Senate Passes Drought Relief Package

The state Senate has approved $18 million in emergency drought relief as lawmakers wrapped up its first special session Thursday.
But the House hasn't taken action yet, so the Department of Ecology is waiting for about $9.6 million it requested to help farmers and others facing hardships from water shortages.
Ecology first asked for money in March, when Gov. Jay Inslee declared a drought emergency in the Yakima, Walla Walla and Dungeness regions. This month, Inslee extended that emergency declaration statewide.
The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved Senate Bill 6125, which would make $18 million available over two years. The money would be used to lease water for farmers, protect fish and help municipalities or others with drought-related projects such as drilling emergency wells.
Sen. Jim Honeyford, a Republican from Sunnyside, says lawmakers need to do everything to help the state's agricultural community.
The state is projecting $1.2 billion in crop losses from the drought.