Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

 ANALYSIS

Agriculture & Ecology Committee

 

 

SB 6624

 

Brief Description:  Modifying well construction provisions.

 

Sponsors:  Senators Keiser, Morton, Fraser and Hale; by request of Department of Ecology.

 

Brief Summary of Bill

$Defines "environmental investigation well" and "remediation well".

$Establishes a fee structure for environmental investigation wells.

$Requires fee refund requests to be received within 180 days.

 

 

Hearing Date:  2/26/02

 

Staff:  Jason Callahan (786‑7117).

 

Background:

 

The Department of Ecology (department) estimates that there are approximately 10,000 water wells and 6,000 resource protection wells constructed in Washington every year.  A water well is defined as any excavation that is constructed with the intention of accessing groundwater.  A resource protection well is a boring used to determine the existence or migration of pollutants within an underground formation.

 

Any well that is constructed, altered, or decommissioned must be done so in accordance with RCW chapter 18.104 and the associated rules promulgated by the department.  The department has the authority to issue licenses and collect fees for well‑related activities.  Prior to beginning a well construction, reconstruction, or decommissioning procedure, the property owner must pay the set fee and give the department 72‑hours notice.  The fees for well‑related construction activities are set by statute.  Water well construction fees are either $100 or $200 depending on the diameter of the top casing, and the fee for a resource protection well is $40.  The department is instructed to return any fees paid for a well on which construction has not started.

 

Individuals violating the laws and rules relating to well construction are subject to a cease and desist order issued by the department.  In some cases, corrective action may also be ordered.

 

Summary of Bill:

 

An "environmental investigation well" is defined to mean a cased hole intended or used to extract samples from an underground formation that is decommissioned immediately.  A "remediation well" is defined as a well intended or used to withdraw groundwater or make injections into the subsurface in order to address actual groundwater contamination.

 

Fees for environmental investigation wells are set at $40 for construction of up to four wells per project, and $10 for each additional well.  Wells constructed to sample soil or vapor have no fee.

 

Fee refunds are allowed if construction has not begun and the Department of Ecology has received the refund request within 180 days from the time the department received the fees.  Refund request must be made on forms provided by the department.

 

Appropriation:  None.

 

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

 

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