H-4626              _______________________________________________

                                    HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4440

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives Nelson, Barnes, Unsoeld and Valle

Read first time 2/3/88 and referred to Committee on Energy & Utilities.

WHEREAS, The legislature created a nuclear waste board and a nuclear waste advisory council in 1984 to exercise appropriate oversight and care for the safe management and disposal of radioactive wastes (chapter 43.200 RCW); and

          WHEREAS, The nuclear waste board has served as a focal point and has provided advice to the governor and the legislature on public policy issues related to nuclear waste; and

          WHEREAS, The nuclear waste advisory council has served as a conduit for public participation in nuclear waste issues and has advised the nuclear waste board on nuclear waste issues; and

          WHEREAS, There is a continuing need for the nuclear waste board and advisory council to provide policy advice and to serve as a conduit for public participation in the following nuclear waste-related areas:

          (1) Residual repository-related activities;

          (2) Defense waste cleanup;

          (3) Environmental monitoring;

          (4) Transportation;

          (5) Emergency response;

          (6) Health studies;

          (7) Commercial low-level waste and uranium mill tailings; and

          (8) Socioeconomic impacts; and

          WHEREAS, Continued coordination among state agencies, including those statutorily represented on the nuclear waste board and others, is desirable;

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the state of Washington, the Senate concurring, That the Washington state nuclear waste board continue to serve as a focal point for consideration of nuclear waste-related public policy issues, and to provide policy advice to the governor and the legislature on nuclear waste-related issues; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the nuclear waste advisory council continue to provide information to citizens of the state, to encourage public participation in the decision-making process, and to advise the nuclear waste board on nuclear waste issues; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the nuclear waste board will continue to assure participation of other state agencies whose activities and responsibilities bear on nuclear waste monitoring, transportation, and disposal, including the department of community development, the Washington state patrol, and the Washington utilities and transportation commission; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the department of ecology will continue to provide staff support to the nuclear waste board and advisory council, as set forth in chapter 43.200 RCW.