Tag Archives: Drought

Don’t play politics with drought-relief funding

The drought promises to have a significant effect on our state’s agricultural production, and the state House needs to support funding to help farmers.

Mark Weber / Op Art (Mark Weber)

Special to The Times

THERE are many issues that faced the Legislature this year that have been subject to partisan differences and political wrangling. Ensuring that farmers across the state have the water they need to bring their crops to market should not be one of those issues.

In March, the governor declared a drought emergency for portions of the state and recently expanded that declaration to include the entire state. The state Senate responded quickly to this urgent problem by passing legislation during the first special session aimed at providing emergency drought-relief funding.

During public testimony, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the Senate and House were informed that some irrigation districts are currently facing severely low water supplies. Gov. Jay Inslee’s declaration brought attention to the challenges many families, farms and junior-water-rights holders will face this year as a result of lacking water.

Bringing this issue to the general public’s attention, however, is not enough. This is especially true when large cities continue to highlight their water security, failing to recognize the statewide effects and… Click here to read the rest of the guest editorial in the Seattle Times.

Honeyford, Warnick gain Senate support for drought relief funding

Today, on the final day of the Legislature’s special session, the Senate unanimously voted to allocate $18 million to the State Drought Preparedness Account, allowing the state Department of Ecology to begin emergency drought response as soon as the bill is approved by the House of Representatives and signed into law.

Sen. Jim Honeyford, chair of the Water Supply During Drought Joint Legislative Committee, sponsored Senate Bill 6125 in response to the expanded statewide drought declared by the governor on May 15.

“As lawmakers we need to do everything we can to assist the state’s agricultural community. I’m hopeful that the House of Representatives will act quickly to get this bill to the governor’s desk,” said Honeyford, R-Sunnyside.

To be eligible for funding, municipalities or entities must be connected with a water source that will receive less than 75 percent of normal water supply and that lack of water will cause an undue hardship to the entity or fish or wildlife.

Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, who is chair of the Senate Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development Committee as well as a drought-committee member, added the situation “is a serious issue that we are all in agreement needs to be addressed. An important part of this bill is not just the financial aspect, but also requiring ecology to consider how it prioritizes resources.”

Should drought conditions not be declared in 2016, any unused funds will be transferred to the state’s Disaster Preparedness Account.

Warnick appointed to drought committee as governor declares emergency

Sen. Judy Warnick has been appointed to the Joint Legislative Committee on Drought. Her selection came ahead of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Friday-morning declaration of a drought emergency for the east side of the central Cascade Mountains.

“I spoke with the Department of Ecology about the impending drought declaration and am glad that the governor is prioritizing this issue,” said Warnick, R-Moses Lake. “There may be funding available and we will look at any options to make sure that we can respond proactively to issues raised by the drought.”

According to Inslee’s office, the state Department of Ecology has requested $9 million to address drought relief via emergency water-right permits, transfers and changes to current water rights.

Prior to the drought declaration Warnick, chair of the Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development Committee, had scheduled a work session March 23 to discuss drought issues.

“Water access and conservation is something that affects our entire state,” Warnick said. “Drought conditions place pressure on our food supply, our families and communities. We need to find creative and collaborative solutions to make sure we can continue to provide water in critical areas. I will be bringing up these issues in my committee and fighting for relief when the drought committee meets.”

Washington has 62 watersheds, 34 of which are projected to have less than 75 percent normal water supply. Ecology has been working with municipalities to review the watersheds, several of which are in the 13th District.