RCW 36.70A.5601
Viability of agricultural lands -- Ruckelshaus Center examination, report. (Expires December 1, 2011.)

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the William D. Ruckelshaus Center must conduct an examination of the conflicts between agricultural activities and critical area ordinances adopted under chapter 36.70A RCW. The examination required by this section must commence by July 1, 2007.

     (2) In fulfilling the requirements of this section, the center must: (a) Work and consult with willing participants including, but not limited to, agricultural, environmental, tribal, and local government interests; and (b) involve and apprise legislators and legislative staff of its efforts.

     (3) The examination conducted by the center must be completed in two distinct phases in accordance with the following:

     (a) In the first phase, the center must conduct fact-finding and stakeholder discussions with stakeholders identified in subsection (2) of this section. These discussions must identify stakeholder concerns, desired outcomes, opportunities, and barriers. The fact-finding must identify existing regulatory, management, and scientific information related to agricultural activities and critical areas including, but not limited to: (i) Critical area ordinances adopted under chapter 36.70A RCW; (ii) acreage enrolled in the conservation reserve enhancement program; (iii) acreage protected by conservation easements; (iv) buffer widths; (v) requirements of federally approved salmon recovery plans; (vi) the impacts of agricultural activities on Puget Sound recovery efforts; and (vii) compliance with water quality requirements. The center must issue two reports of its fact-finding efforts and stakeholder discussions to the governor and the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate by December 1, 2007, and December 1, 2008; and

     (b)(i) In the second phase, the center must facilitate discussions between the stakeholders identified in subsection (2) of this section to identify policy and financial options or opportunities to address the issues and desired outcomes identified by stakeholders in the first phase of the center's examination efforts.

     (ii) In particular, the stakeholders must examine innovative solutions including, but not limited to, outcome-based approaches that incorporate, to the maximum extent practicable, voluntary programs or approaches. Additionally, stakeholders must examine ways to modify statutory provisions to ensure that regulatory constraints on agricultural activities are used as a last resort if desired outcomes are not achieved through voluntary programs or approaches.

     (iii) The center must work to achieve agreement among participating stakeholders and to develop a coalition that can be used to support agreed upon changes or new approaches to protecting critical areas during the 2010 legislative session.

     (4) The center must issue a final report of findings and legislative recommendations to the governor and the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate by September 1, 2009.

[2007 c 353 § 3.]

NOTES:

     Finding -- Intent -- Effective date -- Expiration date -- 2007 c 353: See notes following RCW 36.70A.560.