For CELP in the news, click here.

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 was represented by lobbyist Seth Ballhorn.  Our focus was on promoting exempt well reform, opposing bad bills on exempt wells (of which there were many due to our work in the Kittitas and on stockwater issues).

With a terrible budget situation, Ecology’s water resources budget was a target - 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 proposed a set of fees for water right processing that placed the cost of water right applications squarely on the private parties who stand to benefit from the public’s water.  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.

CELP Legislative Comments, 2010

CELP letter to Sen. Phil Rockefeller re: SB 6267.  January 15, 2010

CELP letter to Rep. Brian Blake re: HB 2591, HB 2542, HB 2508, HB 2468, HB 2532, HB 2548.  Jan. 14, 2010.