Brief Summary of Bill

• Authorizes the Legislature to transfer, during the 2003-05 fiscal biennium, $13.8 million from the Site Closure Account to the General Fund-State.

• Directs the Treasurer to transfer money into the Site Closure Account and identifies a specific amount, schedule, and source of funds for repayment of the original transfer by July 1, 2033.

• Establishes that the Site Closure Account money including the scheduled repayments, if this total equals or exceeds the Department of Health's (DOH) facility closure cost estimate, meets the DOH's financial assurance requirements.

The state leases 1,000 acres of land from the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) within the Hanford reservation as a low-level radioactive waste facility. The generators of the low level radioactive waste deposited at the facility are members of the Northwest Interstate Compact. The source of the waste is non-energy and non-weapon activities, such as hospitals and universities.

The Department of Ecology (Department) sublets the operation of the facility to a private operator. The Department imposed and collected fees to defray the state's liability associated with the completion, closure, and perpetual maintenance of the facility. These fees were deposited in the Site Closure Account and the Perpetual Surveillance and Maintenance Account. The Site Closure Account will reimburse the final closure and decommissioning of the facility. The Perpetual Surveillance and Maintenance Account assures funding for post closure maintenance of the facility.

The Legislature is authorized to transfer $13.8 million from the Site Closure Account to the state General Fund in the 2003-05 biennium. Beginning July 1, 2008, and each year thereafter until 2033, the Treasurer is directed to transfer $966,000 from the Perpetual Surveillance and Maintenance Account to the Site Closure Account. This transfer is dependent upon the U.S. DOE amending the contract with the state. If the U.S. DOE does not agree, the Treasurer is directed to transfer from the state General Fund on the same schedule to repay the Site Closure Account.

If the Hanford low level radioactive waste disposal facility closes at any time after the Legislative transfer is made and before the final repayment transfer is made on July 1, 2033, then the Treasurer is directed to transfer from the state General Fund the outstanding balance owed to the Site Closure Account from the 2003-05 biennium transfer of $13.8 million.

The money in the Site Closure Account, including the scheduled repayments, if it equals or exceeds the Department of Health's (DOH) facility closure cost estimate, is deemed to meet the DOH's financial assurance requirements and assures that any liability incurred can be fully satisfied.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.