SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5878

                       AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 14, 1991

Brief Description:  Including grants to other state agencies in the types of grants that the department of ecology administers from tire fee funds.

SPONSORS:Senators Stratton and Saling.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES

Majority Report:  Do pass.

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

Staff:  Phil Moeller (786‑7445)

Hearing Dates:March 1, 1991; March 5, 1991

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) administers a fund to promote ways to recycle waste vehicle tires.  The main source of this fund is a $1 per tire fee that is charged on the retail sales of new replacement vehicle tires.

Ecology is directed to administer the funds by making grants to local governments for:  pilot demonstration projects for on-site shredding and recycling of tires from unauthorized dump sites; enforcement programs; a public information program; and product marketing studies for recycled tires and alternatives to land disposal.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Ecology is authorized to make grants to other state agencies for projects that involve recycling of or energy production from waste tires.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested March 1, 1991

TESTIMONY FOR:

This legislation further clarifies options for the Department of Ecology and may lead to a positive solution to the problem of waste vehicle tires.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Joseph Munger, Process Fuels, Inc. (pro); Lynn Lodmel, DOC-CI; Jay Sheppard, Department of Ecology