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Gregoire aides launch effort to streamline natural-resources agencies

• Published September 14, 2009

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Members of Gov. Chris Gregoire's cabinet went public today with draft ideas today for what could evolve into a major restructuring or reshaping of government agencies in the natural resources areas.

The overarching goal is to streamline government, make it less frustrating for the public that needs government services, and save money where possible, according to Robin Arnold-Williams, director of the governor's executive policy office. She and members of Gregoire’s natural-resources "sub-cabinet" outlined the broad concepts with reporters at the Capitol.

The ideas are going out for public comment for the first time this week. Here is a link to a question and answer guide to the theoretical changes. Here is another link to a news release on the topic.

"These changes are not easy. They are not quick. They don’t happen overnight," Arnold-Williams said.

Given Gregoire's struggle to get rid of boards and commissions in the last legislative session, that might be understatement.

The proposals are all pretty big picture so far. One possible approach is to take common functions from multiple agencies and put them into a single agency. Or perhaps multiple agencies would share certain geographic-information system data, or even law enforcement. Yet another concept is to have a single office take applications for permits that now are issued by multiple agencies, and have that one office issue the finished permit.

There are about 26 ideas, and none is even a recommendation — let alone a sure thing — at this point, according to Arnold-Williams. They are lumped into four main areas: organizing functions by agency; sharing services common to multiple agencies; improving environmental protection while also streamlining permits and compliance efforts; and streamlining hearings boards and other quasi-judicial boards.

In the end, the nearly dozen agencies that have some natural-resources functions could see part or all of their work transferred to a handful of new consolidated agencies. Those range from the Department of Ecology to the departments of Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife, Agriculture, state parks, and offices that include the Puget Sound Partnership, State Conservation Commission, Recreation and Conservation, Environmental Hearings, and others.

The recommendations that eventually emerge from the public comment period by late October will likely be part of Gregoire’s regulatory reform proposals that are due to come out in November, according to Arnold-Williams.

The governor's staff created an online page linked from the governor’s web page where residents can get more information about the proposals, and submit comments. The comment period runs through Oct. 28.

Gregoire's natural-resources adviser John Mankowski took pains to describe the concepts as “26 distinct ideas’’ rather than proposals.

Lenny Young, a cabinet representative from the Department of Natural Resources, said agency leaders are showing openness to ideas and willingness to consider changes. "I think everybody has embraced change," Young said.

State employee groups and environmentalists are monitoring the effort.