FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 22, 1998 98-061
CONTACT: Laura Lowe, (360) 407-7255 Mary Getchell, (360) 407-6157; Pager (360) 534-8590
OLYMPIA - Local governments seeking to plan for water use, improve water quality and enhance fish habitat may want to apply for watershed planning grants being offered by the Washington Department of Ecology.
As a result of the 1998 Legislature's watershed management bill (House Bill 2514), Ecology must award $1.4 million in grants by June 30, 1998.
"We're on an incredibly fast track to award the money in areas of our state that need it most," said Tom Fitzsimmons, Ecology's director.
"Watershed management is critical to planning for our current and future water uses - for our state's growing population, industries, farms and endangered and threatened fish."
Local governments, Indian tribes and others can find out more about the grants at public workshops.
SPOKANE April 27, 1998, 2-5 p.m. Spokane Community College, Sasquatch Room 1810 North Greene St. ELLENSBURG April 28, 1998, 2-5 p.m. Central Washington University, Sue Lombard Hall 400 Eighth Ave. LACEY May 4, 1998, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Department of Ecology Auditorium 300 Desmond Dr. BELLEVUE May 7, 1998, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Ecology's Northwest Regional Office 3190 160th Ave. S.E.
The new 1998 law lists the following priorities for deciding which grants to fund:
*A planning group which has been in existence for more than a year;
*A watershed management plan that would address endangered or threatened fish in areas without adequate water for population growth; and
*A plan that covers multiple watersheds.
"The new watershed law provides tools for local communities to build a sustainable environment for current and future water needs," said Fitzsimmons.
Washington state has 62 Water Resource Inventory Areas. Local governments and utilities in each of those geographic areas are eligible for watershed planning grants. The grants may be used to assess water supply and use, set instream flows (the amount of water necessary in a stream to support fish, navigation and recreation) and develop plans for improving water quality and protecting and enhancing fish habitat.
Ecology has a total of $3.9 million for watershed planning grants to distribute by June 1999, but must award $1.4 million by the end of this June. A Water Resource Inventory Area could receive up to $500,000 in watershed planning grants. There are three types or levels of grants:
$50,000 for organizing a watershed planning unit;
$200,000 for conducting watershed assessments; and
$250,000 for developing a watershed management plan.
People may receive grant applications by contacting Laura Lowe, (360) 407-7255, or from Ecology's home page at http://www.wa.ecy.wa.gov/. By June 1, local governments should send grant applications to Laura Lowe, Ecology, PO Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600.
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