Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Transportation Committee |
SB 5976
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Extending tire replacement fees.
Sponsors: Senator Haugen.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 4/6/09
Staff: Jerry Long (786-7306)
Background:
From October 1989 until September 1995, a $1 fee was assessed on the retail sale of each new replacement tire. Revenue generated by the fee was used to fund state and local efforts to remove discarded tires from unauthorized dump sites as well as fund local enforcement and education programs.
In 2002 the Legislature required the Department of Ecology (DOE) to track and report on increases and decreases in the state's tire recycling rates. In 2005 the Legislature reinstated the $1 tire fee on the retail sale of each new replacement tire which is scheduled to sunset June 30, 2010. The fee is deposited into the Waste Tire Removal Account and is subject to appropriation. The monies in the account are used for the cleanup of unauthorized waste tire piles and to implement measures to prevent future accumulation of such piles.
The Legislature also mandated a study that identified 54 unauthorized tire piles and recommended that the DOE create a grant program for local government for waste tire cleanup. Since then a grant program has been operating and is staffed by one person at the DOE. There has been cleanup of 113 sites and 80 more sites have been identified. The DOE expects to have the remainder of the identified sites cleaned up by the end of 2010. Unauthorized waste tire piles are defined as sites with more than 800 tires that are unlicensed for waste tire storage.
In the 2008 Transportation Budget, the Legislature authorized the transfer of $5.6 million from the Waste Tire Removal Account (WTRA) to the Motor Vehicle Account (MVA) for the purpose of funding road wear-related maintenance on public highways.
The permitting of solid waste facilities is a function of jurisdictional health departments in cooperation with the DOE while individuals who engage in the business of transporting or storing waste tires are licensed by the DOE.
Summary of Bill:
The sunset date on the imposition of the $1 fee on the retail sale of each new replacement tire is eliminated. Monies collected from the fee must be deposited in the WTRA. Expenditures from the WTRA are subject to appropriation and may be used to cleanup unauthorized tire piles, to prevent the future accumulation of unauthorized waste tire piles, and for road wear-related maintenance on state and local public highways.
On September 1 of odd-numbered years, the State Treasurer must transfer cash balances exceeding $1 million in the WTRA to the MVA for the purpose of funding road-related maintenance on state and local public highways.
On September 1 of even-numbered years the DOE must report to the legislative transportation committees on the status of waste tire pile cleanup and prevention efforts. The report must detail the number of unauthorized waste tire piles discovered since the last report, a plan to cleanup those sites, a listing of authorized waste tire piles and transporters, and the status of funds available to the program. The first report, due September 1, 2010, must also include recommendations to the committees for any ongoing prevention programs as well as any joint efforts with local governments and the tire industry.
The bill removes the requirement for the DOE to conduct a study of existing tire cleanup sites since the study has been completed.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.