Legislative update: How did lakes fare in Olympia this year?

by Susanne Marten

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5702 (originally sponsored by Senators Honeyford, Pearson and Ranker) received 100% approval by the Senate and House and was sent to Governor Inslee for his signature on April 23. This bill establishes an aquatic invasive species enforcement account for developing an aquatic invasive species plan and enforcement program for recreational and commercial watercraft. The bill’s intent is to train Washington State Patrol personnel in the effort to reduce migration of aquatic invasive species. Please tell your local law enforcement agencies about this important legislation. SENATE BILL 5596 would have allowed specified cities to remove harmful sediment from the deepest portions of a lake, by partial dewatering and hydraulic dredging. This effort to address toxic algae blooms relates to any lake located within the boundaries of a specified city and entirely on state-owned land. This section applies only to lakes with less than 34 acres of surface area and a mean depth of ten feet or less. Thank you to all the WALPA members who contacted their legislators about SB 5596. While the bill did not make it out of the House of Representatives' Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee during the regular session, and is very unlikely to move during the special session, your interest and questions served to educate elected officials about lake management and jurisdictional issues and options for lake restoration.