*3/7/11 Publicola –By Erica C. Barnett
In addition to the three anti-enviro bills we wrote about this morning
<http://publicola.com/2011/03/07/when-they-come-to-pick-you-off-in-the-future/>
—one <http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1478&year=2011> that would let cities and counties delay the Growth Management Act, another <http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1094&year=2011> that would let some counties opt out the Growth Management Act; and another <http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1702&year=2011> to let developers put off paying impact fees—another bill <http://publicola.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/1952-S2-AMH-UPTH-H2156.5.pdf> that was initially opposed by environmentalists passed the state House this weekend, this one with only two representatives opposed.
The legislation would greatly expand the number of situations in which developments inside Urban Growth Areas (like Seattle’s) do not have to go through environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act.
Originally, the bill was introduced by the Association of Washington Businesses and the Associations of Cities and Counties, which argued that SEPA was too burdensome for developers, given the current economic downturn. However, some environmental groups that initially opposed the bill eventually came around to supporting it, after the size of projects that were exempt from SEPA was narrowed substantially and the bill was amended to require the state department of ecology to come up with a new rationale for exemptions from SEPA by 2013.
“We said, we’re not opposed to having an thoughtful discussion about these issues, but we don’t want to do it in the crucible of the [legislative] session,” says People for Puget Sound lobbyist Bruce Wishart. “So we said there needs to be a clear, thorough rules-making process outside the legislature.”
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