HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2486

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported by House Committee On:

Environment

General Government & Information Technology

Title: An act relating to updating specified environmental statutes of the department of ecology to improve efficiency and provide for increased flexibility for local governments.

Brief Description: Updating specified environmental statutes of the department of ecology to improve efficiency and provide for increased flexibility for local governments.

Sponsors: Representatives Fitzgibbon, Tharinger, Ryu, Van De Wege and McBride; by request of Department of Ecology.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Environment: 1/21/16, 2/1/16 [DPS];

General Government & Information Technology: 2/5/16 [DPS(ENVI)].

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

  • Eliminates conflicting provisions in statutes that authorize programs administered by the Department of Ecology (ECY).

  • Changes the ECY's beneficial use determination processes for solid wastes, the ECY's scope of authority to regulate noise, and the ECY's statewide oil spill planning duties.

  • Expands and clarifies the scope of decisions, orders, and penalties issued by the ECY that are appealable to the Pollution Control Hearings Board.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives Fitzgibbon, Chair; Peterson, Vice Chair; Farrell, Fey, Goodman and McBride.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 5 members: Representatives Shea, Ranking Minority Member; Short, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dye, Pike and Taylor.

Staff: Jacob Lipson (786-7196).

Background:

The Department of Ecology (ECY) is responsible for managing many of the state's environmental programs and policies. The ECY's authority derives from multiple statutes that direct it to manage the state's water resources, air quality, pollution, solid and hazardous wastes, toxic hazards, and the state shorelines. Some of the programs administered by the ECY include the authority to:

Aggrieved parties may appeal many types of ECY administrative decisions, orders, and penalties to the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB), which is a quasi-judicial state agency.

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Summary of Substitute Bill:

Programs administered by the ECY are amended to consolidate program implementation, eliminate inconsistencies among statutes, clarify statutory language, make technical changes, and repeal provisions that do not reflect current agency program administrative practices. The jurisdiction of the PCHB is expanded, and the PCHB statute is also updated to mirror existing references to PCHB review in other environmental statutes. Changes are made to the following statutes:

Specific details of the substantive changes to ECY programs and PCHB appeals include:

Pollution Control Hearings Board.

The following actions by the ECY are made appealable to the PCHB:

Solid Waste.

The following changes to solid waste management laws are made:

Noise Control.

The following changes to noise control laws are made:

Oil Spill Planning.

The following changes to oil spill laws are made:

Shoreline Management Act.

The following changes to the Shoreline Management Act are made:

Other Programs.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

Money remaining in the eliminated VRA is transferred to the STCA, rather than to the Coastal Protection Fund. The state oil spill contingency plan prepared by the ECY may be prepared as a component of a regional plan required under federal law.

The ECY's administrative fee charged to stewardship organizations implementing mercury light stewardship programs is reduced from a flat annual rate of $5,000 per participating light producer to an annual rate of up $5,000 per producer, determined annually by the ECY in conjunction with the stewardship organization.

Appeals of corrective action orders issued by local air authorities must be heard in front of the full three person PCHB panel, rather than before a single PCHB member or administrative appeals judge. Penalties of less than $15,000 must be heard by at least one PCHB member, rather than by an administrative appeals judge.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Preliminary fiscal note available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: This bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed, except for section 4, relating to the authority of the Pollution Control Hearings Board, which takes effect June 30, 2019.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) It is in the interest of regulated parties and other stakeholders to have clarity in environmental statutes, and to eliminate conflicting provisions. The goal of this bill is to improve clarity, not to change regulatory requirements. Parties subject to a penalty or order should be able to look at state laws and clearly understand if something can be appealed to the PCHB. The ECY no longer actively administers a noise control program, yet the statute gives a false and confusing impression that the agency is actively overseeing local programs.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Fitzgibbon, prime sponsor; and Tom Clingman, Department of Ecology.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GENERAL GOVERNMENT & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Majority Report: The substitute bill by Committee on Environment be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 4 members: Representatives Hudgins, Chair; Kuderer, Vice Chair; Morris and Senn.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 2 members: Representatives MacEwen, Ranking Minority Member; Caldier, Assistant Ranking Minority Member.

Staff: Dan Jones (786-7118).

Summary of Recommendation of Committee On General Government & Information Technology Compared to Recommendation of Committee On Environment:

No new changes were recommended.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed, except for section 4, relating to the authority of the Pollution Control Hearings Board, which takes effect June 30, 2019.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This is agency request legislation that would improve the efficiency, clarity, and consistency of about a dozen statutes. The mercury light stewardship program is working very well, but the costs of oversight are not as high as expected in earlier years, so a modification of the fees is warranted.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Tom Clingman, Department of Ecology; and Charlie Brown, National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.