Bill signed to speed up water rights processing

Washington Ag Today April 5, 2010 The governor signed into law last week Senate Bill 6267, which should result in more water right applications being processed by the Department of Ecology.

Gregoire: “Water is essential to economic prosperity and environmental health. This bill will help cut through the current backlog of more than 7,000 water rights applications to speed the provisions of water to farms, people and fish.”

Governor Gregoire at last week’s signing ceremony. She did veto two sections of the bill. One section would have allowed well relocation for ground water rights already issued by DOE. Wells occasionally need to be moved within a quarter mile from the original well needing extensive repair or when ground water is compromised. Those sections vetoed would have codified the practice.

Also recently signed by the governor was Substitute House Bill 2402, which will allow non-profit organizations and churches to retain their property tax exemptions when loaning or renting out their property to qualified farmers markets for up to 53 days a year. Previously there was a 15-limit for the exemption.

The USDA has announced funding to help small towns and communities that have been declared disaster areas. Washington state is to get a one million dollar grant and a nearly two million dollar loan. The funds may be used to purchase first responder vehicles and equipment such as fire and police and medical emergency vehicles, emergency generators, computers, snow plows, truck plows and other essential equipment.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.