SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   HJM 4005

         AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES, APRIL 5, 1991

Brief Description:  Requesting Congress to create a HAMMER training center at Hanford.

SPONSORS:Representatives Bray, Edmondson, Ludwig, Lisk, Rayburn, Grant, Orr, Neher, Nealey, Riley, Prince, Inslee and Hochstatter.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Thorsness, Chairman; Saling, Vice Chairman; Jesernig, Nelson, Patterson, Roach, Stratton, Sutherland, and Williams. 

Staff:  Phil Moeller (786‑7445)

Hearing Dates:April 4, 1991; April 5, 1991

BACKGROUND:

Emergency response to hazardous materials problems is becoming an increasingly technical and specialized matter requiring extensive education and frequent training.

The Hanford Reservation has a greater than average concentration of hazardous materials while at the same time having highly qualified technical and scientific people working on site.

No facility exists with the resources to provide adequate hazardous materials emergency management training as required by federal and state law.

The Hanford Reservation offers an ideal training facility site with isolated land, benign weather, a host of hands-on training opportunities nearby for students, and a wealth of readily available scientific and technical resource persons.

SUMMARY:

Congress and the President are urged to act to create a hazardous materials management and emergency response (HAMMER) training center on the Hanford Reservation.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

This training center, if approved by Congress, will become a regional and national resource.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Representative Bray, prime sponsor (pro); Roger Ferris, Washington Fire Commissioners Association (pro); Otto Jensen, State Fire Chiefs (pro)