AWC Legislative Bulletin - Volume 30, Interim No. 3
August 16, 2007 (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
From the Director: Streamlined Sales Tax Implementation
2007 Regional Meetings
Energy & Telecommunications
Environment & Water
General Local Government
Infrastructure, Transportation & Economic Development
Land Use & Housing
Law & Justice
Municipal Finance
Personnel & Labor Relations

Environment & Water

Sustainable Communities Conference

Registration is now open for AWC’s Sustainable Communities Conference in Vancouver, WA on September 26 -28. This conference is designed to give you the tools to turn your cities into cohesive, smart, and economically vibrant communities that last well into the future. Learn how to create sustainable communities and the positive impact it will have on your city.

Explore the many benefits of building a sustainable community:

Save taxpayer dollars
Build local economy and create jobs
Improve air quality and public health
Improve community livability

Workshop topics include:

Green buildings
Clean energy
Mobility – transit, bike/pedestrian
Water – reclaimed, waste, storm
How to build consensus in your community

For more information and to register: www.awcnet.org/sustainabilityconf.

Puget Sound Partnership Update

AWC Accepting Nominations for Representative to Ecosystem Coordinating Board

AWC is accepting nominations for the City Representative to the Ecosystem Coordinating Board of the newly formed Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership). We are accepting nominations of mayors and councilmembers from cities in the following 12 Puget Sound counties: Clallam, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston & Whatcom.

The Ecosystem Coordinating Board will advise and assist the Partnership Leadership Council in the development and implementation of the Action Agenda. The Ecosystem Coordination Board is the "stakeholder" group consisting of twenty-seven-members, including one city official who will represent the 112 cities in the 12 counties adjacent to/surrounding the Puget Sound. AWC is soliciting nominations for this important position that will represent all of these 112 cities. This position is the designated city representative to the Puget Sound Partnership.

Nominations are due to AWC by September 12, 2007. Please see the AWC Solicitation Letter and additional details which can be found on our website at www.awcnet.org/psp.

Your Input Requested on Proposed Action Area Delineations

Partnership staff has reviewed all the comments that were received on their Request for Input on Action Area Delineation. They are now offering for your review a proposal for the delineation of the Action Areas.

More information about the Partnership’s Action Areas proposal, including maps, can be accessed from AWC’s website at www.awcnet.org/psp.

For questions or more information, please contact Tim Gugerty, timg@awcnet.org.

Govenor’s Climate Advisory Team (CAT) – Update

The CAT met on August 7 in downtown Seattle. The majority of the meeting was devoted to reviewing and affirming the recommendations made by the following five technical working groups (TWGs):

Residential, Commercial and Industrial
Transportation
Forestry
Agriculture
Energy Supply

Many of these recommendations impact local government. Each report can be found at: www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/cat_twg_overview.htm. We urge you to review these recommendations and provide any comments to Victoria Lincoln at victorial@awcnet.org or Sheri Sawyer at sheris@awcnet.org. The next meeting of the CAT will be held at Washington State University in the Tri-Cities on October 4, 2007. A link to the agenda will be listed in next month’s Bulletin.

Stormwater Grants

To help address emerging stormwater needs throughout the state, the 2007 Legislature appropriated $20.92 million for stormwater related projects:

$17.92 Million for Puget Sound stormwater projects
$3 Million for non-Puget Sound stormwater projects

The appropriations are intended for local governments to receive grants for municipal stormwater projects, including but not limited to:

Retrofit of existing stormwater projects in urban areas where stormwater is a significant source of contamination.
Identification and removal of non-stormwater discharges into municipal storm sewer systems.
Low-impact development stormwater management projects.

The application period has been extended. The new schedule is:

August 15 - October 15: Application Period
October - November 2007: Application Review
November 2007: Offer List Provided

The program Application and Guidelines are now available on the Web at: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/funding/SWMgmtImplementationGrants.htm.

NPDES Phase II Education & Outreach

Needs Assessment Survey of Puget Sound NPDES Phase II Cities

As the first part of AWC’s and the Department of Ecology’s outreach effort, we have collaborated with the Puget Sound Partnership to send a stormwater needs assessment survey to Puget Sound NPDES Phase II Cities. This survey will be sent to stormwater contacts during the week of August 20. Surveys of non-Puget Sound and Eastern Washington NPDES Phase II cities will soon follow. The findings of these surveys will help direct our outreach efforts. Starting this fall, we will be implementing regional workshops specifically for elected officials and executive staff, developing educational materials for elected officials, and offering individual consultation services to cities.

Environmental Protection Agency Getting in Step Workshop – October, 25-26

In October, AWC and the Department of Ecology are cosponsoring an Environmental Projection Agency workshop, Getting in Step with Phase II: A Workshop for Stormwater Program Managers, in Tacoma, October 25-26. This workshop will provide training and information aimed at helping local government staff meet Phase II municipal stormwater permit requirements.

Details and workshop registration will be available at www.awcnet.org in late August.