H-2061              _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4023

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Jesernig, Hankins, Brooks, Baugher, Grant, Bristow, Nelson, Brekke, Unsoeld, Rust, Walker, Pruitt, Jacobsen, Sprenkle, Rayburn, Wineberry, Todd, B. Williams, C. Smith, Crane, Schoon, Winsley, Doty, Spanel, Silver, Hine and Holm

Read first time 2/25/87 and referred to Committee on Energy & Utilities.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, For forty years, nuclear defense waste has been accumulating at the federal reservation at Hanford, Washington; and

          WHEREAS, The United States Department of Energy has identified more than four hundred thousand cubic yards of transuranic, tank, and high-level radioactive waste at the Hanford Reservation; and

          WHEREAS, The United States Department of Energy has identified more than sixty thousand cubic yards of additional wastes to be generated at the Hanford Reservation in the next twelve years; and

          WHEREAS, A draft report of the United States Department of Energy has identified at least three hundred thirty sites on the Hanford Reservation which include both chemical and radioactive wastes (mixed wastes); and

          WHEREAS, Until these materials are properly cleaned up they constitute a threat to the future health and safety of the people of the entire Pacific Northwest, as well as those living near and working on the Hanford Reservation; and

          WHEREAS, The Northwest Citizens Forum on Defense Waste has studied this problem and has reviewed the Draft Environmental Impact Statement produced by the Department of Energy on the defense waste cleanup; and

          WHEREAS, Through an open public process conducted by the Department of Energy the citizens of the Pacific Northwest have had an opportunity to express their feelings and concerns on the Defense Waste Cleanup issue; and

          WHEREAS, The Northwest Citizens Forum has issued a report and what funding mechanism might be used on how the waste should be cleaned up to ensure the safety of the environment; and

          WHEREAS, The estimated costs of cleaning up radioactive and mixed wastes is at least eleven billion dollars;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that Congress aggressively pursue the cleanup and safe disposal of radioactive defense wastes and mixed waste at the Hanford Reservation by appropriating sufficient funds to carry out the Northwest Citizens Forum's recommendation to clean up defense wastes at Hanford, and by seriously examining proposals for a Defense Waste Trust fund.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the United States Department of Defense, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of Congress.