Chapter 173-501 WAC

On May 27, 2020 Ecology adopted amendments to Chapter 173-501 WAC, Instream Resources Protection Program - Nooksack Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 1 to meet the requirements in RCW 90.94.020.

The rule amendments updated and added to water management regulations in WRIA 1 to meet the requirements in RCW 90.94.020. The purpose of the rulemaking was to amend the rule to:

Add flexibility for projects that retime high flows for instream resource benefits.
Establish domestic permit-exempt groundwater withdrawal limits for new users.
Make minor technical corrections.

We developed technical findings and documentation to support the rulemaking. This includes supporting documentation for the rule that estimates consumptive use of new domestic permit-exempt wells in the WRIA for the next 20 years, and projects and actions to offset potential impacts to instream flows associated with the permit-exempt domestic water use. The supporting documentation also includes an evaluation for Net Ecological Benefit in the watershed to meet the requirements of RCW 90.94.020.

RCW 90.94.020 directed Ecology to begin rulemaking to meet the requirements of the statute if a locally-approved watershed plan update was not adopted by Ecology by January 31, 2019. A plan update was not submitted to Ecology for review and adoption, so Ecology was required to proceed with the rulemaking.

RCW 90.94.020 requires us to adopt rules for WRIA 1 by August 1, 2020.

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Rulemaking timeline

Timeline

Date	Activity
Feb. 5, 2019	Announce rulemaking (file the CR-101 form)
Feb.- Nov. 2019	Develop and prepare the rule language and other information
Feb.- April 2019	Meet with tribes and stakeholders, as appropriate
Apr. 8 to May 10, 2019	Gather informal comments on preliminary draft rule language
Nov. 2019	Propose rule (file CR-102 form). Start public comment period with rule text and supporting documents
Jan. 2020	Hold public hearing(s). End public comment period
Jan.- May 2020	Review public comments, revise rule if appropriate, and prepare adoption packet
May 27, 2020	Adopt rule (file the CR-103 form)
Jun. 27, 2020	Rule effective (31 days after filing)
Aug. 1, 2020	Deadline to adopt rule under RCW 90.94.020

Announcement phase (CR-101)

Filing date:
Feb. 5, 2019

Announcement documents

Announcement Notice – CR-101 form

Rule development phase

Feb. 5, 2019 - Nov. 2019

Public input & involvement

We developed preliminary draft language for the rule amendment and a rule supporting document for Chapter 173-501 WAC:

Preliminary Draft Rule Language – Amendment to Chapter 173-501 WAC
Preliminary Draft Rule Supporting Document – Amendment to Chapter 173-501 WAC

Informal Comments

The informal comment period on the preliminary draft documents is now closed. We accepted informal comments from Apr. 8, to May 10, 2019 via our online comment system and by mail. The feedback we received on the preliminary draft documents will be used as we develop a rule amendment proposal.

The informal comments received are available here.

Open house

The preliminary draft was discussed at three public open houses. The public open houses were an opportunity for informal conversations about the preliminary draft. Please note, we did not take oral comments during these open houses.

The following public open houses were scheduled:

Ferndale Library
2125 Main Street, Ferndale, WA 98248
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Monday, Apr. 22, 2019

Lynden Library
216 4th Street, Lynden, WA 98264
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Monday, Apr. 22, 2019

Ecology’s Padilla Bay Reserve
10441 Bayview Edison Rd, Mt Vernon, WA 98273
9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, Apr. 23, 2019

If you would like to be notified about the next steps in this rulemaking please sign up for the Water Resources Program ListServ.

Rule proposal phase (CR-102)

Filing date:
Nov. 19, 2019

Rule proposal documents:

Comment period

We accepted comments on the proposed rule from November 19, 2019 through January 17, 2020.

The comments received are available here

Public Hearings:

Three public hearings were held in January 2020. More information on the hearings is below.

January 7, 2020
6:00 p.m.
Fairhaven Middle School, Commons Area
110 Parkridge Rd, Bellingham, WA 98225

January 8, 2020
3:00 p.m.
Lynden Middle School, Commons Area
8750 Line Rd, Lynden, WA 98264

January 9, 2020
10:00 a.m.
Ecology’s Padilla Bay Reserve
10441 Bayview Edison Rd, Mt. Vernon, WA 98273

Rule adoption phase (CR-103)

Adoption date:
May 27, 2020

Rule effective date:
June 27, 2020

Rule adoption documents:

Rule implementation information:

Learn more about implementation of the WRIA 1 rule amendment

Additional languages

Español (Spanish)

El Departamento de Ecología ha adoptado enmiendas al Capítulo 173-501 WAC Programa de Protección de Recursos de Corriente - Inventario de Recursos Hídricos del Área Nooksack (WRIA) 1 (Instream Resources Protection Program - Nooksack Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 1). Esta enmienda actualiza la regla para cumplir con los requisitos de RCW 90.94.020 para compensar por los impactos del uso doméstico de agua exento de permisos; mejorar los recursos de corriente y mejorar las funciones de la cuenca que ayudan a la recuperación de especies de salmón amenazadas y en peligro de extinción.

Para más información, favor de llamar a Annie Sawabini al 360-407-6878 y solicitar un intérprete.

中文 (Chinese)

華盛頓州生態管理署正式修訂華盛頓州行政法令173-501章河道資源保護規劃-努沙克流域自然資源清點區域(Instream Resources Protection Program - Nooksack Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 1)修訂作業。本修訂規章將會遵照RCW 90.94.020的規定以減輕無排放許可家庭用水所造成的影響，增強河道自然資源和改善本流域內自然環境作業以幫助受威脅和瀕危鮭魚的復甦情況。

若需更多訊息或翻譯員服務, 請聯絡 Annie Sawabini 電話: 360-407-6878。

Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

Bộ Môi Sinh đã phê chuẩn phần thay đổi cho Chương 173-501 WAC: Chương Trình Bảo Vệ Tài Nguyên Nguồn Nước - Khu Vực Kiểm Kê Tài Nguyên Nguồn Nước Nooksack (Instream Resources Protection Program - Nooksack Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 1). Bổ sung luật này sẽ cập nhật quy định đáp ứng các yêu cầu trong RCW 90.94.020 để bù đắp những tác động của việc sử dụng nước sinh hoạt khi được miễn giấy phép, tăng thêm tài nguyên trong luồng và cải thiện các chức năng đầu nguồn nhằm hỗ trợ cho sự phục hồi cá hồi khi bị đe dọa nguy cơ tuyệt chủng.

Để biết thêm thông tin hoặc cần thông dịch viên, xin liên hệ Annie Sawabini tại số 360-407-6878.

한국어 (Korean)

와싱턴주 환경부에서는 주법 WAC 173-501 - 합류 하천 수자원 보호법 Nooksak 수자원 지역 (WRIA) 1 - 개정 후 발효하였다 (Instream Resources Protection Program - Nooksack Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 1). 이 개정법은 주헌법 (RCW 90.94.020) 에 의거 하여 따로 허가가 필요없는 가정 용수 사용으로 인한 영향을 줄이고 합류 하천수자원을 보존하여 생존 위협을 받고있는 연어를 보호함에 있다.

상세 사항은 Annie Sawabini (360-407-6878) 에게 문의하여 통역 요청.

Contact information

Kasey Cykler
Watershed Lead for WRIA 1
Kasey.Cykler@ecy.wa.gov
360-255-4386

Annie Sawabini
Rulemaking Lead
Annie.Sawabini@ecy.wa.gov
360-407-6878

Stay informed...
Please sign up for the Water Resources Program ListServ.

Accessibility

To request ADA accommodation for disabilities, or printed materials in a format for the visually impaired, contact Ecology's ADA Coordinator by email at ecyadacoordinator@ecy.wa.gov, or call 360-407-6831. People with impaired hearing may call Washington Relay Service at 711. People with speech disability may call TTY at 877-833-6341.

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