WRIA 62 WMP 032305 - Washington State Department of Ecology

March, 2005 -77- 023-1289-003.3040
Pend Oreille County confirmed that road building and maintenance and the consequent impacts to
water quality are being adequately addressed on County roads as a component of the Eastern
Washington Stormwater Management Phase II BMPs.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) currently addresses erosion control, water
quality, stormwater and habitat issues through the implementation of the Highway Runoff Manual,
the Eastern Washington Stormwater Manual, and the Maintenance 4(d) Manual. These are standard
components of WSDOT’s planning, design, construction and maintenance operations. In addition,
WSDOT has applied for a statewide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Phase II permit from Ecology. This permit will involve implementing Stormwater Management
Controls and likely include a statewide public education component among other minimum
requirements. With these procedures, guidances and programs in place, WSDOT should be able to
meet and in some instances, exceed the expectations outlined for WSDOT in the Watershed Planning
actions. WSDOT has stated that, through all of their stages of development from Planning though
Maintenance as they pertain to Water Quality, Stormwater, Erosion Control, Habitat or related
Watershed concerns, WSDOT will be cooperative in participating in multiple entity projects as
applicable and as funding permits. WSDOT are and will continue to offer technical assistance as
needed.
WSDOT in cooperation with WDFW conducts fish barrier assessments on WSDOT Right of Way
and has a program in place to address the prioritization, replacement/retrofit of these structures. The
fish barrier work is implemented based on legislative funding and the scope of the projects in the
area.
Currently, Ecology, WSDOT and WDFW are working on a pilot study referred to as the
Transportation Permit Efficiency and Accountability Committee (TPEAC). This pilot study aims to
integrate transportation design work and regulatory issues early in the project rather than at the time
when an environmental problem (such as a water quality violation) is identified – which is usually
during construction or after the project has been completed. This new approach uses watershed and
local planning information early (e.g. pre-design). The process is currently being piloted by habitat
and field staff on a road widening project on US 12 near Walla Walla, SR 59 near Lynden and I-5
near Centralia. The Watershed Pla nning Unit recommends that the Implementing Body tracks these
projects to see if this approach would be applicable to road building and maintenance in WRIA 62.
4.5.5 GR&LU-4 Background and Rationale
Problem Statement: The Pend Oreille County Shoreline Master Program needs to be updated.
The Pend Oreille County Shoreline Master Plan was completed in August 1974. An updated program
is required by Ecology by 2012. The Planning Unit discussed the need to update the Plan prior to the
2012 deadline to address increasing development of the shorelines within WRIA 62. However the
County could not commit to updating the Plan in the near future due to limited staffing and funding
resources. The County supports assistance from the Implementing Body and hopes that the
Watershed Planning Implementing Body will continue to function as a group to be able to provide
assistance to the County at the time when the Shoreline Plan can be updated. In addition to assistance
from the Implementing Body, there may be Shoreline Master Program grants available from Ecology
in the future to help Pend Oreille County update its Shoreline Master Plan.
WRIA 62 WMP 032305