BILL REQ. #:  S-3467.1 

Read first time 01/13/14.   Referred to Committee on Energy, Environment & Telecommunications.

     AN ACT Relating to funding for programs under the environmental legacy stewardship account; and reenacting and amending RCW 70.105D.070 and 70.105D.170.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 70.105D.070 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 19 s 7033 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4 s 992 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) The state toxics control account and the local toxics control account are hereby created in the state treasury.
     (2)(a) Moneys collected under RCW 82.21.030 must be deposited as follows: Fifty-six percent to the state toxics control account under subsection (3) of this section and forty-four percent to the local toxics control account under subsection (4) of this section. When the cumulative amount of deposits made to the state and local toxics control accounts under this section reaches the limit during a fiscal year as established in (b) of this subsection, the remainder of the moneys collected under RCW 82.21.030 during that fiscal year must be deposited into the environmental legacy stewardship account created in RCW 70.105D.170.
     (b) The limit on distributions of moneys collected under RCW 82.21.030 to the state and local toxics control accounts for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, is one hundred forty million dollars.
     (c) In addition to the funds required under (a) of this subsection, the following moneys must be deposited into the state toxics control account: (i) The costs of remedial actions recovered under this chapter or chapter 70.105A RCW; (ii) penalties collected or recovered under this chapter; and (iii) any other money appropriated or transferred to the account by the legislature.
     (3) Moneys in the state toxics control account must be used only to carry out the purposes of this chapter, including but not limited to the following activities:
     (a) The state's responsibility for hazardous waste planning, management, regulation, enforcement, technical assistance, and public education required under chapter 70.105 RCW;
     (b) The state's responsibility for solid waste planning, management, regulation, enforcement, technical assistance, and public education required under chapter 70.95 RCW;
     (c) The hazardous waste clean-up program required under this chapter;
     (d) State matching funds required under federal cleanup law;
     (e) Financial assistance for local programs in accordance with chapters 70.95, 70.95C, 70.95I, and 70.105 RCW;
     (f) ((State government programs for the safe reduction, recycling, or disposal of paint and hazardous wastes from households, small businesses, and agriculture;
     (g))) Oil and hazardous materials spill prevention, preparedness, training, and response activities;
     (((h))) (g) Water and environmental health protection and monitoring programs;
     (((i))) (h) Programs authorized under chapter 70.146 RCW;
     (((j) A public participation program;
     (k))) (i) Public funding to assist potentially liable persons to pay for the costs of remedial action in compliance with clean-up standards under RCW 70.105D.030(2)(e) but only when the amount and terms of such funding are established under a settlement agreement under RCW 70.105D.040(4) and when the director has found that the funding will achieve both: (i) A substantially more expeditious or enhanced cleanup than would otherwise occur; and (ii) the prevention or mitigation of unfair economic hardship;
     (((l) Development and demonstration of alternative management technologies designed to carry out the hazardous waste management priorities of RCW 70.105.150;
     (m))) (j) State agriculture and health programs for the safe use, reduction, recycling, or disposal of pesticides;
     (((n))) (k) Storm water pollution control projects and activities that protect or preserve existing remedial actions or prevent hazardous clean-up sites;
     (((o))) (l) Funding requirements to maintain receipt of federal funds under the federal solid waste disposal act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 6901 et seq.);
     (((p) Air quality programs and actions for reducing public exposure to toxic air pollution;
     (q))) (m) Public funding to assist prospective purchasers to pay for the costs of remedial action in compliance with clean-up standards under RCW 70.105D.030(2)(e) if:
     (i) The facility is located within a redevelopment opportunity zone designated under RCW 70.105D.150;
     (ii) The amount and terms of the funding are established under a settlement agreement under RCW 70.105D.040(5); and
     (iii) The director has found the funding meets any additional criteria established in rule by the department, will achieve a substantially more expeditious or enhanced cleanup than would otherwise occur, and will provide a public benefit in addition to cleanup commensurate with the scope of the public funding;
     (((r) Petroleum-based plastic or expanded polystyrene foam debris cleanup activities in fresh or marine waters;
     (s))) (n) Appropriations to the local toxics control account or the environmental legacy stewardship account created in RCW 70.105D.170, if the legislature determines that priorities for spending exceed available funds in those accounts;
     (((t))) (o) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the department of ecology's water quality, shorelands, environmental assessment, administration, and air quality programs;
     (((u))) (p) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, actions at the state conservation commission to improve water quality for shellfish; ((and
     (v))) (q) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, actions at the University of Washington for reducing ocean acidification;
     (((w))) (r) For the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, moneys in the state toxics control account may be spent on projects in section 3159, chapter 19, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess. and for transfer to the local toxics control account; and
     (((x))) (s) For the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, moneys in the state toxics control account may be transferred to the radioactive mixed waste account.
     (4)(a) The department shall use moneys deposited in the local toxics control account for grants or loans to local governments for the following purposes in descending order of priority:
     (i) Extended grant agreements entered into under (((c)[(e)])) (e)(i) of this subsection;
     (ii) Remedial actions, including planning for adaptive reuse of properties as provided for under (((c)[(e)])) (e)(iv) of this subsection. The department must prioritize funding of remedial actions at:
     (A) Facilities on the department's hazardous sites list with a high hazard ranking for which there is an approved remedial action work plan or an equivalent document under federal cleanup law;
     (B) Brownfield properties within a redevelopment opportunity zone if the local government is a prospective purchaser of the property and there is a department-approved remedial action work plan or equivalent document under the federal cleanup law;
     (iii) Storm water pollution source projects that: (A) Work in conjunction with a remedial action; (B) protect completed remedial actions against recontamination; or (C) prevent hazardous clean-up sites;
     (iv) Hazardous waste plans and programs under chapter 70.105 RCW;
     (v) Solid waste plans and programs under chapters 70.95, 70.95C, 70.95I, and 70.105 RCW; and
     (vi) ((Petroleum-based plastic or expanded polystyrene foam debris cleanup activities in fresh or marine waters; and
     (vii))) Appropriations to the state toxics control account or the environmental legacy stewardship account created in RCW 70.105D.170, if the legislature determines that priorities for spending exceed available funds in those accounts.
     (b) Funds for plans and programs must be allocated consistent with the priorities and matching requirements established in chapters 70.105, 70.95C, 70.95I, and 70.95 RCW.
     (c) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the local toxics control account may also be used for local government storm water planning and implementation activities.
     (d) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, the legislature may transfer from the local toxics control account to the state general fund, such amounts as reflect the excess fund balance in the account.
     (e) To expedite cleanups throughout the state, the department may use the following strategies when providing grants to local governments under this subsection:
     (i) Enter into an extended grant agreement with a local government conducting remedial actions at a facility where those actions extend over multiple biennia and the total eligible cost of those actions exceeds twenty million dollars. The agreement is subject to the following limitations:
     (A) The initial duration of such an agreement may not exceed ten years. The department may extend the duration of such an agreement upon finding substantial progress has been made on remedial actions at the facility;
     (B) Extended grant agreements may not exceed fifty percent of the total eligible remedial action costs at the facility; and
     (C) The department may not allocate future funding to an extended grant agreement unless the local government has demonstrated to the department that funds awarded under the agreement during the previous biennium have been substantially expended or contracts have been entered into to substantially expend the funds;
     (ii) Enter into a grant agreement with a local government conducting a remedial action that provides for periodic reimbursement of remedial action costs as they are incurred as established in the agreement;
     (iii) Enter into a grant agreement with a local government prior to it acquiring a property or obtaining necessary access to conduct remedial actions, provided the agreement is conditioned upon the local government acquiring the property or obtaining the access in accordance with a schedule specified in the agreement;
     (iv) Provide integrated planning grants to local governments to fund studies necessary to facilitate remedial actions at brownfield properties and adaptive reuse of properties following remediation. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to: Environmental site assessments; remedial investigations; health assessments; feasibility studies; site planning; community involvement; land use and regulatory analyses; building and infrastructure assessments; economic and fiscal analyses; and any environmental analyses under chapter 43.21C RCW;
     (v) Provide grants to local governments for remedial actions related to areawide groundwater contamination. To receive the funding, the local government does not need to be a potentially liable person or be required to seek reimbursement of grant funds from a potentially liable person;
     (vi) The director may alter grant matching requirements to create incentives for local governments to expedite cleanups when one of the following conditions exists:
     (A) Funding would prevent or mitigate unfair economic hardship imposed by the clean-up liability;
     (B) Funding would create new substantial economic development, public recreational opportunities, or habitat restoration opportunities that would not otherwise occur; or
     (C) Funding would create an opportunity for acquisition and redevelopment of brownfield property under RCW 70.105D.040(5) that would not otherwise occur;
     (vii) When pending grant applications under (((c)[(e)])) (e)(iv) and (v) of this subsection (4) exceed the amount of funds available, designated redevelopment opportunity zones must receive priority for distribution of available funds.
     (((d) [(f)])) (f) To expedite multiparty clean-up efforts, the department may purchase remedial action cost-cap insurance. For the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, moneys in the local toxics control account may be spent on projects in sections 3024, 3035, 3036, and 3059, chapter 19, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess.
     (5) Except for unanticipated receipts under RCW 43.79.260 through 43.79.282, moneys in the state and local toxics control accounts may be spent only after appropriation by statute.
     (6) No moneys deposited into either the state or local toxics control account may be used for: Natural disasters where there is no hazardous substance contamination; high performance buildings; solid waste incinerator facility feasibility studies, construction, maintenance, or operation; or after January 1, 2010, for projects designed to address the restoration of Puget Sound, funded in a competitive grant process, that are in conflict with the action agenda developed by the Puget Sound partnership under RCW 90.71.310. However, this subsection does not prevent an appropriation from the state toxics control account to the department of revenue to enforce compliance with the hazardous substance tax imposed in chapter 82.21 RCW.
     (7) ((Except during the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium,)) One percent of the moneys collected under RCW 82.21.030 shall be allocated only for public participation grants to persons who may be adversely affected by a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance and to not-for-profit public interest organizations. The primary purpose of these grants is to facilitate the participation by persons and organizations in the investigation and remedying of releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances and to implement the state's solid and hazardous waste management priorities. No grant may exceed sixty thousand dollars. Grants may be renewed annually. Moneys appropriated for public participation that are not expended at the close of any biennium revert to the state toxics control account.
     (8) The department shall adopt rules for grant or loan issuance and performance. To accelerate both remedial action and economic recovery, the department may expedite the adoption of rules necessary to implement chapter 1, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess. using the expedited procedures in RCW 34.05.353. The department shall initiate the award of financial assistance by August 1, 2013. To ensure the adoption of rules will not delay financial assistance, the department may administer the award of financial assistance through interpretive guidance pending the adoption of rules through July 1, 2014.
     (9) Except as provided under subsection (3)(k) and (q) of this section, nothing in chapter 1, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess. ((effects [affects])) affects the ability of a potentially liable person to receive public funding.
     (10) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium the local toxics control account may also be used for the centennial clean water program and for storm water grants.

Sec. 2   RCW 70.105D.170 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 28 s 1, 2013 2nd sp.s. c 19 s 7042, and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 4 s 991 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) The environmental legacy stewardship account is created in the state treasury. Beginning July 1, 2013, and every fiscal year thereafter, the annual amount received from the tax imposed by RCW 82.21.030 that exceeds one hundred forty million dollars must be deposited into the environmental legacy stewardship account. The state treasurer may make periodic deposits into the environmental legacy stewardship account based on forecasted revenue. Moneys in the account may only be spent after appropriation.
     (2) Moneys in the environmental legacy stewardship account may be spent on:
     (a) Grants or loans to local governments for performance and outcome-based projects, model remedies, demonstration projects, procedures, contracts, and project management and oversight that result in significant reductions in the time to complete compared to baseline averages;
     (b) Purposes authorized under RCW 70.105D.070 (3) and (4);
     (c) Grants or loans awarded through a competitive grant program administered by the department to fund design and construction of low-impact development retrofit projects and other high quality projects that reduce storm water pollution from existing infrastructure. The competitive grant program must apply criteria to review, rank, and prioritize projects for funding based on their water quality benefits, ecological benefits, and effectiveness at reducing environmental degradation; ((and))
     (d) Cleanup and disposal of hazardous substances from abandoned or derelict vessels, defined for the purposes of this section as vessels that have little or no value and either have no identified owner or have an identified owner lacking financial resources to clean up and dispose of the vessel, that pose a threat to human health or the environment;
     (e) A public participation program;
     (f) Petroleum-based plastic or expanded polystyrene foam debris cleanup activities in fresh or marine waters;
     (g) State government programs for the safe reduction, recycling, or disposal of paint and hazardous wastes from households, small businesses, and agriculture;
     (h) Development and demonstration of alternative management technologies designed to carry out the hazardous waste management priorities of RCW 70.105.150; and
     (i) Air quality programs and actions for reducing public exposure to toxic air pollution.
     (3) Except as provided under RCW 70.105D.070(3) (k) and (q), nothing in chapter 1, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess. expands the ability of a potentially liable person to receive public funding.
     (4) Moneys in the environmental legacy stewardship account may also be used as follows:
     (a) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennia, shoreline update technical assistance and for local government shoreline master program update grants;
     (b) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, solid and hazardous waste compliance at the department of corrections;
     (c) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, activities at the department of fish and wildlife concerning water quality monitoring, hatchery water quality regulatory compliance, and technical assistance to local governments on growth management and shoreline management;
     (d) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, forest practices regulation and aquatic land investigation and cleanup activities at the department of natural resources.
     (5) For the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, moneys in the environmental legacy stewardship account may be transferred to the local toxics control account.