April 20 - Hot List for the State House

 
•At a time of severe budget cuts and slashed programs, this bill is an immediate, substantive and achievable win for the environment, jobs and local governments. Stormwater is the number one water quality problem across Washington. By imposing a polluter-pays fee on petroleum products that contribute to stormwater pollution, this bill would raise over $100 million in new funds for cities, counties, ports and DOT, and could create new construction jobs in every district in the state.

•This bill provides a solution for a part of the state budget crisis, and addresses a severe and immediate cash flow need. If this bill does not pass, local governments may be forced to impose additional property taxes or utility fees at a time when the public can least affor

•Adjudication is a critical tool for understanding how much water is actually used in a basin and the amount of water available. Unfortunately, only a small fraction of water rights in Washington have been adjudicated, leaving the state unable to adequately manage its rivers and streams.

•This bill modernizes the adjudication process, promotes efficiency, and provides certainty for water users

•The bill - which passed out of the Senate with only 7 dissenting votes - will prevent future communities from being put in harm's way and reduce unnecessary costs to the state and taxpayers.