SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5331

               As Passed Senate, March 11, 1997

Title:  An act relating to solid waste permit renewal.

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for solid waste permits.

Sponsors:  Senators Swecker and Fraser; by request of Department of Ecology.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Agriculture & Environment:  2/13/97 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/11/97, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Morton, Chair; Swecker, Vice Chair; Fraser, McAuliffe, Newhouse, Oke and Rasmussen.

Staff:  Kari Guy (786-7437)

Background:  Permits for solid waste disposal facilities are issued by the local jurisdictional health department, for a period of one year.  A solid waste disposal facility may include any location where solid waste is treated, used, processed, or deposited.  The local health department reviews the permits for conformance with state standards for solid waste handling and local regulations.

Summary of Bill:  A permit for a solid waste handling facility may be issued for a period of one to five years, at the discretion of the local health department.  If the permit is to be issued for more than one year, a public hearing must be held prior to permit issuance. 

An existing solid waste handling facility must be reviewed and issued a permit before the facility may be modified.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This is part of an ongoing regulatory reform effort in the solid waste management program.  Many solid waste handling facilities, such as drop boxes, have very low environmental risk.  This bill will ease the regulatory burden while maintaining environmental safeguards.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Jim Pendowski, Dept. of Ecology Solid Waste (pro); Ed Dzedzy, Lincoln County, WSEHD, WSALPHO (pro).