Senate Bill 1316 Summary

• Exempts municipal water provider permits for reasonably anticipated future needs from the standard 5-year construction deadline, instead requiring periodic incremental proof of beneficial use statements at intervals set by the department (minimum 5 years).

• Establishes multiple extension pathways for permit completion deadlines, including extensions up to 12 years for large irrigation projects (25,000+ acre-feet) and up to 10 years for permits involving 2+ cubic feet per second or 100+ acres, with specific showing requirements.

• Creates a reinstatement procedure for lapsed permits allowing the department to reinstate with advanced priority dates within 60 days of lapse notice upon showing of reasonable cause, or later with certified examiner reports and $250 reinstatement fee.

• Allows municipal provider water right licenses to be issued incrementally for amounts corresponding to demonstrated beneficial use, with final license issued at the end of the planning horizon, and conditions prohibiting transfer outside the service area.

• Makes technical corrections including changing "abandoned" to "relinquished" for permit rights, updating references from applicants to "permit holders," and clarifying provisions apply to water right licenses.