FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 6624

C 48 L 02

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Modifying well construction provisions.

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

Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Water

House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology

Background:  Existing law governing construction of wells and payment of  fees, Chapter 18.104 RCW, does not fully address current technology and practice for certain types of resource protection wells.

Summary:  Environmental investigation wells and remediation wells are added to the definition of resource protection well, and each is also defined separately, based on current well construction technology and practice.

For environmental investigation wells that sample groundwater, up to four wells are covered by the $40 base fee, with a $10 fee for each additional well.  There is no fee for soil or vapor sampling.

Refund of fees paid for wells that are subsequently not constructed requires submission of a refund request within 180 days to the Department of Ecology on a form provided by the department.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate450

House970

Effective:  June 13, 2002