FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2523

                          C 43 L 98

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Regarding fire training activities.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology (originally sponsored by Representatives Chandler, Linville, Mulliken, Schoesler, Hatfield, Cooper, Skinner and Clements).

House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology

Senate Committee on Agriculture & Environment

Background:  The Washington Clean Air Act requires burning permits for a variety of intentional outdoor burning activities.   The intent of the permits is to require that certain conditions be met, including limiting burning to days when air quality is not impaired, limiting the kinds of materials that can be burned, and limiting the conditions where the burning can occur.  Several kinds of permits are available, including those that must be obtained prior to weed abatement, certain kinds of fire fighting instruction, and certain agricultural activities and those for certain limited outdoor burning activities, such as disposing of organic refuse from land clearing.

Burning certain materials outdoors is prohibited, including materials such as garbage, petroleum products, or any substance, other than natural vegetation, that normally emits dense smoke or obnoxious odors.

A burning permit is not required for aircraft crash fire training conducted in compliance with several conditions pertaining to the type of facilities that may engage in such training and with certain air quality conditions.  These training activities are exempted from the prohibition on burning petroleum products.  The permit exemption sunsets on July 1, 1998, or the date upon which the North Bend fire training center is fully operational.

Summary:  The exemption from the burning permit requirement for aircraft crash fire training is amended by adding a requirement that a facility be operated in a manner that will minimize, to the extent possible, the air contaminants generated during operation.  Written approval from the department or local air pollution control authority is required prior to the commencement of initial operation of training.  Such approval will be provided if training is conducted in compliance with the required conditions.  The burning of petroleum in conjunction with aircraft crash rescue fire training is authorized without a limited outdoor burning permit.  A limited outdoor burning permit is required to burn prohibited materials in conjunction with fire fighting instruction or other actions to protect public health and safety.

Votes on Final Passage:

House960

Senate 480

Effective:June 11, 1998