FINAL BILL REPORT

                 HJM 4007

Brief Description:  Petitioning Congress and the Secretary of Energy to name the Hanford and Lands Ecology Reserve after Richard Fitzner and Les Eberhardt.

By Representatives Bray, Ludwig, Lisk, Grant, Mastin and Rayburn.

House Committee on Energy & Utilities

Senate Committee on Energy & Utilities

Background:  The Hanford Arid Lands Ecology Reserve was established in 1967 as a buffer and control area for studies of the impacts that living in the contaminated areas of the Hanford Reservation has on native plants and animals.  The Ecology Reserve is made up of approximately 120 square miles on the Western border of the site between State Route 240 and Rattlesnake Ridge.

Dr. Les Eberhardt and Dr. Dick Fitzner were research scientists at Battelle. Both spent considerable time conducting wildlife studies on the Hanford Arid Lands Ecology Reserve.  Dr. Eberhardt and Dr. Fitzner lost their lives in a plane crash on June 3, 1992.

Summary:  The House of Representatives and the Senate petition the president, Congress and the secretary of energy to change the name of the Hanford Arid Lands Ecology Reserve to the Fitzner and Eberhardt Arid Lands Reserve.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97 0

Senate 43 0