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RCW 77.55.181: Fish habitat enhancement project —Permit review and approval process —Limitation of liability. Part headings not law-2005 c 146: See note following RCW 77.55.011. Findings—Purpose-1998 c 249: "The legislature finds that fish habitat enhancement projects play a key role in the state's salmon and steelhead recovery efforts. The legislature finds that there are over two thousand barriers to fish passage at road crossings throughout the state, blocking fish access to as much as three thousand miles of freshwater spawning and rearing habitat. The legislature further finds that removal of these barriers and completion of other fish habitat enhancement projects should be done in a cost-effective manner, which includes providing technical assistance and training to people who will undertake projects such as removal of barriers to salmon passage and minimizing the expense and delays of various permitting processes. The purpose of this act is to take immediate action to facilitate the review and approval of fish habitat enhancement projects, to encourage efforts that will continue to improve the process in the future, to address known fish passage barriers immediately, and to develop over time a comprehensive system to inventory and prioritize barriers on a statewide basis." [ 1998 c 249 § 1.] Joint aquatic resource permit application form—Modification-1998 c 249: "The department of ecology permit assistant [assistance] center shall immediately modify the joint aquatic resource permit application form to incorporate the permit process established in section 3 of this act." [ 1998c249§2.] Finding—Report-1998 c 249: "The legislature finds that, while the process created in this act can improve the speed with which fish habitat enhancement projects are put into place, additional efforts can improve the review and approval process for the future. The legislature directs the department of fish and wildlife, the conservation commission, local governments, fish habitat enhancement project applicants, and other interested parties to work together to continue to improve the permitting review and approval process. Specific efforts shall include the following: (1) Development of common acceptable design standards, best management practices, and standardized hydraulic project approval conditions for each type of fish habitat enhancement project; (2) An evaluation of the potential for using technical evaluation teams in evaluating specific project proposals or stream reaches; (3) An evaluation of techniques appropriate for restoration and enhancement of pasture and crop land adjacent to riparian areas; (4) A review of local government shoreline master plans to identify and correct instances where the local plan does not acknowledge potentially beneficial instream work; (5) An evaluation of the potential for local governments to incorporate fish habitat enhancement projects into their comprehensive planning process; and (6) Continued work with the federal government agencies on federal permitting for fish habitat enhancement projects. The department of fish and wildlife shall coordinate this joint effort and shall report back to the legislature on the group's progress by December 1, 1998." [ 1998 c 249 § 15.] Effective date-1998 c 249: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [April 1, 1998]." [ 1998 c 249 § 18.] Site Contents Selected content listed in alphabetical order under each group http://app:.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.55.181[11/30/2018 8:48:44 AM]