(1) The conservation commission has the following duties:

(a) Provide assistance as may be appropriate to the conservation districts in the discharge of their responsibilities as management agencies in dairy nutrient management program implementation;

(b) Provide coordination for conservation district programs at the state level through special arrangements with appropriate federal and state agencies, including oversight of the review, approval, and certification of dairy nutrient management plans;

(c) Inform conservation districts of activities and experiences of other conservation districts relative to agricultural water quality protection, and facilitate an interchange of advice, experience, and cooperation between the districts;

(d) Provide an informal hearing for disputes between dairy producers and local conservation districts pertaining to: (i) Denial of approval or denial of certification of dairy nutrient management plans; (ii) modification or amendment of plans; (iii) conditions contained in plans; (iv) application of any dairy nutrient management practices, standards, methods, and technologies to a particular dairy farm; and (v) the failure to adhere to the plan review and approval timelines identified in RCW 90.64.026. An informal hearing may also provide an opportunity for dairy producers who are constrained from timely compliance with the planning requirements of this chapter because of financial hardship or local permitting delays to petition for additional time to comply;

(e) Encourage communication between the conservation district personnel and local department personnel;

(f) Accept nominations and appoint members to serve on the *advisory and oversight committee with advice of the Washington association of conservation districts and the department;

(g) Provide a cochair to the *advisory and oversight committee;

(h) Report to the legislature by December 1st of each year until 2003 on the status of dairy nutrient management planning and on the technical assistance provided to dairy producers in carrying out the requirements of this chapter; and

(i) Work with the department to provide communication outreach to representatives of agricultural and environmental organizations to receive feedback on implementation of this chapter.

(2) The commission's capability to carry out its responsibilities under this chapter is contingent upon the availability of funding and resources to implement a dairy nutrient management program.

*Reviser's note: The dairy nutrient management program advisory and oversight committee was created in section 8, chapter 262, Laws of 1998, which was vetoed.