Comment taken on proposed water right examiners program

Published 12:01 am Thursday, June 28, 2012

OLYMPIA — The state Department of Ecology has opened a public comment period and scheduled public hearings on a proposed water right examiners program.

The public comment period ends at 5 p.m. Friday, July 27.

None of the public hearings will be on the North Olympic Peninsula.

A proposed statewide rule would create a program that would allow water right permit holders to use water right examiners certified by Ecology.

The examiners, paid by water right applicants, would verify that water-use projects have been completed and that the projects qualify for final water right certificates.

“The opportunity to rely on certified water right examiners for final inspections of applicants’ place and purpose of water use will free up Ecology staff to focus more time and effort processing pending water right applications,” said Maia Bellon, manager of Ecology’s Water Resources Program.

The program would be modeled after similar programs in Oregon and Idaho.

Ecology expects adoption of the rule no earlier than Sept. 19.

Professional engineers and land surveyors, registered hydrogeologists and water conservancy board members would be among those considered initially eligible to become certified water right examiners.

Once the rule took effect, a person interested in becoming a certified examiner would have to apply and meet minimum qualifications, pay a $300 examination fee and — upon passing the written examiner’s test — pay a $200 certification fee.

Public hearings are scheduled in July in Bellevue, Lacey, Yakima and Spokane.

Written comments can be mailed to Rebecca Inman, Washington Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600; emailed to Rebecca.Inman@ecy.wa.gov; or faxed to 360-407-6574.

More information is at http://tinyurl.com/73m7ro4.