SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 1327

BYRepresentatives Rust, Walker and Unsoeld; by request of Department of Ecology

Changing provisions relating to the authority of state agencies to administer part C of the federal safe drinking water act.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 17, 1988

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Jack Metcalf, Chairman; Smith, Vice Chairman; Barr, Benitz, DeJarnatt, Kreidler, Owen, Patterson.

Senate Staff:Gary Wilburn (786-7453)

                  February 17, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES, FEBRUARY 17, 1988

BACKGROUND:

In 1974 Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act which in Part C provided for state primary enforcement responsibility with respect to underground injection control programs.  In 1986 Congress reauthorized and amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, adding additional programs to Part C which allow primary enforcement responsibility to be assumed by the state.  These are programs relating to wellhead protection areas and sole source aquifer demonstration areas.  The wellhead protection program sets forth a process for identifying wellhead areas to be protected and the source of contaminants which may adversely affect health, and the development of control and other measures to protect water supplies within such areas.  Grants for state programs are authorized in the federal act.  The sole source aquifer demonstration program authorizes federal grants for identifying critical aquifer protection areas and pursuing comprehensive planning for such areas.

SUMMARY:

The Departments of Ecology, Natural Resources, and Social and Health Services, as well as the Oil and Gas Conservation Committee, are authorized to carry out programs of Part C of the Federal Drinking Water Law as it exists on June 19, 1986, the effective date of the 1986 federal law amendments.  Language in existing statute which refers to a participation in a prospective federal program regarding sole source aquifer protection, now included under Part C of the amended federal law, is deleted as superfluous.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

The Department of Social and Health Services or the State Board of Health in promulgating regulations to implement state program portions of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act are not to include public water systems in the regulations that are not required to be included by the federal law unless there is a health-based reason for such inclusion.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: no one