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The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is seeking public comment and hosting five public hearings on a proposed rule change to expedite the processing of water right applications for water storage projects in the Columbia River basin.
The Hillis Rule - named for a 1997 Washington State Supreme Court decision establishing Ecology's authority to set priorities in the processing of water rights applications -- hasn't been updated since its adoption in 1998. Ecology's proposed amendment of Hillis will allow
priority processing of water right applications for projects such as replacement of failing public water systems or development of new water supplies in water short areas of Washington state.
The rule amendment allows expediting projects as long as they don't conflict with state or federal instream flow rules.
"Bringing water rights processing in line with current statutes and policies means much-needed high priority water needs won't be stalled in the current backlog of water right applications," said Ken Slattery, manager of the Water Resources Program at Ecology. "Updating this rule is all the more important now due to a 25 percent reduction in
water rights staffing in the current state government two-year budget. We simply do not have enough staff to address all of the incoming or previously filed water right applications."
Five public hearings on the proposed Hillis Rule amendment are scheduled in August at 6:30 p.m. at these locations on the following dates:
* Lacey -- Ecology Headquarters, 300 Desmond Drive; Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010.
* Everett - Everett Community College, Gray Wolf Hall, Room 374, 2000 Tower Street; Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010.
* Wenatchee - Wenatchee City Hall, Community Center - Veterans Hall, 504 South Chelan Avenue; Thursday, August 12, 2010.
* Spokane - Ecology's Spokane Regional Office, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 4601 N. Monroe Street; Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010.
* Richland -- Ecology Richland Office, Conference Room 3A - River Room, 3100 Port of Benton Blvd.; Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2010.
Public comments may be submitted to Ecology through Sept. 1,
2010. Comments may be submitted in the following ways:
* Provide comments at the public hearings.
* E-mail your comments to Janet Rajala at jaca461@ecy.wa.gov.
* Fax comments to Janet Rajala at (509) 329-3529.
* Mail comments to: Department of Ecology, Eastern Regional Office, Attn: Janet Rajala, 4601 N. Monroe Street, Spokane, WA 99205-1295.
Ecology will review and respond to all comments. You can view the full text of the proposed Hillis Rule amendment on a special website: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/rules/hillis.html. Ecology expects to adopt a rule amendment no earlier than Nov. 19, 2010.
© Copyright 2006 by North Cascades Broadcasting, Inc
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