Z-0392.1

SENATE BILL 5285

BySenators Palumbo, Liias, Carlyle, and Saldaña; by request of Department of Ecology

AN ACT Relating to reviews of voluntary cleanups; amending RCW 70.105D.030, 70.105D.070, and 70.105D.110; reenacting and amending RCW 43.84.092; adding a new section to chapter 70.105D RCW; and creating a new section.

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

The availability of affordable housing is of vital importance to the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the state. It is in the public interest to facilitate the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated and underutilized properties within our communities for affordable housing. It is the intent of the legislature to encourage voluntary cleanups of these properties for affordable housing development by waiving the department of ecology's costs of reviewing voluntary cleanups.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 70.105D RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department may establish a program to provide informal advice and assistance on the administrative and technical requirements of this chapter to persons who are conducting or otherwise interested in conducting independent remedial actions at facilities where there is a suspected or confirmed release of hazardous substances.

(a) Any advice or assistance is advisory only and is not binding on the department.

(b) As part of this advice and assistance, the department may provide written opinions on whether the independent remedial actions or proposals for those actions meet the substantive requirements of this chapter or whether the department believes further remedial action is necessary at the facility.

(c) Nothing in this chapter may be construed to preclude the department from issuing a written opinion on whether further remedial action is necessary at any portion of the real property located within a facility, even if further remedial action is still necessary elsewhere at the same facility. A written opinion on a portion of a facility must also provide an opinion on the status of the facility as a whole.

(2) The department may collect, from persons requesting advice and assistance under the program, all costs incurred by the department in providing advice and assistance.

(a) To collect its costs, the department may use either a cost recovery structure or a fee structure, or both.

(i) A fee structure may include either a single fee or a series of fees for individual services.

(ii) The department may calculate fees based on the complexity of the contaminated site and other site-specific factors determined by the department.

(iii) The department may establish a separate fee and cost recovery structure for providing expedited advice and assistance under subsection (3) of this section.

(b) The department may waive collection of costs if the person requesting technical advice and assistance under the program commits to remediate contaminated real property for development of affordable housing, as determined by the department. Prior to waiving costs, the department must consider the requestor's ability to pay and the potential public benefit of the development. To ensure the real property is used for affordable housing, the department may file a lien against the real property pursuant to RCW 70.105D.055, require the person to record an interest in the real property in accordance with RCW 64.04.130, or use other means deemed by the department to be no less protective of the affordable housing use and the interests of the department.

(c) Except when providing expedited advice and assistance under subsection (3) of this section, the department may also waive collection of costs:

(i) For providing technical assistance in support of public participation;

(ii) For providing written opinions on a cleanup that qualifies for and appropriately uses a model remedy; or

(iii) Based on a person's ability to pay. If costs are waived, the department may file a lien against the real property for which the department has incurred the costs pursuant to RCW 70.105D.055.

(3) The department may offer an expedited process for providing informal advice and assistance under the program. Except as provided under subsection (2)(b) of this section, the department must collect, from persons requesting expedited advice and assistance, all costs incurred by the department in providing the advice and assistance. The department may establish conditions for requesting expedited advice and assistance.

(4) The department may adopt rules to implement the program. To ensure that the adoption of rules will not delay the implementation of independent remedial actions, the department may implement the cost waiver and expedited process specified in subsections (2)(b) and (3) of this section through interpretive guidance pending adoption of rules.

(5) The department must track the number of requests for reviews of planned or completed independent remedial actions under the program and establish performance measures to track how quickly the department is able to respond to those requests.

(6) The state, the department, and officers and employees of the state are immune from all liability, and no cause of action of any nature may arise from any act or omission in providing, or failing to provide, informal advice and assistance under the program.

(7) The voluntary cleanup account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from the fees collected and costs recovered under the expedited process in subsection (3) of this section must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only to support the expedited process in subsection (3) of this section. If the department suspends the expedited process, any moneys remaining in the account may be used to carry out the purposes of the program. The account must retain its interest earnings in accordance with RCW 43.84.092.

Sec. 3. RCW 70.105D.030 and 2013 2nd sp.s. c 1 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department may exercise the following powers in addition to any other powers granted by law:

(a) Investigate, provide for investigating, or require potentially liable persons to investigate any releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, including but not limited to inspecting, sampling, or testing to determine the nature or extent of any release or threatened release. If there is a reasonable basis to believe that a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance may exist, the department's authorized employees, agents, or contractors may enter upon any property and conduct investigations. The department shall give reasonable notice before entering property unless an emergency prevents such notice. The department may by subpoena require the attendance or testimony of witnesses and the production of documents or other information that the department deems necessary;

(b) Conduct, provide for conducting, or require potentially liable persons to conduct remedial actions (including investigations under (a) of this subsection) to remedy releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances. In carrying out such powers, the department's authorized employees, agents, or contractors may enter upon property. The department shall give reasonable notice before entering property unless an emergency prevents such notice. In conducting, providing for, or requiring remedial action, the department shall give preference to permanent solutions to the maximum extent practicable and shall provide for or require adequate monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of the remedial action;

(c) Indemnify contractors retained by the department for carrying out investigations and remedial actions, but not for any contractor's reckless or willful misconduct;

(d) Carry out all state programs authorized under the federal cleanup law and the federal resource, conservation, and recovery act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 6901 et seq., as amended;

(e) Classify substances as hazardous substances for purposes of RCW 70.105D.020 and classify substances and products as hazardous substances for purposes of RCW 82.21.020(1);

(f) Issue orders or enter into consent decrees or agreed orders that include, or issue written opinions under (((i) of this subsection))section 2 of this act that may be conditioned upon, environmental covenants where necessary to protect human health and the environment from a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance from a facility. Prior to establishing an environmental covenant under this subsection, the department shall consult with and seek comment from a city or county department with land use planning authority for real property subject to the environmental covenant;

(g) Enforce the application of permanent and effective institutional controls that are necessary for a remedial action to be protective of human health and the environment and the notification requirements established in RCW 70.105D.110, and impose penalties for violations of that section consistent with RCW 70.105D.050;

(h) Require holders to conduct remedial actions necessary to abate an imminent or substantial endangerment pursuant to RCW 70.105D.020(22)(b)(ii)(C);

(i) ((Provide informal advice and assistance to persons regarding the administrative and technical requirements of this chapter. This may include site-specific advice to persons who are conducting or otherwise interested in independent remedial actions. Any such advice or assistance shall be advisory only, and shall not be binding on the department. As a part of providing this advice and assistance for independent remedial actions, the department may prepare written opinions regarding whether the independent remedial actions or proposals for those actions meet the substantive requirements of this chapter or whether the department believes further remedial action is necessary at the facility. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to preclude the department from issuing a written opinion on whether further remedial action is necessary at any portion of the real property located within a facility, even if further remedial action is still necessary elsewhere at the same facility. Such a written opinion on a portion of a facility must also provide an opinion on the status of the facility as a whole. The department may collect, from persons requesting advice and assistance, the costs incurred by the department in providing such advice and assistance; however, the department shall, where appropriate, waive collection of costs in order to provide an appropriate level of technical assistance in support of public participation. The state, the department, and officers and employees of the state are immune from all liability, and no cause of action of any nature may arise from any act or omission in providing, or failing to provide, informal advice and assistance. The department must track the number of requests for reviews of planned or completed independent remedial actions and establish performance measures to track how quickly the department is able to respond to those requests. By November 1, 2015, the department must submit to the governor and the appropriate legislative fiscal and policy committees a report on achieving the performance measures and provide recommendations for improving performance, including staffing needs;

(j))) In fulfilling the objectives of this chapter, the department shall allocate staffing and financial assistance in a manner that considers both the reduction of human and environmental risks and the land reuse potential and planning for the facilities to be cleaned up. This does not preclude the department from allocating resources to a facility based solely on human or environmental risks;

(((k)))(j) Establish model remedies for common categories of facilities, types of hazardous substances, types of media, or geographic areas to streamline and accelerate the selection of remedies for routine types of cleanups at facilities;

(i) When establishing a model remedy, the department shall:

(A) Identify the requirements for characterizing a facility to select a model remedy, the applicability of the model remedy for use at a facility, and monitoring requirements;

(B) Describe how the model remedy meets clean-up standards and the requirements for selecting a remedy established by the department under this chapter; and

(C) Provide public notice and an opportunity to comment on the proposed model remedy and the conditions under which it may be used at a facility;

(ii) When developing model remedies, the department shall solicit and consider proposals from qualified persons. The proposals must, in addition to describing the model remedy, provide the information required under (((k)))(j)(i)(A) and (B) of this subsection;

(iii) If a facility meets the requirements for use of a model remedy, an analysis of the feasibility of alternative remedies is not required under this chapter. For department-conducted and department-supervised remedial actions, the department must provide public notice and consider public comments on the proposed use of a model remedy at a facility((. The department may waive collection of its costs for providing a written opinion under (i) of this subsection on a cleanup that qualifies for and appropriately uses a model remedy)); and

(((l)))(k) Take any other actions necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, including the power to adopt rules under chapter 34.05 RCW.

(2) The department shall immediately implement all provisions of this chapter to the maximum extent practicable, including investigative and remedial actions where appropriate. The department shall adopt, and thereafter enforce, rules under chapter 34.05 RCW to:

(a) Provide for public participation, including at least (i) public notice of the development of investigative plans or remedial plans for releases or threatened releases and (ii) concurrent public notice of all compliance orders, agreed orders, enforcement orders, or notices of violation;

(b) Establish a hazard ranking system for hazardous waste sites;

(c) Provide for requiring the reporting by an owner or operator of releases of hazardous substances to the environment that may be a threat to human health or the environment within ninety days of discovery, including such exemptions from reporting as the department deems appropriate, however this requirement shall not modify any existing requirements provided for under other laws;

(d) Establish reasonable deadlines not to exceed ninety days for initiating an investigation of a hazardous waste site after the department receives notice or otherwise receives information that the site may pose a threat to human health or the environment and other reasonable deadlines for remedying releases or threatened releases at the site;

(e) Publish and periodically update minimum clean-up standards for remedial actions at least as stringent as the clean-up standards under section 121 of the federal cleanup law, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9621, and at least as stringent as all applicable state and federal laws, including health-based standards under state and federal law; and

(f) Apply industrial clean-up standards at industrial properties. Rules adopted under this subsection shall ensure that industrial properties cleaned up to industrial standards cannot be converted to nonindustrial uses without approval from the department. The department may require that a property cleaned up to industrial standards is cleaned up to a more stringent applicable standard as a condition of conversion to a nonindustrial use. Industrial clean-up standards may not be applied to industrial properties where hazardous substances remaining at the property after remedial action pose a threat to human health or the environment in adjacent nonindustrial areas.

(3) To achieve and protect the state's long-term ecological health, the department shall plan to clean up hazardous waste sites and prevent the creation of future hazards due to improper disposal of toxic wastes at a pace that matches the estimated cash resources in the state and local toxics control accounts and the environmental legacy stewardship account created in RCW 70.105D.170. Estimated cash resources must consider the annual cash flow requirements of major projects that receive appropriations expected to cross multiple biennia. To effectively monitor toxic accounts expenditures, the department shall develop a comprehensive ten-year financing report that identifies long-term remedial action project costs, tracks expenses, and projects future needs.

(4) ((By November 1, 2016, the department must submit to the governor and the appropriate legislative committees a report on the status of developing model remedies and their use under this chapter. The report must include: The number and types of model remedies identified by the department under subsection (1)(k) of this section; the number and types of model remedy proposals prepared by qualified private sector engineers, consultants, or contractors that were accepted or rejected under subsection (1)(k) of this section and the reasons for rejection; and the success of model remedies in accelerating the cleanup as measured by the number of jobs created by the cleanup, where this information is available to the department, acres of land restored, and the number and types of hazardous waste sites successfully remediated using model remedies.

(5))) Before September 20th of each even-numbered year, the department shall:

(a) Develop a comprehensive ten-year financing report in coordination with all local governments with clean-up responsibilities that identifies the projected biennial hazardous waste site remedial action needs that are eligible for funding from the state and local toxics control accounts and the environmental legacy stewardship account;

(b) Work with local governments to develop working capital reserves to be incorporated in the ten-year financing report;

(c) Identify the projected remedial action needs for orphaned, abandoned, and other clean-up sites that are eligible for funding from the state toxics control account;

(d) Project the remedial action need, cost, revenue, and any recommended working capital reserve estimate to the next biennium's long-term remedial action needs from both the local and state toxics control account and the environmental legacy stewardship account, and submit this information to the appropriate standing fiscal and environmental committees of the senate and house of representatives. This submittal must also include a ranked list of such remedial action projects for both accounts. The submittal must also identify separate budget estimates for large, multibiennia clean-up projects that exceed ten million dollars. The department shall prepare its ten-year capital budget plan that is submitted to the office of financial management to reflect the separate budget estimates for these large clean-up projects and include information on the anticipated private and public funding obligations for completion of the relevant projects.

(((6)))(5) By December 1st of each odd-numbered year, the department must provide the legislature and the public a report of the department's activities supported by appropriations from the state and local toxics control accounts and the environmental legacy stewardship account. The report must be prepared and displayed in a manner that allows the legislature and the public to easily determine the statewide and local progress made in cleaning up hazardous waste sites under this chapter. The report must include, at a minimum:

(a) The name, location, hazardous waste ranking, and a short description of each site on the hazardous sites list, and the date the site was placed on the hazardous waste sites list; and

(b) For sites where there are state contracts, grants, loans, or direct investments by the state:

(i) The amount of money from the state and local toxics control accounts and the environmental legacy stewardship account used to conduct remedial actions at the site and the amount of that money recovered from potentially liable persons;

(ii) The actual or estimated start and end dates and the actual or estimated expenditures of funds authorized under this chapter for the following project phases:

(A) Emergency or interim actions, if needed;

(B) Remedial investigation;

(C) Feasibility study and selection of a remedy;

(D) Engineering design and construction of the selected remedy;

(E) Operation and maintenance or monitoring of the constructed remedy; and

(F) The final completion date.

(((7)))(6) The department shall establish a program to identify potential hazardous waste sites and to encourage persons to provide information about hazardous waste sites.

(((8)))(7) For all facilities where an environmental covenant has been required under subsection (1)(f) of this section, including all facilities where the department has required an environmental covenant under an order, agreed order, or consent decree, or as a condition of a written opinion issued under the authority of ((subsection (1)(i) of this section))section 2 of this act, the department shall periodically review the environmental covenant for effectiveness. ((Except as otherwise provided in (c) of this subsection,))The department shall conduct a review at least once every five years after an environmental covenant is recorded.

(a) The review shall consist of, at a minimum:

(i) A review of the title of the real property subject to the environmental covenant to determine whether the environmental covenant was properly recorded and, if applicable, amended or terminated;

(ii) A physical inspection of the real property subject to the environmental covenant to determine compliance with the environmental covenant, including whether any development or redevelopment of the real property has violated the terms of the environmental covenant; and

(iii) A review of the effectiveness of the environmental covenant in limiting or prohibiting activities that may interfere with the integrity of the remedial action or that may result in exposure to or migration of hazardous substances. This shall include a review of available monitoring data.

(b) If an environmental covenant has been amended or terminated without proper authority, or if the terms of an environmental covenant have been violated, or if the environmental covenant is no longer effective in limiting or prohibiting activities that may interfere with the integrity of the remedial action or that may result in exposure to or migration of hazardous substances, then the department shall take any and all appropriate actions necessary to ensure compliance with the environmental covenant and the policies and requirements of this chapter.

(((c) For facilities where an environmental covenant required by the department under subsection (1)(f) of this section was required before July 1, 2007, the department shall:

(iii) Once this initial review has been completed, conduct subsequent reviews at least once every five years.))

Sec. 4. RCW 70.105D.070 and 2018 c 299 s 911 are each 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)), except as provided under section 2(7) of this act; (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) Water and environmental health protection and monitoring programs;

(i) Programs authorized under chapter 70.146 RCW;

(j) A public participation program;

(k) 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) State agriculture and health programs for the safe use, reduction, recycling, or disposal of pesticides;

(n) Stormwater pollution control projects and activities that protect or preserve existing remedial actions or prevent hazardous clean-up sites;

(o) 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) 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) 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) During the 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 fiscal biennia, the department of ecology's water quality, shorelands, environmental assessment, administration, and air quality programs;

(u) During the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, actions at the state conservation commission to improve water quality for shellfish;

(v) During the 2013-2015 and 2015-2017 fiscal biennia, actions at the University of Washington for reducing ocean acidification;

(w) During the 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 fiscal biennia, for the University of Washington Tacoma soil remediation project;

(x) For the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, moneys in the state toxics control account may be spent on projects in section 3160, chapter 19, Laws of 2013 2nd sp. sess. and for transfer to the local toxics control account;

(y) For the 2013-2015 fiscal biennium, moneys in the state toxics control account may be transferred to the radioactive mixed waste account; and

(z) For the 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 fiscal biennia, forest practices regulation at the department of natural resources.

(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)(i) of this subsection;

(ii) Remedial actions, including planning for adaptive reuse of properties as provided for under (((c)))(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) Stormwater 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;

(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 stormwater 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 area-wide 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 (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.

(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 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 and the 2015-2017 fiscal biennia, 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. affects the ability of a potentially liable person to receive public funding.

(10) During the 2015-2017 fiscal biennium the local toxics control account may also be used for the centennial clean water program and for the stormwater financial assistance program administered by the department of ecology.

(11) During the 2017-2019 fiscal biennium:

(a) The state toxics control account, the local toxics control account, and the environmental legacy stewardship account may be used for interchangeable purposes and funds may be transferred between accounts to accomplish those purposes.

(b) The legislature may direct the state treasurer to make transfers of moneys in the state toxics control account to the water pollution control revolving account.

Sec. 5. RCW 70.105D.110 and 2002 c 288 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as provided in subsection (5) of this section, any owner or operator of a facility that is actively transitioning from operating under a federal permit for treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste issued under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 6925 to operating under the provisions of this chapter, who has information that a hazardous substance has been released to the environment at the owner or operator's facility that may be a threat to human health or the environment, shall issue a notice to the department within ninety days. The notice shall include a description of any remedial actions planned, completed, or underway.

(2) The notice must be posted in a visible, publicly accessible location on the facility, to remain in place until all remedial actions except confirmational monitoring are complete.

(3) After receiving the notice from the facility, the department must review the notice and mail a summary of its contents, along with any additional information deemed appropriate by the department, to:

(a) Each residence and landowner of a residence whose property boundary is within three hundred feet of the boundary of the property where the release occurred or if the release occurred from a pipeline or other facility that does not have a property boundary, within three hundred feet of the actual release;

(b) Each business and landowner of a business whose property boundary is within three hundred feet of the boundary of the property where the release occurred;

(c) Each residence, landowner of a residence, and business with a property boundary within the area where hazardous substances have come to be located as a result of the release;

(d) Neighborhood associations and community organizations representing an area within one mile of the facility and recognized by the city or county with jurisdiction within this area;

(e) The city, county, and local health district with jurisdiction within the areas described in (a), (b), and (c) of this subsection; and

(f) The department of health.

(4) A notice produced by a facility shall provide the following information:

(a) The common name of any hazardous substances released and, if available, the chemical abstract service registry number of these substances;

(b) The address of the facility where the release occurred;

(c) The date the release was discovered;

(d) The cause and date of the release, if known;

(e) The remedial actions being taken or planned to address the release;

(f) The potential health and environmental effects of the hazardous substances released; and

(g) The name, address, and telephone number of a contact person at the facility where the release occurred.

(5) The following releases are exempt from the notification requirements in this section:

(a) Application of pesticides and fertilizers for their intended purposes and according to label instructions;

(b) The lawful and nonnegligent use of hazardous household substances by a natural person for personal or domestic purposes;

(c) The discharge of hazardous substances in compliance with permits issued under chapter 70.94, 90.48, or 90.56 RCW;

(d) De minimis amounts of any hazardous substance leaked or discharged onto the ground;

(e) The discharge of hazardous substances to a permitted waste water treatment facility or from a permitted waste water collection system or treatment facility as allowed by a facility's discharge permit;

(f) Any releases originating from a single-family or multifamily residence, including but not limited to the discharge of oil from a residential home heating oil tank with the capacity of five hundred gallons or less;

(g) Any spill on a public road, street, or highway or to surface waters of the state that has previously been reported to the United States coast guard and the state division of emergency management under chapter 90.56 RCW;

(h) Any release of hazardous substances to the air;

(i) Any release that occurs on agricultural land, including land used to grow trees for the commercial production of wood or wood fiber, that is at least five acres in size, when the effects of the release do not come within three hundred feet of any property boundary. For the purposes of this subsection, agricultural land includes incidental uses that are compatible with agricultural or silvicultural purposes, including, but not limited to, land used for the housing of the owner, operator, or employees, structures used for the storage or repair of equipment, machinery, and chemicals, and any paths or roads on the land; and

(j) Releases that, before January 1, 2003, have been previously reported to the department, or remediated in compliance with a settlement agreement under RCW 70.105D.040(4) or enforcement order or agreed order issued under this chapter or have been the subject of an opinion from the department under ((RCW 70.105D.030(1)(i)))section 2 of this act that no further remedial action is required.

An exemption from the notification requirements of this section does not exempt the owner or operator of a facility from any other notification or reporting requirements, or imply a release from liability under this chapter.

(6) If a significant segment of the community to be notified speaks a language other than English, an appropriate translation of the notice must also be posted and mailed to the department in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(7) The facility where the release occurred is responsible for reimbursing the department within thirty days for the actual costs associated with the production and mailing of the notices under this section.

Sec. 6. RCW 43.84.092 and 2018 c 287 s 7, 2018 c 275 s 10, and 2018 c 203 s 14 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) All earnings of investments of surplus balances in the state treasury shall be deposited to the treasury income account, which account is hereby established in the state treasury.

(2) The treasury income account shall be utilized to pay or receive funds associated with federal programs as required by the federal cash management improvement act of 1990. The treasury income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for refunds or allocations of interest earnings required by the cash management improvement act. Refunds of interest to the federal treasury required under the cash management improvement act fall under RCW 43.88.180 and shall not require appropriation. The office of financial management shall determine the amounts due to or from the federal government pursuant to the cash management improvement act. The office of financial management may direct transfers of funds between accounts as deemed necessary to implement the provisions of the cash management improvement act, and this subsection. Refunds or allocations shall occur prior to the distributions of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

(3) Except for the provisions of RCW 43.84.160, the treasury income account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking services on behalf of treasury funds including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state treasury and affected state agencies. The treasury income account is subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to financial institutions. Payments shall occur prior to distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

(4) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings credited to the treasury income account. The state treasurer shall credit the general fund with all the earnings credited to the treasury income account except:

(a) The following accounts and funds shall receive their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's and fund's average daily balance for the period: The abandoned recreational vehicle disposal account, the aeronautics account, the aircraft search and rescue account, the Alaskan Way viaduct replacement project account, the brownfield redevelopment trust fund account, the budget stabilization account, the capital vessel replacement account, the capitol building construction account, the Cedar River channel construction and operation account, the Central Washington University capital projects account, the charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions account, the Chehalis basin account, the cleanup settlement account, the Columbia river basin water supply development account, the Columbia river basin taxable bond water supply development account, the Columbia river basin water supply revenue recovery account, the common school construction fund, the community forest trust account, the connecting Washington account, the county arterial preservation account, the county criminal justice assistance account, the deferred compensation administrative account, the deferred compensation principal account, the department of licensing services account, the department of licensing tuition recovery trust fund, the department of retirement systems expense account, the developmental disabilities community trust account, the diesel idle reduction account, the drinking water assistance account, the drinking water assistance administrative account, the early learning facilities development account, the early learning facilities revolving account, the Eastern Washington University capital projects account, the Interstate 405 express toll lanes operations account, the education construction fund, the education legacy trust account, the election account, the electric vehicle charging infrastructure account, the energy freedom account, the energy recovery act account, the essential rail assistance account, The Evergreen State College capital projects account, the federal forest revolving account, the ferry bond retirement fund, the freight mobility investment account, the freight mobility multimodal account, the grade crossing protective fund, the public health services account, ((the high capacity transportation account,)) the state higher education construction account, the higher education construction account, the highway bond retirement fund, the highway infrastructure account, the highway safety fund, the high occupancy toll lanes operations account, the hospital safety net assessment fund, the industrial insurance premium refund account, the judges' retirement account, the judicial retirement administrative account, the judicial retirement principal account, the local leasehold excise tax account, the local real estate excise tax account, the local sales and use tax account, the marine resources stewardship trust account, the medical aid account, the mobile home park relocation fund, the money-purchase retirement savings administrative account, the money-purchase retirement savings principal account, the motor vehicle fund, the motorcycle safety education account, the multimodal transportation account, the multiuse roadway safety account, the municipal criminal justice assistance account, the natural resources deposit account, the oyster reserve land account, the pension funding stabilization account, the perpetual surveillance and maintenance account, the pollution liability insurance agency underground storage tank revolving account, the public employees' retirement system plan 1 account, the public employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the public facilities construction loan revolving account beginning July 1, 2004, the public health supplemental account, the public works assistance account, the Puget Sound capital construction account, the Puget Sound ferry operations account, the Puget Sound taxpayer accountability account, the real estate appraiser commission account, the recreational vehicle account, the regional mobility grant program account, the resource management cost account, the rural arterial trust account, the rural mobility grant program account, the rural Washington loan fund, the sexual assault prevention and response account, the site closure account, the skilled nursing facility safety net trust fund, the small city pavement and sidewalk account, the special category C account, the special wildlife account, the state employees' insurance account, the state employees' insurance reserve account, the state investment board expense account, the state investment board commingled trust fund accounts, the state patrol highway account, the state route number 520 civil penalties account, the state route number 520 corridor account, the state wildlife account, the statewide tourism marketing account, the student achievement council tuition recovery trust fund, the supplemental pension account, the Tacoma Narrows toll bridge account, the teachers' retirement system plan 1 account, the teachers' retirement system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the tobacco prevention and control account, the tobacco settlement account, the toll facility bond retirement account, the transportation 2003 account (nickel account), the transportation equipment fund, the transportation future funding program account, the transportation improvement account, the transportation improvement board bond retirement account, the transportation infrastructure account, the transportation partnership account, the traumatic brain injury account, the tuition recovery trust fund, the University of Washington bond retirement fund, the University of Washington building account, the voluntary cleanup account, the volunteer firefighters' and reserve officers' relief and pension principal fund, the volunteer firefighters' and reserve officers' administrative fund, the Washington judicial retirement system account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' system plan 1 retirement account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' system plan 2 retirement account, the Washington public safety employees' plan 2 retirement account, the Washington school employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and 3 account, the Washington state health insurance pool account, the Washington state patrol retirement account, the Washington State University building account, the Washington State University bond retirement fund, the water pollution control revolving administration account, the water pollution control revolving fund, the Western Washington University capital projects account, the Yakima integrated plan implementation account, the Yakima integrated plan implementation revenue recovery account, and the Yakima integrated plan implementation taxable bond account. Earnings derived from investing balances of the agricultural permanent fund, the normal school permanent fund, the permanent common school fund, the scientific permanent fund, the state university permanent fund, and the state reclamation revolving account shall be allocated to their respective beneficiary accounts.

(b) Any state agency that has independent authority over accounts or funds not statutorily required to be held in the state treasury that deposits funds into a fund or account in the state treasury pursuant to an agreement with the office of the state treasurer shall receive its proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance for the period.

(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state Constitution, no treasury accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings without the specific affirmative directive of this section.

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