SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 1680

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

           Natural Resources & Parks, April 4, 1997

Title:  An act relating to mining and milling operations.

Brief Description:  Regulating mining and milling operations.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Sump, McMorris, L. Thomas, Chandler, Buck, Sheldon and Mielke).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources & Parks:  3/27/97, 4/4/97 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Oke, Chair; Rossi, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Morton, Prentice, Roach, Snyder, Spanel, Stevens and Swecker.

Staff:  Vic Moon (786-7469)

Background:  One chapter of Washington law regulates surface mine reclamation.  A different chapter regulates nonreclamation aspects of metals mining and milling operations.  If a metals mining operation is a surface mine, the operation is regulated under both chapters.

Summary of Bill:  Provisions from the surface mine reclamation chapter are replicated in the metals mining chapter to address the reclamation of metals mining surface mines.  The existing chapter of law on surface mine reclamation no longer applies to metals mining and milling operations, except to the extent necessary to allow the Department of Natural Resources to collect annual permit fees and use them to administer the reclamation programs.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  A separate statute is needed so that surface mining reclamation law will clearly apply to metals mining.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Mark Triplett, WACA (pro); John Woodring, Northwest Mining Assn. (pro).