SB 5303 — Extending the water supply milestone for the Yakima river basin integrated plan to 2035.

ENGROSSEDS-0403.1 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5303 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Warnick, Chapman, Dozier, Nobles, and Torres)Torres READRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/03/25.01/16/25.

Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

amending RCW 90.38.010, 90.38.110, 90.38.120, and 90.38.130;

1 ESSBSB 5303 other purposes without impairing existing water rights, reducing the ability to deliver water, or reducing the supply of water that otherwise would have been available to other water users.

2 ESSBSB 5303 (2) To the greatest extent possible, the center must use information from existing studies, supplemented by primary research, to measure and evaluate each project's benefits and costs.

RCW 90.38.120 and 2013 2nd sp.s.

c 11 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) It is the intent of the legislature for the state to pay its fair share of the cost to implement the integrated plan.

At least one-half of the total costs to finance the implementation of the integrated plan must be funded through federal, private, and other nonstate sources, including a significant contribution of funding from local project beneficiaries.

This section applies to the total costs of the integrated plan and not to individual projects within the plan.

(b) The state's continuing support for the integrated plan shall be formally reevaluated independently by the governor and the legislature if, after December 31, 2021, and periodically thereafter, the actual funding provided through nonstate sources is less than one-half of all costs and if funding from local project beneficiaries does not comprise a significant portion of the nonstate sources.

(2) The department shall deliver, consistent with the intent of this section, a cost estimate and financing plan that addresses the total estimated cost to implement the integrated plan and analyzes various financing options.

The cost estimate and financing plan must p.

3 ESSB 5303 include a description of state expenditures as of September 28, 2013, incurred implementing the integrated plan and proposed state expenditures in the 2015-2017 biennium and beyond with proposed financing sources for each project.

(3) In addition, the department, with assistance from the office of the state treasurer, shall prepare supplementary chapters to the cost estimate and financing plan for the department that:

(a) Identifies and evaluates potential new state financing sources to pay for the state's contribution towards the overall costs of the Yakima integrated plan's implementation;

(b) Identifies and evaluates potential new local financing sources to pay for a significant local contribution towards the overall costs of the Yakima integrated plan's implementation;

(c) Considers the viability, and evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of various financing mechanisms such as revenue bonds, general obligation bonds, and other financing models;

(d) Identifies past, current, and anticipated future costs that will be, or are anticipated to be, paid by nonstate sources such as federal sources, private sources, and local sources;

and (e) Considers how cost overruns of projects associated with the integrated plan could affect long-term financing of the overall integrated plan and provides options for how cost overruns can be addressed.

(4) The department may, in the sole discretion of the department, contract with state universities or private consultants for any part of the cost estimate and financing plan required under this section.

(5) The initial cost estimate and financing plan required by this section must be provided to the governor and the legislature, consistent with RCW 43.01.036, by no later than December 15, 2014, for consideration in preparing the 2015-2017 biennial budget and future budgets.

The cost estimate and financing plan must be updated by September 1st of each successive even-numbered year.

Sec.

4.

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department of natural resources is authorized to purchase land to be held in the community forest trust under RCW 79.155.040 to serve the purposes of the community forest trust including the protection of Yakima river basin functioning, without p.complying with the requirements of RCW 79.155.030(1), 79.155.060, or 79.155.070, relating to the identification, prioritization, local commitment, and financial contribution normally prerequisite to nominating and acquiring community forest trust lands.

4 ESSB 5303 complying with the requirements of RCW 79.155.030(1), 79.155.060, or 79.155.070, relating to the identification, prioritization, local commitment, and financial contribution normally prerequisite to nominating and acquiring community forest trust lands.

Any investment in the land purchase with funds belonging to the common school trust constitutes a loan from the irreducible principal of the common school trust and may only be made if first determined to be a prudent investmentp. by the board of natural resources.

((An))3 UntilSB June5303 30,investment 2025,by an annual interest payment on the loanboard of ninenatural percentresources. must be paid, with six percent deposited into the common school construction account and three percent deposited into the real property replacement account.

An annual interest payment on the loan of nine percent must be paid, with six percent deposited into the common school construction account and three percent deposited into the real property replacement account.

p.(ii) To maintain working lands for forestry and grazing while protecting key watershed functions and aquatic habitat;

5 ESSB 5303 (ii) To maintain working lands for forestry and grazing while protecting key watershed functions and aquatic habitat;

(b)p. The department of natural resources, in consultation with the department of fish and wildlife, must establish the Teanaway community forest advisory committee that includes representatives from the department of ecology, the local community, land conservation organizations, the Yakama Nation, the Kittitas county commission, and local agricultural interests.

4 SB 5303 (b) The department of natural resources, in consultation with the department of fish and wildlife, must establish the Teanaway community forest advisory committee that includes representatives from the department of ecology, the local community, land conservation organizations, the Yakama Nation, the Kittitas county commission, and local agricultural interests.

p.(i) Deposit of the entire amount of land purchased into the ownership of the common school trust for management or disposition for the benefit of the common schools;

6 ESSB 5303 (i) Deposit of the entire amount of land purchased into the ownership of the common school trust for management or disposition for the benefit of the common schools;

5.4.

75 ESSBSB 5303