AN ACT Relating to the transfer of the state radiation control agency; amending RCW 70.98.085, 70.121.020, 70.121.030, 70.121.040, 70.121.100, 70.121.110, and 70.121.140; adding new sections to chapter 70.98 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that (1) both the department of social and health services and the department of ecology have mandates relating to the protection of the public health; (2) the department of ecology has a far greater mandate to monitor environmental conditions relating to public health concerns; and (3) many activities of the department of social and health services' state radiation control agency are largely environmental monitoring activities which are most similar to the environmental monitoring activities of the department of ecology. Therefore, the legislature finds that it is in the public interest to transfer the environmental protection and monitoring activities of the state radiation control agency to the department of ecology in order to provide for a more integrated and effective program of radiation monitoring and control while continuing to protect the public health.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. All powers, duties, and functions of the department of social and health services described in section 3 of this act are transferred to the department of ecology. All powers, duties, and functions of the department of social and health services contained in chapter 70.121 RCW are also transferred to the department of ecology. All references to the secretary or the department of social and health services in the Revised Code of Washington shall be construed to mean the director or the department of ecology when referring to the functions transferred in this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 70.98 RCW to read as follows:

For the purposes of this chapter, the state radiation control agency means the department of ecology when referring to the following duties and functions:

(1) Issuing site use permits as provided in RCW 70.98.085;

(2) Issuing radioactive materials licenses to the site operator of the low-level radioactive waste disposal facility at Hanford;

(3) Monitoring the operation of the Hanford disposal facility;

(4) Inspecting the radioactive waste deposited at that facility;

(5) Developing a state-wide radiological baseline;

(6) Conducting environmental radiation monitoring programs; and

(7) Verifying the adequacy and accuracy of environmental monitoring programs conducted by the federal government at their installations in Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Except for the tangible personal property associated with the laboratory of the office of public health, all reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, or written material in the possession of the department of social and health services pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be delivered to the custody of the department of ecology. All cabinets, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles, and other tangible property employed by the department of social and health services in carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be made available to the department of ecology. All funds, credits, or other assets including those associated with the laboratory of the office of public health held in connection with the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be assigned to the department of ecology.

Any appropriations made to the department of social and health services for carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall, on the effective date of this section, be transferred and credited to the department of ecology.

Whenever any question arises as to the transfer of any personnel, funds, books, documents, records, papers, files, equipment, or other tangible property used or held in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions transferred, the director of financial management shall make a determination as to the proper allocation and certify the same to the state agencies concerned.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Except for employees of the laboratory of the office of public health, all employees of the department of social and health services engaged in performing the powers, functions, and duties transferred under this act are transferred to the jurisdiction of the department of ecology. All employees classified under chapter 41.06 RCW, the state civil service law, are assigned to the department of ecology to perform their usual duties upon the same terms as formerly, without any loss of rights, subject to any action that may be appropriate thereafter in accordance with the laws and rules governing state civil service.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. All rules and all pending business before the department of social and health services pertaining to the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall be continued and acted upon by the department of ecology. All existing contracts and obligations shall remain in full force and shall be performed by the department of ecology.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The transfer of the powers, duties, functions, and personnel of the department of social and health services shall not affect the validity of any act performed prior to the effective date of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by sections 4 through 7 of this act, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Nothing contained in sections 2 and 4 through 7 of this act may be construed to alter any existing collective bargaining unit or the provisions of any existing collective bargaining agreement until the agreement has expired or until the bargaining unit has been modified by action of the personnel board as provided by law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. A new section is added to chapter 70.98 RCW to read as follows:

The department of social and health services and the department of ecology shall enter into interagency agreements, as necessary, providing for laboratory services required by the department of ecology in carrying out the powers, duties, and functions transferred under sections 2 and 4 through 7 of this act and chapter 70.121 RCW.

Sec. 11. Section 3, chapter 383, Laws of 1985 as amended by section 2, chapter 2, Laws of 1986 RCW 70.98.085 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The agency is empowered to suspend and reinstate site use permits consistent with current regulatory practices ((~~and in coordination with the department of ecology,~~)) for generators, packagers, or brokers using the Hanford low-level radioactive waste disposal facility.

(2) The agency shall collect a surveillance fee as an added charge on each cubic foot of low level radioactive waste disposed of at the disposal site in this state which shall be set at a level that is sufficient to fund completely the radiation control activities of the agency which are not otherwise covered by cost recovery programs including, but not limited to, any funds from federal sources: PROVIDED, That the surveillance fee shall not exceed four percent of the basic minimum fee charged by an operator of a low-level radioactive waste disposal site in this state. The basic minimum fee consists of the disposal fee for the site operator, the fee for the perpetual care and maintenance fund administered by the state, the fee for the state closure fund, and the tax collected pursuant to chapter 82.04 RCW. Site use permit fees and surcharges collected under chapter 43.200 RCW are not part of the basic minimum fee. The fee shall also provide funds for other state agencies that incur expenses as a result of the control and management of the disposal of low-level radioactive waste in the state of Washington. Disbursements for these purposes to other state agencies shall be by authorization of the ((~~secretary of the department of social and health services~~)) director or the ((~~secretary's~~)) director's designee.

The agency may adopt such rules as are necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this section.

Sec. 12. Section 2, chapter 110, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. as last amended by section 1, chapter 184, Laws of 1987 and RCW 70.121.020 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires a different meaning, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Department" means the department of ((~~social and health services~~)) ecology.

(2) "((~~Secretary~~)) Director" means the ((~~secretary of social and health services~~)) director of the department.

(3) "Site" means the restricted area as defined by the United States nuclear regulatory commission.

(4) "Tailings" means the residue remaining after extraction of uranium or thorium from the ore whether or not the residue is left in piles, but shall not include ore bodies nor ore stock piles.

(5) "License" means a radioactive materials license issued under chapter 70.98 RCW and the rules adopted under chapter 70.98 RCW.

(6) "Termination of license" means the cancellation of the license after permanent cessation of operations. Temporary interruptions or suspensions of production due to economic or other conditions are not a permanent cessation of operations.

(7) "Milling" means grinding, cutting, working, or concentrating ore which has been extracted from the earth by mechanical (conventional) or chemical (in situ) processes.

(8) "Obligor-licensee" means any person who obtains a license to operate a uranium or thorium mill in the state of Washington or any person who owns the property on which the mill operates and who owes money to the state for the licensing fee, for reclamation of the site, for perpetual surveillance and maintenance of the site, or for any other obligation owed the state under this chapter.

(9) "Statement of claim" means the document recorded or filed pursuant to this chapter, which names an obligor-licensee, names the state as obligee, describes the obligation owed to the state, and describes property owned by the obligor-licensee on which a lien will attach for the benefit of the state, and which creates the lien when filed.

Sec. 13. Section 3, chapter 110, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. and RCW 70.121.030 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Any person who proposes to operate a uranium or thorium mill within the state of Washington after January 1, 1980, shall obtain a license from the department to mill thorium and uranium. The period of the license shall be determined by the ((~~secretary~~)) director and shall be initially valid for not more than two years and renewable thereafter for periods of not more than five years. No license may be granted unless:

(a) The owner or operator of the mill submits to the department a plan for reclamation and disposal of tailings and for decommissioning the site that conforms to the criteria and standards then in effect for the protection of the public safety and health; and

(b) The owner of the mill agrees to transfer or revert to the appropriate state or federal agency upon termination of the license all lands, buildings, and grounds, and any interests therein, necessary to fulfill the purposes of this chapter except where the lands are held in trust for or are owned by any Indian tribe.

(2) Any person operating a uranium or thorium mill on January 1, 1980, shall, at the time of application for renewal of his or her license to mill thorium or uranium, comply with the following conditions for continued operation of the mill:

(a) The owner or operator of the mill shall submit to the department a plan for reclamation and disposal of tailings and for decommissioning the site that conforms to the criteria and standards then in effect for the protection of the public safety and health; and

(b) The owner of the mill shall agree to transfer or revert to the appropriate state or federal agency upon termination of the license all lands, buildings, and grounds, and any interests therein, necessary to fulfill the purposes of this chapter except where the lands are held in trust for or are owned by any Indian tribe.

(3) The department shall, after public notice and opportunity for written comment, hold a public hearing to consider the adequacy of the proposed plan to protect the safety and health of the public required by subsections (1) and (2) of this section. The proceedings shall be recorded and transcribed. The public hearing shall provide the opportunity for cross-examination by both the department and the person proposing the plan required under this section. The department shall make a written determination as to the licensing of the mill which is based upon the findings included in the determination and upon the evidence presented during the public comment period. The determination is subject to judicial review. If a declaration of nonsignificance is issued for a license renewal application under rules adopted under chapter 43.21C RCW, the public hearing is not required.

(4) The department shall set a schedule of license and amendment fees predicated on the cost of reviewing the license application and of monitoring for compliance with the conditions of the license. A permit for construction of a uranium or thorium mill may be granted by the ((~~secretary~~)) director prior to licensing.

Sec. 14. Section 4, chapter 110, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. and RCW 70.121.040 are each amended to read as follows:

The ((~~secretary or his~~)) director or the director's representative shall monitor the operations of the mill for compliance with the conditions of the license by the owner or operator. The mill owner or operator shall be responsible for compliance, both during the lifetime of the facility and at shutdown, including but not limited to such requirements as fencing and posting the site; contouring, covering, and stabilizing the pile; and for decommissioning the facility.

Sec. 15. Section 10, chapter 110, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. as amended by section 5, chapter 184, Laws of 1987 and RCW 70.121.100 are each amended to read as follows:

The ((~~secretary or the secretary's duly authorized~~)) director or the director's representative shall require the posting of a bond by licensees to be used exclusively to provide funds in the event of abandonment, default, or other inability of the licensee to meet the requirements of the department. The ((~~secretary~~)) director may establish bonding requirements by classes of licensees and by range of monetary amounts. In establishing these requirements, the ((~~secretary~~)) director shall consider the potential for contamination, injury, cost of disposal, and reclamation of the property. The amount of the bond shall be sufficient to pay the costs of reclamation and perpetual maintenance.

Sec. 16. Section 11, chapter 110, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. as amended by section 6, chapter 184, Laws of 1987 and RCW 70.121.110 are each amended to read as follows:

A bond shall be accepted by the department if it is a bond issued by a fidelity or surety company admitted to do business in the state of Washington and the fidelity or surety company is found by the state finance commission to be financially secure at licensing and licensing renewals, if it is a personal bond secured by such collateral as the ((~~secretary~~)) director deems satisfactory and in accordance with RCW 70.121.100, or if it is a cash bond.

Sec. 17. Section 3, chapter 184, Laws of 1987 and RCW 70.121.140 are each amended to read as follows:

If a licensee fails to pay the department within a reasonable time money owed to the state under this chapter, the obligation owed to the state shall constitute a lien on all property, both real and personal, owned by the obligor-licensee when the department records or files, pursuant to this section, a statement of claim against the obligor-licensee. The statement of claim against the obligor-licensee shall name the obligor-licensee, name the state as obligee, describe the obligation, and describe the property to be held in security for the obligation.

Statements of claim creating a lien on real property, fixtures, timber, agricultural products, oil, gas, or minerals shall be recorded with the county auditor in each county where the property is located. Statements of claim creating a lien in personal property, whether tangible or intangible, shall be filed with the department of licensing.

A lien recorded or filed pursuant to this section has priority over any lien, interest, or other encumbrance previously or thereafter recorded or filed concerning any property described in the statement of claim, to the extent allowed by federal law.

A lien created pursuant to this section shall continue in force until extinguished by foreclosure or bankruptcy proceedings or until a release of the lien signed by the ((~~secretary~~)) director is recorded or filed in the place where the statement of claim was recorded or filed. The ((~~secretary~~)) director shall sign and record or file a release only after the obligation owed to the state under this chapter, together with accrued interest and costs of collection has been paid.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 18. This act shall take effect on June 30, 1988.