SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   ESB 6315

                      AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 18, 1992

Brief Description:  Creating a task force on solid fuel burning device monitoring.

SPONSORS: Senators Barr, Owen and Metcalf

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

      Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Oke, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Barr, Conner, Owen, Snyder, and Sutherland.

Staff:  Ats Kiuchi (786‑7708)

Hearing Dates: February 6, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Surveys indicate that 20 percent of the state's air pollution sources can be traced to emissions from residential solid fuel burning devices.  The state Clean Air Act authorizes the imposition of use restrictions -- burn bans -- whenever regional or statewide atmospheric conditions result in poor circulation of air and pose potential adverse health impacts.

The manufacturers of solid fuel burning devices have been using the latest state-of-the-art technology in producing cleaner burning devices.

The industry is concerned that governmental testing requirements and certification procedures have not kept pace with their technical advancements in product design and efficiency.  This has led to higher costs for testing and certification and the resulting increased prices for the solid fuel burning devices.  The costs have also discouraged the replacement of the older devices for the newer, cleaner burning devices.   

SUMMARY:

A legislative task force is created for the purpose of reviewing current federal and state testing and certification procedures for solid fuel burning devices.  The task force shall conduct a pilot study for new testing and certification procedures for solid fuel burning devices sold in the state.

The task force shall include eight legislative appointees, two industry representatives and two from the environmental community.

An unspecified amount is appropriated from the wood stove education and enforcement account to the Department of Ecology to carry out the provisions of the act.

The task force will report its findings by November 1, 1993 and terminate July 1, 1994.

Appropriation:  unspecified

Revenue:   none

Fiscal Note:  requested January 27, 1992

TESTIMONY FOR:

State and federal requirements for testing and certification do not consider the state-of-the-art accomplishments used to produce cleaner and more efficient solid fuel burning devices.  A task force to review current requirements for testing, monitoring and certification is needed.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

Sufficient information is available without the need for a study.  Any state changes would still require federal approval.  There would be a negative impact on the wood stove education account to fund the study.

TESTIFIED:  Jerry Whitfield, Burlington (pro); David Gramlow, Spokane (pro); Stu Clark, Department of Ecology (con); Bruce Wishart, Sierra Club (con); Sam Sullivan, Washington Wood Energy Association (con)