HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2000-004WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2000 - 76
CLEARANCES Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned To
Ong. Dept.: County Council
01/31/2000
�— ic. ,I 'V? LD
L L
JAN 3 1 2000
WHATCOM1 COUNTY
COUNCIL
02/08/2000
Nat. Res. /Council
Division Head:
Dept. Head:
Prosecutor:
Budget:
Executive:
SUBJECT.'
Resolution requesting legislation of recommendations of Pilot Project SB5536
ATTACHMENTS
SUMMARY STATEMENT.
Related County Contract #: Should the Clerk schedule a hearing? (YIN Requested Date:
Resolution requesting that the Washington State Legislature pass legislation to implement recommendations of the Citizens'
Pilot Project SB5536 Advisory Committee regarding Lake Whatcom.
MOTION (for final action):
COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN:
2000-76 218/2000: Approved &0, Hoag absent, Res. #2000 -006
Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution Number (this item only):
1 Lake Whatcom Watershed Citizens' Pilot Project.res2000
3 PROPOSED BY: Citizens
4 SPONSORED BY: Council
5 INTRODUCED: February 8, 2000
7 RESOLUTION NO. 2000 -004
8
9
10
it
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
REQUESTING THAT THE WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE PASS LEGISLATION TO
IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITIZENS' PILOT PROJECT SB5536
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, Lake Whatcom is the sole drinking water source for 66,000 citizens
in Whatcom County; and
WHEREAS, prior timber harvests in the Lake Whatcom watershed have
significantly contributed to landslides and soil erosion into Lake Whatcom; and
WHEREAS, landslides bring excessive nutrients and sediments into Lake
Whatcom and are a threat to public health and safety, increase the costs of filtration .
and increase algae growth and other pollutants; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages 46% of the
land in the Lake Whatcom Watershed; and
WHEREAS, on May 10, 1999, SB 5536 passed unanimously in the Washington
State Legislature to form the Lake Whatcom Watershed DNR Advisory Committee
(LWAC) to study the potential impacts to drinking water from DNR timber harvest; and
WHEREAS, The LWAC paid particular attention to the trust responsibilities, the
implementation of the Lake Whatcom Harvest Plan, and to the history of landslides in
our watershed; and
WHEREAS, the LWAC agrees that a lower acceptable level of risk should be
applied to logging on Department of Natural Resource land in our municipal water
supply; and
WHEREAS, in November of 1999, as per signed agreement, the LWAC presented
a complete report to the Department of Natural Resources; and
WHEREAS, Article XVI of the Washington State Constitution states: "All the
public lands granted to the state are held in trust for all the people "; and
WHEREAS, clean drinking water is widely recognized as a public good; and
LI
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council fully endorses the Lake Whatcom
Watershed Advisory Committee's recommendations.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council requests
the Washington State Legislature pass legislation and policies which will implement the
recommendations of the Citizens' Pilot Project SB5536 Advisory Committee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council requests the
County Executive's support in forwarding the request to the State, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council supports the
version of the bill that is currently working its way through the State Senate Bill 6731
(PSSB 6731), and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the Whatcom County Council will
immediately transmit a copy of this resolution to the Washington State Legislature.
APPROVED this 8 day of February , 2000.
ATTEST:
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
�0 to
Dana Brown - Davis, Clerk of the Counci Ma ene Dawson, Council Chair
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Ck(n `
CivItteputy Prosecutor
Page 2