.

Background information work sessions will occur in both chambers this coming week and the Governor’s proposed bill to create a new Puget Sound Governance structure is expected to be released in the next few days. Hearings on that bill are likely to be held during the week of January 22, after which stakeholder meetings will be held to work through differences among interested parties.

AWC is represented in the Partnership by Mayors Bill Baarsma of Tacoma and Joan McGilton of Burien - thanks to both of them for their service and participation! The Partnership’s Final Report, available at the above website, did not include many of the specifics needed to assess the operations and responsibilities of any new Puget Sound governance body. Such details are expected to emerge in the Governor’s bill. After the bill’s release, AWC will prepare and post on our website a summary and description of key features and potential issues.

Outdoor Burn Ban in Smaller Cities and Towns

The Department of Ecology (DOE) has acknowledged there is value in examining the categories of cities that are exempt from the January 1, 2007 ban on residential and land clearing burning. AWC is meeting with representatives from DOE on Friday, January 12, and we will provide any relevant updates as soon as possible.

See last week's Legislative Bulletin for a list of cities exempt from the January 1, 2007 burn ban and to obtain background on this issue.