Stock water: McCoy joins panel ‘reviewing the state of our resource’

Working group will develop 2010 legislative recommendations

June 24, 2009

OLYMPIA – Water matters – water use, reuse, abuse, misuse, overuse, and other topics involving what is undoubtedly one of the hottest of hot-button issues – have forever been up toward the top of state Rep. John McCoy’s legislative agenda. And now, just this week, the Snohomish County lawmaker has received the call to additional committee-service that will keep him right where he should feel quite at home: plugging away in the eye of the water storm.

McCoy, D-Tulalip, was appointed to the Stock Water Working Group – a committee made up of voices from the farming and environmental communities, as well as representatives from state agencies, the federal government, and Native American tribes.

Washington State House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, appointed McCoy and three other legislators to the committee: state Rep. Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen, and a pair of House Republicans.

“I look forward to joining the discussions that I know the Working Group will address in the coming months,” said McCoy, who is also a member of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee where any number of water issues invariably bubble to the surface in public meetings and fact-finding endeavors.

McCoy said the new committee’s action will include “reviewing the state of our resource – such as issues and answers surrounding the use of permit-exempt wells for stock-watering purposes.” He said he’s confident the group will craft recommendations for the 2010 legislative session.

“We’ll deliver a report to the governor and the appropriate legislative committees by this coming December,” he noted. “I’m committed to finding strategies for responsible and realistic water-conservation.”

McCoy explained that the state’s Ground Water Code has required a water-right permit for any new withdrawal of ground water since the policy was written 64 years ago.

The Code grandfathers ground-water rights that existed before 1945, and it also exempts some new withdrawals from the permit requirement. The code states that a permit is not required for:

* Withdrawal of public ground waters for stock-watering purposes.
* Withdrawal of public ground waters for the watering of a lawn or of a non-commercial garden not exceeding one-half acre in area.
* Withdrawal of public ground waters for single or group domestic uses in an amount not exceeding 5,000 gallons a day.
* Withdrawal of public ground waters for an industrial purpose in an amount not exceeding 5,000 gallons a day.

McCoy is serving in his fourth legislative term, and he also chairs the House Technology, Energy & Communications Committee. He represents the 38th Legislative District, which includes the Tulalip, Marysville and Everett communities of Snohomish County.
Having served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, McCoy retired in 1981 with a great deal of training in computer operations and programming. He worked as a computer technician in the White House from 1982 to 1985. He is active with the United Way, the Native American advisory boards for the National and Snohomish County Boys and Girls clubs, and the advisory board for the Cascade Land Conservancy.

Married since 1965, John and Jeannie McCoy have three daughters and nine grandchildren.