Capitol Building, Olympia., Washington

  Center for

  Environmental Law & Policy

Seth Ballhorn

CELP Lobbyist

e-mail

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CELP SPECIAL REPORT Water Is Worth It: Making the Case for a Water Management Fee (pdf) http://www.celp.org/pdf/Water_is_Worth_It_CELP_2005).pdfhttp://www.celp.org/pdf/Water_is_Worth_It_CELP_2005).pdfshapeimage_12_link_0shapeimage_12_link_1

Water and the Legislature - 2010


CELP works in all venues to protect Washington’s water resources - and that includes the Washington Legislature.


In 2010 CELP is represented by lobbyist Seth Ballhorn.  Our focus will be on promoting exempt well reform, opposing bad bills on exempt wells (of which there are many these days due to our work in the Kittitas and on stockwater issues).


With a terrible budget situation, Ecology’s water resources budget will be slashed - as it was last year.


Ironically, that means there is interest in the private sector to find ways to fund water right processing.  CELP has traditionally supported a reformed water rights fee structure.


A water rights fee bill, HB 2591 proposes a set of fees for water right processing that places the cost of water right applications squarely on the private parties who stand benefit from the public’s water.  CELP strong supports this bill.  For CELP this is not a new issue. In 2005 CELP issued a special report Water is Worth It:  Making the Case for a Water Management Fee.  CELP’s report remains relevant today.  Download and read it here.