HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 639

BYRepresentatives Nelson, Rust, P. King and Todd

Creating a department of nuclear safety.

House Committe on Energy & Utilities

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (13)

     Signed by Representatives Nelson, Chair; Todd, Vice Chair; Armstrong, Barnes, Brooks, Hankins, Jacobsen, Jesernig, Madsen, May, Miller, Sutherland and Unsoeld.

House Staff:Fred Adair (786-7113) and Ted Hunter (786-7114)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES MARCH 2, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Nuclear facilities safety and management of radioactive waste are currently topics of intense public interest. Many citizens have looked to the state to exercise a major role in these areas. At present state government nuclear energy and radioactive waste activities are dispersed in a number of state agencies. This bill responds to the belief that more impact could be had and greater coordination achieved if the dispersed elements could be combined into a single agency.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The Department of Community Development, with other departments' assistance, shall study the state's capability to respond to a nuclear accident and report to the legislature by December 31, 1987.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  A study is substituted for creation of a department of nuclear safety.  The committee believes information to be produced by the study should be available before deciding on creating a new department.

Fiscal Note:    Attached.  However, the note applies to the original bill.  The substitute has essentially no fiscal impact.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against: Thelma Struck, Department of Social and Health Services; Gordon Kelly, Vice President, Local Health Officials (Dr. Kelly did not oppose the bill per se, but spoke of his concern for keeping the state health focus strong and in a single state agency); Greg Sorlie, Department of Ecology; Terry Strong, Terry Frazee and Earl Ingersoll, Department of Social and Health Services, Radiation Control Section (they were invited forward to answer detailed questions and took no position on the bill); Terry Husseman, Department of Ecology, Nuclear Waste Management Office and Warren Bishop, Chairman, Nuclear Waste Board (they, also, did not take a position on the bill, but appeared to answer committee questions).

House Committee - Testimony For:     None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against: Should assure that the state health function remains intact and emphasized.  The governor does not support creating the department at this time.  There is now joint use of the public health laboratory.  This is both economical and enables quick reinforcement for a large demand on the laboratory's capability.  There could be confusion over mixed hazardous non-radioactive and radioactive waste responsibilities.