HOUSE BILL REPORT

SJM 8029

BYSenators Benitz, Anderson, Bailey, Barr, Bauer, Bender, Bluechel, Cantu, Conner, Craswell, Deccio, DeJarnatt, Fleming, Garrett, Gaspard, Halsan,  Hansen, Hayner, Johnson, Kiskaddon, Kreidler, Lee, Madsen, McCaslin, McDonald, McMullen, Metcalf, Moore, Nelson, Newhouse, Niemi, Owen, Patterson, Pullen, Rasmussen, Rinehart, Saling, Sellar, Smith, Smitherman, Stratton, Talmadge, Vognild, von Reichbauer, Warnke, West, Williams, Wojahn and Zimmerman

Requesting enactment of a Hanford Federal and State Plant Closing Disaster Program.

House Committe on Energy & Utilities

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment. (15)

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

House Staff:Fred Adair (786-7113)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES FEBRUARY 25, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The tri-cities area in Eastern Washington has been dependent upon federal nuclear projects for several decades.  In December, Congress moved to terminate the nuclear waste repository project at Hanford.  Recently Congress did not appropriate funds to restart the N-Reactor at the Hanford site.  If the N-Reactor is terminated, there also would be closure of other defense materials production facilities at Hanford.  Some estimates show as many as 12,000 high-paying jobs may be lost by the lack of funding for the N-Reactor and related facilities.

There is the precedent of the Redwood National Park Expansion Act of 1978 in providing major and sustained federal assistance where federal action created a massive economic impact.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  The President and Congress are asked to take the primary and leading role in mitigating the effects of closing federal government facilities at Hanford with a comprehensive program that accelerates Hanford defense waste cleanup, promotes economic diversification in the Tri-cities, and minimizes economic dislocations, especially through programs for workers.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  While just as earnestly seeking federal mitigation of the grave economic impact of plant closings on the Hanford Reservation, the specifics are changed from expressly seeking action replicating in content the Redwoods National Park Expansion Act of 1978 to seeking a broad list of programs that can be grouped within the three categories of accelerating the cleanup of Hanford defense waste, promoting economic diversification in the Tri-cities, and minimizing economic dislocations.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Congressmen Don Bonker and Mike Lowry; Sarah McCoy, Puget Sound SANE; Bob Dilger, Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council; Senator Benitz, sponsor; William Hamilton, representing U.S. Senator Brock Adams.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    All speakers acknowledged the gravity of the economic impacts on the Tri-cities from the impending closure of federal government Hanford Reservation facilities and agreed on the need for urgent and extensive federal and other entity action to mitigate the impacts.  Views varied on what specific actions should be taken.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.