HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESHB 115

BYHouse Committee on Environmental Affairs (originally sponsored by Representatives Rust, Allen, Brekke, May, Walker, Nutley and Lux)

Providing for single authority to be responsible for solid waste management and eliminating city comprehensive solid waste management plans.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (13)

     Signed by Representatives Rust, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; Allen, Brekke, Jesernig, Lux, May, Pruitt, Schoon, D. Sommers, Sprenkle, Unsoeld and Walker.

House Staff:Susan Gulick (786-7116)

AS PASSED HOUSE JANUARY 15, 1988

BACKGROUND:

All local governments are required to prepare solid waste management plans.  The plans must include:  (1) an inventory of existing facilities, waste types and quantities of wastes; (2) a 20-year projection of future facility needs and future waste generation; (3) a program for developing additional facilities, if needed, in a manner consistent with other local plans; (4) a program of surveillance and control; (5) an inventory of current collection needs and operations, including a projection of needs for the next six years; and (6) a review of potential sites that meet specified siting criteria.  All plans must be reviewed and approved by the Department of Ecology.

Currently cities have the option of (1) preparing their own plan; (2) entering into an agreement to prepare a joint city-county plan; or (3) authorizing the county to include management provisions for the city's solid waste as part of the county's solid waste management plan.

Each county is required to establish a local solid waste advisory committee to assist in developing solid waste programs and policies.  The committees consist of nine members and include representatives of public interest groups, business, the waste management industry and local elected officials.  Members are appointed by the county legislative authority.

SUMMARY:

By January 1, 1988, every county and the cities within the county must enter into an interlocal agreement to prepare a comprehensive solid waste management plan.  The interlocal agreement must 1) designate a local government entity to serve as lead agency responsible for plan preparation, 2) provide for joint financing of the plan, 3) delineate the responsibilities of the various jurisdictions for plan preparation and implementation, and 4) provide for existing solid waste facilities.

Every county and the cities within the county must prepare a coordinated and comprehensive solid waste management plan.  Any city with a population of more than 100,000 and any city that disposes of all its own wastes in its own facility, may prepare its own plan to be integrated into the comprehensive plan for the county.  The plan must designate a single entity that will have the authority to designate, operate, manage, regulate, and set rates for solid waste disposal sites covered by the plan.

Each jurisdiction covered by the plan must adopt or reject the plan within six months of completion of the plan.  The plan will be forwarded to the Department of Ecology for approval unless the jurisdictions representing a majority of the population reject the plan or portions of the plan.  If these jurisdictions reject any part of the plan, or if a plan is not prepared, the Department of Ecology will adopt the necessary portions of a plan for the county and the cities within the county.

Any city or county that owns or operates a solid waste facility shall continue to be designated entity responsible for the facility unless the legislative authority of the city or county approves otherwise.  Once a solid waste disposal site has been designated by a plan, amendments to the plan may not remove that designation unless the site is not in accordance with its permits.  The provisions of this bill cannot be construed to require a city or county to abandon a planned or operating facility where the city or county has issued bonds or other obligations.

Owners or operators of a solid waste disposal site must provide a description of the current and projected costs for a site and an analysis of the rates.

Local solid waste advisory committees are no longer limited to nine members.  Members are appointed by local elected officials, and one small city and all cities that operate solid waste disposal sites are guaranteed a position on the committee.

Fiscal Note:    Attached.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     League of Women Voters of Washington; Association of Counties; King County.

House Committee - Testified Against: Association of Cities; Port Angeles City Manager.

House Committee - Testimony For:     Proper management of solid waste is a very expensive task.  In order to accomplish effective and efficient solid waste management there is a need for coordinated planning between counties and cities.  Current law allows the cities to avoid long term solutions to the problem.

House Committee - Testimony Against: Cities would lose current authority to prepare independent plans.  The bill attempts to fix something that is not broken.