Return to Table of Contents
|
Natural Resources
|
| GF-STATE
| ALL FUNDS
| FTEs
|
Governor's 1997-99 proposal
| $237.4 million
| $920.3 million
| 6,075.4
|
Net change from 1995-97
| $24.6 million
| $64.1 million
| 243.0
|
Percent change from 1995-97
| 11.6%
| 7.5%
| 4.2%
|
W
ASHINGTON'S NATURAL RESOURCES are a vital part of the state's
heritage, its economy, and its essential quality of life. But
these values have increasingly come into conflict with the dramatic
increase in Washington's population, which is expected to reach
5,930,000 people by the year 2000. That represents an increase
of more than one million people during the decade of the 1990s,
a time when approximately 30,000 acres of fish and wildlife habitat
are being lost to development each year. The proposed listing
of steelhead as an Endangered Species by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in August 1996 gives the state just 12 to 18 months to develop plans to avoid these listings. It is also increasingly likely that other species - including coho, chinook, and chum
salmon - will be listed in the next two years. Governor Lowry's
1997-99 budget proposal responds to five critical water-resource
issues, all of them interrelated and all requiring immediate attention.
- Endangered Species Listings: Failure to develop acceptable
plans for the restoration of steelhead and other species puts
the state at risk of the federalization of fish management and
significant restrictions upon economic activity throughout the
state. Development of plans for steelhead could provide a model
for avoiding future proposed listings expected for other salmonid
species, and for meeting state obligations under U.S. v. Washington
to provide salmon for the state's treaty tribes.
- Water Quality/Quantity: The state is faced with balancing
an increasing demand for water from out-of-stream users to meet
economic and population growth with maintaining adequate instream
flows for fish and wildlife. This problem has been exacerbated
by the lack of adequate funding for state agencies and local governments
to collect and maintain necessary data on water availability and
quality, to provide planning assistance to local governments,
to establish instream flows, or to process water right permits.
After years of planning, virtually no state money has been dedicated
to implementing local watershed plans, a key to resolving many
of the state's most critical water-resource issues.
- Puget Sound Water Quality Work Plan Implementation:
Although the Puget Sound Water Quality Work Plan has existed
for many years and has helped to prevent further degradation of
Puget Sound at a time of rapid population growth, full implementation
of the plan has been hampered by a lack of adequate funding.
- Oil Spill Prevention and Response: Between 1984 and
1994 there were 21 significant oil spills, marine casualties,
or near misses in Washington's waters. A single major spill in
these marine waters could undo years of efforts to protect these
waters and could have extensive economic impacts on Washington
citizens. The marine environment and adjacent shorelines need
vigilant protection against the devastating effect of oil spills.
- Floods: In the last 16 years, Washington has had eight
floods causing sufficient damage to merit presidential disaster
declarations. Since 1980, the state's Emergency Management Division
has distributed close to $322 million in state and federal funds
for flood assistance. These floods have resulted in a significant
loss of property, suspension of economic activity, serious damage
to fish and wildlife habitat, and tremendous disruption to people's
lives.
Watershed Management
Experience has shown that watershed management issues must be
resolved at the local level, where residents are directly affected
by these decisions. At the same time, however, local governments
do not have the financial or technical resources to resolve these
issues on their own. Governor Lowry's budget proposal would make
the state an active partner with local governments in resolving
long-standing watershed issues, while also meeting its responsibilities
in such areas as water-right permit processing, hatchery operations,
and harvest management.
In past years, this kind of comprehensive approach to water-resource
management has been stymied by the costs involved. This year,
Governor Lowry is proposing to break that logjam by
submitting a $258 million bond authorization to the voters as
a referendum on the November 1997 ballot. The bond authorization would provide grants to qualified local governmental entities for implementation of local watershed plans and cover the cost of administering the grants - evaluating applications, awarding grants, and monitoring the use of the grant dollars. As proposed by the Governor, the referendum would exempt
the GF-S debt service on the bonds from the expenditure limit
imposed by Initiative 601 and the statutory debt limit.
Support from state agencies for local planning efforts, as well
as the costs associated with the state responsibilities, would
be funded by a transfer from the Water Quality Account into the
Water Resource Administration Account. In order to meet local
demand for Water Quality Account grants, an amount of cash equivalent
to the transfer would be generated by selling $150 million in
bonds. The Water Quality Account would pay the debt service on
these bonds.
Local Watershed Plan Implementation
The cornerstone of the Governor's proposal
is state funding for the implementation of local watershed plans.
For those planning efforts to be successful, local jurisdictions
need technical assistance from a variety of state agencies, including
the departments of Ecology (DOE); Fish and Wildlife (WDFW); Natural
Resources (DNR); Health (DOH); Community, Trade, and Economic
Development (CTED); and the State Conservation Commission. In
the 1997-99 Biennium, the Governor's proposal would provide $19.1
million to assist local communities in implementing watershed
plans and $5.2 million to help them collect the data necessary
to make informed, timely decisions. State agencies would also
receive an increase of 51 staff to assist in these efforts.
Local Community Assistance - $19.1 million,
29.3 FTEs
- Financial Assistance for Implementation
of Watershed Plans - $15 million Watershed Resources Account,
5.0 FTEs: A number of local watershed
plans have already been developed, but lack funding for implementation.
By offering grants to qualified governmental entities, the Governor's
proposal would encourage the development and completion of locally
designed watershed plans to address water quantity, flood prevention,
water quality, habitat and growth issues. Staff
support is necessary to develop guidelines, evaluate and rank
local plans, and administer the grant program.
- Interagency Teams - $2.5 million Water
Resource Administration Account, 17.6 FTEs:
Direct support for local watershed planning and implementation
efforts will be provided by the DOE, WDFW, DOH, and CTED. Four
interagency teams will work directly with local groups to provide
technical expertise and information on fish and wildlife habitat,
water resources, drinking water, and growth management issues.
- GMA Plan Review - $498,000 Water Resource
Administration Account and 1.5 FTEs: The Growth Management
Act (GMA) requires that water availability and water system requirements
be integrated into local planning efforts. CTED, DOE, and DOH
will coordinate reviews and provide assistance to local governments
to enable them to integrate water availability requirements into
local comprehensive plans.
- Water Conservation - $711,000 Water
Resource Administration Account and 3.5 FTEs: In addition
to continuing the water reclamation and reuse program initiated
by Chapter 342, Laws of 1995 (SSB 5606), DOH would receive funding
to develop graywater standards for residential, municipal, and
commercial applications. Funding would also be used to support
pilot projects using graywater; develop public information materials
on graywater reuse, and provide training for local health departments
and the design community on graywater strategies.
- Public Education for Water Conservation & Reclaimed
Water - $377,000 Water Resource Administration
Account and 1.7 FTEs: DOH will develop a public-outreach
program to promote water conservation by public water systems.
Target audiences include public schools and colleges, engineering
firms, local governments, water and wastewater utilities, environmental
groups, educational organizations, and the general public.
Data and Information for Local Decision Making - $5.2 million,
21.6 FTEs
- Basin Assessments - $1.1 million Water
Resource Administration Account, 8.5 FTEs: Watershed
basin assessments provide necessary information about water use
and availability for future planning efforts, decisions on water
right permits, and growth management planning. In 1995, DOE contracted
to have 16 basins assessed, which led to decisions on approximately
738 water right permit applications. The Governor's proposal
provides DOE, CTED, and DOH with additional staff to complete
basin assessments in the remaining 43 Water Resource Inventory
Areas (WRIAs) over two biennia.
- Water Resource Data Systems - $1.4 million Water
Resource Administration Account, 1.5 FTEs: The Geographic
Water Information System (GWIS) administered by DOE would be modified
to allow information on water right applications, decisions, and
place of use to be displayed by city, county, critical area, WRIAs,
or other geographic area. The Water Right Application Tracking
System would be modified to automate the transfer of water right
decisions to the GWIS to improve data sharing capability and data
transfer. Additional well data - including point of withdrawal,
well size, aquifer data, and well type - will be collected and
entered into the Well Log Tracking System. Finally, DOE would
expand its agreement with the U.S. Geological Service to share
costs on data collection efforts for surface and groundwater.
- Geographic Information System Data - $1.3 million Water
Resource Administration Account, 2.5 FTEs: Funding
is provided to improve Geographic Information System (GIS) data
maintained by several state agencies to facilitate accurate and
timely local land-use decisions. Additional support would be
provided to CTED for detailed analysis of land-use and water-availability
data collected from local governments on demographics, flooding,
housing, and economic development. DOH would work with local
agencies in developing overlay data regarding drinking water.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR), with information collected
by the Tribes, would update the stream-typing database used in
evaluating forest practices applications and local planning efforts.
Local conservation districts would receive grants through the
State Conservation Commission to collect information about agricultural
practices which would be incorporated into DOE's GWIS, so that
local governments and conservation districts can identify where
improvements can be made.
- Water Demand Forecasting - $83,000 Water
Resource Administration Account, .3 FTEs: DOH would
contract for a nationwide evaluation of water demand forecasting
methodologies for public water systems. This information will
be used in a technical assistance document to guide public water
systems in developing forecasts.
- Statewide Habitat Support - $1.3 million Water
Resource Administration Account, 8.8 FTEs: WDFW would
receive funding to establish a habitat-monitoring system
for selected streams, providing early warning to fish managers
and local entities of changes in habitat. WDFW would also develop
clear guidelines for state and local agencies to assess aquatic
habitat and fish species.
State Responsibilities
Besides supporting local watershed planning, state agencies must
also meet their statewide responsibilities in such areas as fisheries
management, environmental protection, and water right permit processing.
The Governor's proposal provides $6 million and 39 additional
staff to help them meet these responsibilities.
- Water Right Permit Processing - $2.3 million Water Resource Administration Account, 13.5 FTEs: DOE currently receives approximately 1,200 new applications for water right permits each year. Inadequate staffing levels due to funding
cutbacks have resulted in a 4,700 permit backlog. DOE estimates
that additional staff provided under the Governor's proposal will
enable the agency to render 1,900 decisions on water-right applications
of average complexity per year, and eliminate the permit backlog
within six years. WDFW would also receive additional staff to
support the processing of permits.
- Instream Flows - $1.6 million Water
Resource Administration Account, 9.5 FTEs: Instream
flow data is used to determine when and how much water can be
withdrawn and where it can be used. It is also used to establish
adequate stream levels for fish. Instream flows have been established
for portions of 17 of the state's 62 WRIAs. Funding levels proposed
by the Governor would allow DOE, with WDFW's assistance, to set
instream flows in the remaining 44 WRIAs within seven years.
- Salmon Recovery - $2.1 million Water
Resource Administration Account, 16 FTEs: While
the state will benefit greatly from local watershed efforts,
state agencies must also address several statewide issues regarding
fish harvests and hatcheries. The Governor's proposal provides
funding to support implementation of a Wild Salmon Policy, along
with staff at WDFW to respond to increased workload requirements
anticipated as a result of additional federal listings under the
Endangered Species Act. This initiative provides for an egg take
and rearing program for Dungeness pink salmon, a stock that is
seriously threatened and demands immediate attention. Finally,
DNR will also complete a strategic plan to move to a landscape
approach for forest practices regulations.
- Transportation Related Efforts - $23.6 million Transportation
Fund, 11.5 FTEs: As part of the Governor's coordinated approach
to water issues, he has also proposed measures in the transportation
budget designed to address transportation related stormwater issues,
perform a contaminated property inventory, establish a wetland
mitigation bank, and participate in the Snohomish watershed project.
These dollar totals are not included in the summary information
about the Governor's operating budget above, but are instead reflected
in the Governor's 1997-99 transportation budget.
Puget Sound Water Quality Work Plan
Implementation
The 1995-97 Biennium saw the sunset of the Puget Sound Water Quality
Authority (the Authority). In its place, the Puget Sound Water
Quality Action Team (the Action Team), housed within the Governor's
Office, was created to develop the 1997-99 Puget Sound Water Quality
Work Plan (Work Plan) to continue efforts to protect the waters
of Puget Sound. In addition, the Puget Sound Council was created
to assist the Action Team by recommending projects and activities
that should be considered for inclusion in the Work Plan. The
Governor proposes to fund most of the highest priority Work Plan
items adopted by the Action Team.
- Financial and Technical Assistance to Implement the Puget
Sound Work Plan - $1.0 million Water Resource Administration Account,
$1.8 million Water Quality Account, $13.3 million Motor Vehicle
Fund, 3.9 FTEs: The job of protecting Puget Sound requires
a coordinated effort from all levels of government. Funding and
technical assistance from DOE, DOH, WDFW, Washington State Department
of Transportation (WSDOT), and the State Conservation Commission
will be provided to local conservation districts, health departments,
and other local entities. Programs will address nonpoint pollution,
on-site sewage problems, non-regulatory wetland protection, and
recreational shellfish issues such as beach closures. Other efforts will include the retro-fit of stormwater outfalls, implementation of the Snohomish Basin watershed pilot project, and increased
liaison efforts with public ports and local entities.
- Water Quality Monitoring and Information - $870,000 Water
Resource Administration Account, 3 FTEs: DOE will expand
water quality monitoring to cover 50 percent of the Puget Sound
basin in order to support locally-based watershed planning and
implementation efforts. In addition, DOH will incorporate water
quality monitoring data in a geographic information system (GIS).
This GIS data will provide information to local entities on declining
water quality for use in determining shellfish bed reclassifications.
- State Efforts Under the Puget Sound Work Plan - $1.5 million
Water Resource Administration Account, $10.3 million Motor Vehicle
Fund, 8.2 FTEs: WDFW will develop a programmatic environmental
impact statement for bulkhead projects that complement coastal
erosion studies and local inventory programs. WDFW will also
establish marine protected areas as a tool to protect the diversity
and productivity of fish and wildlife populations. DOE will work
to restore degraded wetlands, utilizing a systemic watershed approach.
The Puget Sound Action Team will coordinate the technical assistance
provided by state agencies in the Puget Sound basin and will explore
new funding opportunities for programs designed to protect and
enhance the waters of Puget Sound. WSDOT will establish a revolving
loan fund for WSDOT environmental mitigation projects, including
the purchase of wetland mitigation sites.
Oil Spill Prevention and Response
Given the enormous economic and ecological damage that can result
from a major oil spill, Governor Lowry believes the state should
maintain the strongest possible vigilance to prevent a major spill
from occurring in Washington's waters. In his recommendations
to the 1997 Legislature, the Governor proposes two actions designed
to safeguard these waters.
- Office of Marine Safety: Since 1991, the state Office
of Marine Safety (OMS) has successfully developed and implemented
policies designed to prevent maritime accidents. Under current
law, OMS will be transferred to DOE on June 30, 1997, unless the
Legislature takes action to maintain OMS as an independent agency.
The Governor believes that oil spill prevention efforts can best
be implemented by an independent agency dedicated to that purpose,
and is proposing legislation that would remove language from RCW
43.211.010 requiring the transfer of OMS to DOE. This will save
approximately $80,000 in administrative costs in the 1997-99 Biennium.
- Oil Spill Administration Account: The Oil Spill Administration
Account (Administration Account) was established in 1991 to fund
oil spill prevention, response, and environmental restoration
activities. Tax revenues supporting this account have been both
difficult to forecast and consistently insufficient to meet appropriated
funding levels. Consequently, several oil spill programs have
been reduced or eliminated, and transfers amounting to $5 million
have been required from the Oil Spill Response Account (Response
Account) over the years to help fund the remaining programs.
In response to the historical revenue shortfalls and a $1.7 million
deficit anticipated in the Administration Account for the 1997-99
Biennium, the Governor is proposing an ongoing transfer of funds
from the Response Account to the Administration Account.
Flood Preparedness and Assistance
As discussed in the section on Governmental Operations, the Governor
is proposing a General Fund-State (GF-S) expenditure of $16.5
million in the 1997-99 Biennium to assist local governments and
communities to recover from the devastating floods and storms
of 1995 and 1996. These funds are administered by the Emergency
Management Division of the Military Department. In addition,
the Governor is proposing $6 million in funding for local flood-control
plans along with $3.3 million for other initiatives to help mitigate
the damage from future flooding. This funding, which is administered
by the DOE and other natural resources agencies, will also support
local watershed planning and implementation.
- Flood Control Plans and Containment - $6 million Flood
Control Assistance Account: Recent flooding has demonstrated
the pressing need to update local flood control plans and address
flood-containment issues. The Governor is recommending that an
additional $6 million per biennium be transferred from the General
Fund into the Flood Control Assistance Account for these purposes.
Grants would be provided to local governments for comprehensive
flood mitigation projects, repair of damaged dikes and levees,
elevation of buildings, and purchases of frequently-flooded properties.
- Flood Warning Systems - $1.5 million GF-F: Funding
would be granted to Cowlitz, Lewis, Thurston, Snohomish and Skagit
Counties to establish flood warning systems.
- Stream Bank Stabilization - $1 million GF-F: The Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the University of Washington
have produced guidelines for stream bank stabilization. Local
governments would receive grants totaling $900,000 to implement
stream bank demonstration projects based on those guidelines.
DOE and the Emergency Management Division of the Military Department
would receive $100,000 for local government training on the new
guidelines.
- Public Information/Education Related to Floods - $500,000
GF-F: King County has a nationally recognized public information
program that has contributed to FEMA's efforts to reduce flood
insurance rates for local residents. DOE would contract with
King County to prepare a comprehensive flood awareness education/information
program.
- Flood Hazard Assessment - $215,000 Transportation Funds,
1.7 FTEs: DOT, with the assistance of the departments of
DOE, WDFW, and CTED, will establish one or more pilot projects
on the Chehalis, Skagit and/or Yakima Rivers. Each project will
identify factors throughout the watershed that contribute to road-
and bridge-related flood problems, estimate costs necessary to
address these issues, and prioritize projects for implementation.
This work will be done in cooperation with local and tribal governments.
- Intergovernmental Coordination - $108,000 GF-F, .3 FTE:
A state Flood Preparedness Council, chaired by DOE, would be
created to improve agency coordination and focus on top priorities
in preparing and responding to floods. The Council will recommend
standard definitions and methods for prioritizing flood-hazard
reduction methods, and will report to the Legislature on the prioritized
needs for flood preparedness and response.
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|
Capital Budget
|
| NEW GF-S/GF-S BONDS
| ALL FUNDS
| TOTAL ALL FUNDS
|
Governor's 1997 supplemental
| $112.1 million
| 0 |
$112.1 million
|
Governor's 1997-99 proposal
| $934.2 million
| $897.3 million
| $1,831.5 million
|
Total - New Appropriations
| $1,046.3 million
| $897.3 million
| $1,943.6 million
|
Net change from current 1995-97
| $220.9 million
| $59.8 million
| $280.7 million
|
Percent change from current 1995-97
| 26.8%
| 7.1%
| 16.9%
|
T
HE 1997-2007 CAPITAL PLAN lays out a ten-year proposal for the
necessary investments in facilities and infrastructure to provide
essential government services, promote economic development, and
enhance the quality of life in Washington State into the next
century. Proposed appropriations for new projects in the 1997-99
Biennium total $1.8 billion, with $934.2 million funded by the
proceeds of general fund-supported bond sales. An additional
$1.4 billion in reappropriation authorization is requested to
allow currently funded projects to proceed.
Key Priorities
The capital budget from bond funds proposed for the 1997-99 Biennium
must be viewed together with the 1997 supplemental operating budget
proposed by the Governor. The supplemental budget includes four
capital items: $50.0 million for public school construction grants,
$38.5 million for the Harborview Medical Center research facility
for the University of Washington, $21.0 million for construction
of a Health Sciences facility at the Joint Center for Higher Education
in Spokane, and $2.6 million for the Building for the Arts program
for the Seattle Symphony. The $112.1 million provided for these
projects in the 1997 supplemental budget, added to the $934.2
million in new bond appropriations for the 1997-99 Biennium, brings
total state bond and general fund commitments for capital purposes
to $1.05 billion. The priorities for this $1.05 billion plan
are clear:
- 53 percent for public school and higher education construction,
including the resources provided through the timber trust land
transfer program. This is the largest functional area of the
capital budget, recognizing that education is the single most
critical investment for sustained economic growth. Higher education
investments will provide space for additional students, primarily
at the new collocated branch campus in Bothell, and at existing
community college campuses.
- 19 percent for the Department of Corrections, with
the largest project being the construction of the Stafford Creek
prison in Grays Harbor County at $155.6 million. This 1,936 bed
facility is needed to house the offenders remanded to the Department's
supervision. It will be completed in December, 1999 and will
be fully operational by June 30, 2000.
- 7 percent for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation
Program (WWRP) to provide grants to state agencies and local governments
for acquisition and development of wildlife and recreation programs.
- 6 percent for housing assistance programs, funding
made more essential in light of recent federal cuts.
New appropriations from other funds of $897.3 million are recommended
in this capital budget. The major elements funded from these
dedicated sources include:
- 28 percent for construction of public schools financed
from timber revenues, deposits from the general fund proposed
in the 1997 supplemental budget, and the timber trust land transfer
program.
- 22 percent for environmental protection through the
Water Quality, Local Toxics Control, and Water Pollution Control
Revolving accounts.
- 18 percent for loans to local governments for infrastructure
improvements through the Public Works Trust Fund.
- 11 percent for capital improvements at colleges and
universities through local funds from timber and other sources
specifically dedicated to each institution.
Achieving Balance in the Capital Plan
Accommodating the diverse and competing needs for capital investments
over the next ten years poses a major challenge for this Ten-Year
Capital Plan. Expanding population growth is pressuring higher
education and K-12 enrollments as well as the capacity of adult
prison and juvenile offender institutions. These population pressures
are causing many regions of the state to confront decisions about
water quality, water supply, land use and preservation, and access
to recreational opportunities. The Governor's proposed 1997-99
capital budget and Ten-Year Plan strive to balance these concerns
through the WWRP program, affordable housing programs, economic
development investments, and by replacing outdated facilities
and investing in new technologies for schools and state facilities.
The Governor's proposed 1997-99 capital budget and Ten-Year Plan
make progress in the most critical areas in a coordinated and
affordable manner.
Creating an Affordable Capital Plan
Two statutory fiscal limits define the boundaries for the capital
plan. The 7 percent statutory debt limit sets out the maximum
amount that can be spent for debt service at any point in the
future, measured as a percentage of general state revenues. Since
debt service on previously issued bonds is fixed, the statutory debt limit restricts the amount of new bond-funded projects that can be initiated in the 1997-99 and 1999-01 biennia. After that point, the structure of previously sold bonds allows the amount of new appropriations to increase. In addition, Initiative 601
sets the financing limit for bond-supported capital programs,
since general fund dollars used to pay debt service are subject
to the limit. The recommended Ten-Year Plan for bonds will result
in debt service growth of 16.8 percent in the 1997-99 Biennium.
This decreases over the following two biennia to approximately
8.3 percent in 2001-03. For the next two biennia, this rate of
growth in debt service is above the Initiative 601 fiscal growth
factor.
General Fund Capital Appropriations and Debt Service
Dollars in Millions
|
| | New General Fund
Bond Appropriation
|
Debt Service
| Percent Growth
Debt Service
|
| 1993-95
| 952
| 721
| 24%
|
| 1995-97
| 825
| 843
| 17%
|
| 1997-99
| 934
| 985
| 17%
|
| 1999-01
| 921
| 1,122
| 14%
|
| 2001-03
| 962
| 1,215
| 8%
|
| 2003-05
| 972
| 1,259
| 4%
|
| 2005-07
| 997
| 1,388
| 10%
|
Management Improvements
The Office of Financial Management has continued to work with
agencies to find ways to maximize the effectiveness of capital
investments. Management improvements implemented for this Capital
Plan include a new process for evaluating the financial implications
of alternate financing proposals. The total costs for each proposed
alternate financing project are now clearly presented in short-term
cash flow and long-term present value investment terms. The full
cost implications of each proposal are clearly displayed so that
projects proposed on the basis of anticipated savings can be accurately
evaluated. Similarly, the future cost/savings for projects proposed
on the basis of program, service, or operational need can now
be reviewed with more comprehensive and accurate financial information.
Capital Plan by Functional Areas
Education
- State Board of Education: A total of $251 million
is provided in new funds in the 1997 supplemental budget and the
1997-99 capital budget to assist local school districts with new
construction and modernization projects. This includes $50 million
from the trust land transfer program.
- University of Washington: The University of Washington
construction program totals $188.9 million in new funds in the
1997 supplemental and 1997-99 capital budget. Construction of
the Harborview Research and Training Facility is included in the
1997 supplemental budget. The 1997-99 capital budget includes
funds for major projects on the Seattle campus including construction
of the Law School and the Oceanography Building, decommissioning
and remodeling the old Nuclear Reactor building for the School
of Mechanical Engineering, and design of modern research laboratories
located in the Health Sciences Center. Funding is also provided
for construction of the first phase of the new collocated Bothell
branch campus, and for soil cleanup at the Tacoma branch campus
site.
- Washington State University: A total of $84.2 million
is included for new projects at Washington State University (WSU).
Major construction projects include renovation of Bohler Gym
and Thompson Hall, and renovation and an addition to Kimbrough
Hall. Design funds are provided for the Teaching and Learning
Center, along with funds for the preservation of various buildings
on the Pullman campus. Funds are also provided for design of
the Engineering Building, construction of physical plant facilities,
and road and site improvements at the WSU-Vancouver branch campus.
- Community and Technical Colleges: The capital budget
includes $164.2 million for new projects. New funds are provided
to begin construction of a collocated campus for the new Cascadia
Community College in Bothell, and construction of projects at
North Seattle, Everett, South Seattle, Olympic (Poulsbo Branch
Campus), and Bellevue. Predesign funds are provided to initiate
a new series of projects at Clover Park, Bellingham, Lake Washington,
Renton, and Skagit Valley. Funds for facility and infrastructure
preservation are provided for every campus across the state.
- Joint Center for Higher Education: A total of $21
million is provided in the 1997 supplemental budget for design
and construction of a new Health Sciences building that will be
utilized by both Washington State University and Eastern Washington
University for health-related programs. The second phase of the
facility, including research space, is scheduled for funding in
the 2001-03 Biennium.
- Eastern Washington University: The budget provides
$23.7 million for new projects including renovation of classroom
spaces, expanding the telecommunications infrastructure and preservation
of buildings and infrastructure on the campus.
- Central Washington University: The budget provides
$14.5 million for infrastructure and preservation projects. Funds
are provided to complete ongoing projects including the renovation
of Black Hall and construction of the new science facility.
- The Evergreen State College: The budget provides $9.1
million for new projects including improvements to the Lecture
Hall.
- Western Washington University: A total of $27.7 million
for new projects includes design of the Campus Services facility,
predesign for a new Communications facility, campus expansion,
telecommunications infrastructure expansion, and other infrastructure
and preservation projects.
- Higher Education Coordinating Board: The Board will
receive $2 million to distribute to higher education institutions
for the construction of classrooms to accommodate K-20 technology
improvements.
- Washington State Historical Society: The budget provides
$2.9 million for the first phase of major renovation and seismic
stabilization at the Stadium Way facility in Tacoma, and a $1.9
million pool of funds for competitive grants for heritage projects
across the state.
- Eastern Washington State Historical Society: Included
in the budget is the design of an addition to the Cheney Cowles
Museum located in Spokane and funds to preserve the existing facilities.
Human Services
- Department of Corrections: A total of $200.6 million
is budgeted for new projects, including $155.6 million to construct
the 1,936 bed multi-custody Stafford Creek Correctional Center
in Grays Harbor County. Funding is included to convert medium
custody housing to close custody at the Monroe Reformatory, design
a 400 bed pre-release facility at Tacoma, begin site selection
for a new $106.7 million women's facility, and design for the
expansion of the Monroe Special Offender Unit to 400 beds in conjunction
with the Department of Social and Health Services Civil Commitment
Center. Authorization for alternate financing to construct a
Tacoma pre-release center on tribal lands is also provided.
- Department of Social and Health Services: The budget
includes $64.1 million in new funds, including continued funding
for the residential redevelopment of Green Hill School to increase
capacity to 416 beds, addition of new and replacement beds at
Maple Lane School, and site selection and related costs for a
new 300-bed Juvenile Rehabilitation institution at a site to be
determined. Funding is also provided for renovation of the Eastern
State Hospital Eastlake Building for legal offenders. Design
funds are provided for a $43 million replacement of the Western
State Hospital Legal Offenders Unit.
- Department of Health: Funding is provided for design
of a 9,800 square foot expansion of the public health laboratory
in Seattle to consolidate newborn screening and other laboratory
functions into the main facility.
- Department of Veterans Affairs: Preservation projects
totaling $5.1 million are provided at the veterans homes. Also
included is funding to perform a feasibility study analyzing housing
options and preparing a plan for the future of the Washington
Veterans Home at Retsil. A feasibility study for the Soldiers
Home at Orting is planned for the 1999-01 Biennium.
Natural Resources
- Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation: The
budget includes $70 million for grants to state agencies and local
governments for acquisition and development of wildlife and recreation
lands under the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP).
With the funding level provided in the Ten-Year Plan, the full
commitment to the WWRP program identified by the Capital Forum
will be achieved. Total funding for all grant programs is $98.8
million.
- Department of Ecology: The Department will receive
$206.2 million in new funds, including $70.5 million from the
Centennial Clean Water Fund, $31.4 million from the Local Toxics
Control Account, $53.2 million in state funds and $44 million
in federal funds from the Water Pollution Control Revolving Account,
and $6.4 million for the Resource Conservation Recovery Act.
- Department of Natural Resources: The Department will
receive $114.8 million for new projects including $53 million
for the trust land transfer program that provides funding for
public school construction, permanent protection of forested lands,
and the purchase of replacement trust lands. Also provided is
$25 million for replacement of trust lands with low income generating
potential, $15 million for trust land replacement, $4 million
for aquatic land enhancement grants, and $10.2 million to create
jobs for displaced forest product workers.
- Department of Fish and Wildlife: A total of $35.4
million in new funding is provided for renovation and stewardship
of fish and wildlife facilities and resources across the state.
- State Parks and Recreation Commission: New projects
totaling $21.2 million are provided to preserve and maintain facilities,
upgrade utilities, and improve roads and access throughout the
park system.
Government Operations
- Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development:
A total of $245.9 million for new programs includes $158
million for Public Works Trust Fund loans; $60 million for housing
assistance, weatherization and affordable housing programs; $11
million for Community Economic Revitalization Board loans and
grants for local infrastructure improvements; $4.7 million in
new funds to assist community-based family service providers to
acquire and rehabilitate buildings used for services to low-income
people, $5 million for the Development Loan Fund, $3.9 million
for Building for the Arts grants in the 1997-99 Biennium, and
$2.6 million for completion of the Building for the Arts grant
to the Seattle Symphony in the 1997 supplemental budget.
- Department of General Administration: The $49.6 million
provided for new projects includes $8.8 million to continue the
correction of safety concerns at the Plaza/Department of Transportation
Garage, construction of the "Arc of Statehood" as part
of the Heritage Park project, continued preservation of the buildings
owned and managed by the Department of General Administration
on the Capitol Campus and around the state, and project management
expenses. Also included is funding to begin the cleaning and
preservation of the historic sandstone buildings on the Capitol
Campus.
- Secretary of State: The $2.3 million recommendation
for new projects includes funds to purchase land and design the
Eastern Branch Archives to be located on the Riverpoint Campus
in Spokane.
- Office of Financial Management: The capital budget
of the Office of Financial Management includes $14.3 million in
new funds for distribution to agencies for asbestos abatement,
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and environmental
cleanup associated with underground storage tank removal.
- Military Department: A total of $9.4 million for new
projects is provided to preserve the existing armories (community
centers) around the state. Also included is the continuation
of funding to complete construction of the new Emergency Operations
Center located at Camp Murray.
- Department of Revenue: The budget authorizes the use
of alternate financing for the Department of Revenue to construct
a new headquarters building in Thurston County in order to consolidate
the operations of the Department.
Transportation
- Washington State Patrol: New project funds totaling
$9.6 million will fund the upgrade of district headquarters and
other support facilities across the state. Also included is funding
to continue development of the Fire Training Center, upgrade the
existing communication system, and design replacement space for
the existing Seattle crime laboratory. The new laboratory will
be collocated with the Seattle Police Department and University
of Washington toxicology laboratories.
- Department of Transportation: The budget provides
the Department of Transportation with funds to continue ferry
boat and terminal construction and renovation, and office and
support facilities renovation and upgrades.
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