Drafter
Clerk 03/08/2010
Title
A MOTION urging the Washington state Legislature to enact the Clean Water Act of 2010 as a means to fund needed projects to address stormwater pollution in King County and statewide.
Body
WHEREAS, King County and other local governments are required by the federal Clean Water Act to control and clean up stormwater pollution within our jurisdictions, and
WHEREAS, cleanup and restoration of Puget Sound is a local, statewide and national priority with the listing of Chinook salmon and orcas under the Endangered Species Act, and
WHEREAS, contaminated stormwater runoff is the number one water pollution problem in the state of Washington and in Puget Sound, and contaminated runoff from our roads and urban areas has harmed virtually urban creeks, streams and rivers in the state, and
WHEREAS, cleaning up stormwater pollution is a daunting task because the sources of pollution are widespread and difficult to pinpoint, and the costs for compliance and cleanup can be prohibitive, and
WHEREAS, King County government is facing a structural budget gap in its general fund caused by increasing costs and declining revenues, threatening our government's ability to provide even basic mandated services including stormwater pollution cleanup, and
WHEREAS, local governments and residents statewide are struggling with the economic crisis, heightened unemployment, and the need to revive the economy and create jobs, and
WHEREAS, the Clean Water Act of 2010: Working for Clean Water, which is House Bill 3181 or Senate Bill 6851, as originally introduced would address these issues by creating a funding source for projects that clean up storm water, creating jobs in the construction industry and helping fund basic state services, and
WHEREAS, the Clean Water Act of 2010 as originally proposed would raise the existing voter-approved Hazardous Substance Tax from seven-tenths of one percent to two percent, raising $225 million each year, allocating the ...

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