Water Commission proposed to takeover Ecology's Water Resource Management

Washington Ag Today January 18, 2011 Legislation has been introduced by 29 lawmakers in the Washington State House and Senate that would create a new Washington State Water Commission. The staff of the commission would assume the Department of Ecology’s water resources management function and Ecology’s Water Resources Program would be terminated.

The commission would consist of seven members with three members elected from west of the Cascades and three members elected from East of the Cascades and one member appointed by the governor.

Proponents of House Bill 1296 and Senate Bill 5210 say this is important government reform and efficiency legislation noting that Ecology’s Water Resources Program has grown by nearly 50 percent since 2000. They say staffing would drop from 150 employees under Ecology to less than 100 with a commission. The number of Water Resource Program offices would drop from five to two.

Now the report from Stockland Livestock.

“This is Jack McQuinness with Stockland Livestock in Davenport. A big sale here right at 15-hundred head on the market. Mostly feeder cattle. We did have a top up to 13-hundred-fifty dollars for some bred cows. A full load of steers selling at $1.30 weighing 725. All the grass cattle three to four and in some instances five higher. Just a great market we are working on. The weigh up cows and bulls, stronger on them. Lots of cows into the high 60s and low 70s. Bulls topped at close to 80-cents. We sell cattle every Monday. That’s Stockland Livestock here in Davenport. Thanks for listening.

Thanks Jack.

I’m Bob Hoff on Northwest Aginfo Net.

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