RCW 43.83B.300 Legislative findings—General obligation bonds authorized—Issuance, terms—Appropriation required.

The legislature finds that the fundamentals of water resource policy in this state must be reviewed by the legislature to ensure that the water resources of the state are protected and fully utilized for the greatest benefit to the people of the state of Washington. The legislature further finds that it is necessary to provide the department of ecology with emergency powers to authorize withdrawals of public surface and groundwaters, including dead storage within reservoirs, on a temporary basis, and construction of facilities in relation thereto, in order to alleviate emergency water supply conditions arising from the drought forecast for the state of Washington during 1977 and during 1987 through 1989.

The legislature further finds that there is a continuing water supply shortage in many areas of the state and that there is an urgent need to assure the survival of irrigated crops and of the state's fisheries.

The legislature further finds that in addition to water storage facilities or other augmentation programs, improved efficiency of water use could provide an important new supply of water in many parts of the state with which to meet future water needs and that improved efficiency of water use should receive greater emphasis in the management of the state's water resources.

In order to study the fundamentals of water resource policy of the state and to provide needed moneys for the planning, acquisition, construction, and improvement of water supply facilities and for other appropriate measures to assure the survival of irrigated crops and/or the state's fisheries to alleviate emergency water supply conditions arising from droughts occurring from time to time in the state of Washington, and to carry out a comprehensive water use efficiency study for the state of Washington, the state finance committee is authorized to issue general obligation bonds of the state of Washington in the sum of eighteen million dollars, or so much thereof as may be required to finance such projects, and all costs incidental thereto. No bonds authorized by this section and *RCW 43.83B.360 through 43.83B.375 shall be offered for sale without prior legislative appropriation, and these bonds shall be paid and discharged within thirty years of the date of issuance in accordance with Article VIII, section 1 of the state Constitution.

[ 1988 c 47 § 1; 1988 c 46 § 2; 1988 c 45 § 1; 1987 c 343 § 1; 1979 ex.s. c 263 § 1; 1977 ex.s. c 1 § 1.]

NOTES:

Reviser's note: *(1) RCW 43.83B.365 through 43.83B.375 were decodified pursuant to 2015 1st sp.s. c 4 § 23.

(2) This section was amended by 1988 c 45 § 1, 1988 c 46 § 2, and by 1988 c 47 § 1, each without reference to the other. All amendments are incorporated in the publication of this section pursuant to RCW 1.12.025(2). For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025(1).

Application—1988 c 47: "Nothing in this act shall apply to or interfere with the processing or issuance of water rights in connection with the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project." [ 1988 c 47 § 8.]

Severability—1988 c 47: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1988 c 47 § 9.]

Severability—1987 c 343: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1987 c 343 § 11.]

Severability—1979 ex.s. c 263: "If any provision of this 1979 amendatory act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1979 ex.s. c 263 § 5.]