2SHB 1605 -
By Representative Upthegrove
ADOPTED 03/11/2005
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The definitions in this section apply
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Area-wide soil contamination" means low to moderate arsenic
and lead soil contamination dispersed over a large geographic area.
(2) "Child care facility" means a child day-care center or a family
day-care provider as those terms are defined under RCW 74.15.020 except
for family day-care providers on properties in agricultural areas.
(3) "Child use prioritization area" means an area west of the crest
of the Cascade mountains, except for agricultural lands, in which the
department has determined a potential exists for a child to be
routinely exposed to area-wide soil contamination.
(4) "Department" means the department of ecology.
(5) "Director" means the director of the department of ecology.
(6) "Low to moderate soil contamination" means low level arsenic or
lead concentrations where a child's exposure to soil contamination at
a school or a child care facility may be reduced through best
management practices.
(7) "Property-specific public health plan" means measures developed
by the department for a school or a child care facility including
individual protective measures, site-specific mitigation, and other
remedial actions to protect public health on sites containing area-wide
soil contamination.
(8) "School" means a public or private kindergarten, elementary, or
secondary school.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) The department, in cooperation with the
department of social and health services, the department of health, the
office of the superintendent of public instruction, and local health
districts, shall assist schools and child care facilities within child
use prioritization areas to reduce the potential for children's
exposure to area-wide soil contamination.
(2) The department shall:
(a) Define child use prioritization areas west of the crest of the
Cascade mountains based on available information;
(b) Conduct qualitative evaluations to determine the potential for
children's exposure to area-wide soil contamination by December 31,
2006;
(c) If the qualitative evaluation determines that children may be
routinely exposed to area-wide soil contamination at a property,
conduct soil samples at that property by December 31, 2008; and
(d) If soil sample results confirm the presence of area-wide soil
contamination, notify schools and child care facilities regarding the
test results and the steps necessary for implementing a property-specific public health plan.
(3) If a school or a child care facility with area-wide soil
contamination does not implement a property-specific public health plan
within six months of receiving written notification from the
department, the superintendent or board of directors of a school or the
owner or operator of a child care facility must notify parents and
guardians in writing of the results of soil tests. The written notice
shall be prepared by the department.
(4) The department shall recognize schools and child care
facilities that successfully implement property-specific public health
plans with a voluntary certification program demonstrating the facility
has successfully completed measures to help provide a healthy
environment for children.
(5) Schools and child care facilities must work with the department
to provide the department with site access for soil sampling at times
that are the most convenient for all parties.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 (1) The department shall assist schools and
owners and operators of child care facilities in area-wide soil
contamination zones. Such assistance may include the following:
(a) Technical assistance in conducting qualitative evaluations to
determine where area-wide soil contamination exposures could occur;
(b) Technical and financial assistance in testing soils where
evaluations indicate potential for contamination; and
(c) Technical and financial assistance to implement property-specific public health plans.
(2) The department shall develop best management practice
guidelines for schools and day care facilities with area-wide soil
contamination. The guidelines shall recommend a range of methods for
reducing exposure to contaminated soil, considering the concentration,
extent, and location of contamination and the nature and frequency of
child use of the area.
(3) The department shall develop a grant program to assist schools
and child care facilities with implementing property-specific public
health plans.
(4) The department, within available funds, may provide grants to
schools and child care facilities for the purpose of implementing
property-specific public health plans using best management practices.
(5) The department, within available funds, may provide financial
assistance to the department of health and the department of social and
health services to implement this chapter.
(6) The department may, through an interagency agreement, authorize
a local health jurisdiction to administer any activity in this chapter
that is otherwise not assigned to a local health jurisdiction by this
chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 The department of health shall assist the
department in developing and implementing the area-wide soil
contamination school and child care facility program including but not
limited to developing best management practices and guidelines for
property-specific public health plans.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 The department of social and health services
shall assist the department by providing information on the location of
child care facilities and contacts for these facilities.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 This chapter does not apply to agricultural
lands.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 Sections 1 through 6 of this act constitute
a new chapter in Title
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2005, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void."
Correct the title.
EFFECT: Limits the scope of the area-wide soil contamination program to areas west of the crest of the Cascade mountains. Exempts family day-care providers in agricultural areas from the area-wide soil program, and specifies that the program does not apply to agricultural lands. Adds a requirement that schools and child care facilities provide written notice to parents and guardians within six months of receiving written notification from the Department of Ecology regarding soil tests if cleanup measures have not been implemented.