(1) The department may enter into a written cost-reimbursement agreement with a permit applicant or project proponent to recover from the applicant or proponent the reasonable costs incurred by the department in carrying out the requirements of this chapter, as well as the requirements of other relevant laws, as they relate to permit coordination, environmental review, application review, technical studies, and permit processing. The cost-reimbursement agreement shall identify the specific tasks, costs, and schedule for work to be conducted under the agreement.

     (2) The written cost-reimbursement agreement shall be negotiated with the permit applicant or project proponent. Under the provisions of a cost-reimbursement agreement, funds from the applicant shall be used by the department to contract with an independent consultant to carry out the work covered by the cost-reimbursement agreement. The department may also use funds provided under a cost-reimbursement agreement to assign current staff to review the work of the consultant, to provide necessary technical assistance when an independent consultant with comparable technical skills is unavailable, and to recover reasonable and necessary direct and indirect costs that arise from processing the permit. The department shall, in developing the agreement, ensure that final decisions that involve policy matters are made by the agency and not by the consultant. The department shall make an estimate of the number of permanent staff hours to process the permits, and shall contract with consultants to replace the time and functions committed by these permanent staff to the project. The billing process shall provide for accurate time and cost accounting and may include a billing cycle that provides for progress payments. Use of cost-reimbursement agreements shall not reduce the current level of staff available to work on permits not covered by cost-reimbursement agreements. The department may not use any funds under a cost-reimbursement agreement to replace or supplant existing funding. The restrictions of chapter 42.52 RCW apply to any cost-reimbursement agreement, and to any person hired as a result of a cost-reimbursement agreement.

[2007 c 94 § 10; 2003 c 70 § 1; 2000 c 251 § 2.]

NOTES:

     Intent -- 2000 c 251: "It is the intent of the legislature to allow applicants for environmental permits for complex projects to compensate permitting agencies for providing environmental review through the voluntary negotiation of cost-reimbursement agreements with the permitting agency. It is the further intent of the legislature that cost-reimbursement agreements for complex projects free permitting agency resources to focus on the review of small projects permits." [2000 c 251 § 1.]

     Captions not law -- 2000 c 251: "Captions used in this act are not any part of the law." [2000 c 251 § 8.]

     Effective date -- 2000 c 251: "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 [March 31, 2000]." [2000 c 251 § 9.]