Brief Description: Regarding air registrations for elevators and warehouses.

Sponsors: Senators Schoesler, Rasmussen, Morton and Delvin.

Hearing Date: 3/23/05

Staff: Meg Van Schoorl (786-7105).

Background:

The state's Clean Air Act authorizes the Department of Ecology (DOE) or a local air pollution control authority board to: (1) classify air contaminant sources that may cause or contribute to air pollution and (2) require registration, reporting and payment of a fee by those classes of sources. The fees may be set only to compensate for certain costs of administering the registration program.

Once a registration, report, or fee has been filed for a grain warehouse or grain elevator, the registration, report or fee may not be required again for certain warehouses or elevators after January 1, 1997. This exemption does not apply if the licensed capacity of the warehouse or elevator is increased, or for facilities that handle more than 10 million bushels of grain annually.

"Pulses" are pod-bearing plants such as peas, beans, and lentils.

Summary of Bill:

Certain licensed grain warehouses or elevators that store and clean grain, including pulses, are exempted from the requirement to register, report, or pay fees on a renewable basis to the DOE air pollution source registration program. "Grain" is defined to include grains or pulses.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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