Letter: Legislature Should Help Protect Lake Washington

Since city and county governments are required to complete projects to address polluted runoff, but don’t have the funds to complete them, we should be considering a new approach to fund stormwater projects through the Conservation Works Priority. This legislative priority from the environmental community would generate $100 million in general obligation bonds for a competitive funding program to construct the best projects with the highest water quality benefits. This is supported by local governments and in consultation with the Dept. of Ecology.

Millions of gallons of petroleum wash into Puget Sound, lakes, and rivers when it rains, releasing toxic substances that threaten our health and environment. Polluted runoff is the biggest water quality problem in the state, and is the number one unaddressed pollution problem facing Puget Sound.

Fortunately, the Conservation Works package is a direct path to cutting down the amount of pollution entering our waters by providing critical funds in the capital budget for local jurisdictions to address stormwater. Protecting Lake Washington and Puget Sound from harmful stormwater is something that I want to see Sen. Litzow’s support.

Jim McRoberts

Bellevue

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