HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2297

BYRepresentatives Pruitt, Walker, Rust, D. Sommers, Belcher, Phillips, Van Luven, R. King, G. Fisher, Valle, Brekke, Fraser and Wineberry

Changing provisions relating to air pollution control authorities.

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (12)

      Signed by Representatives Rust, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; D. Sommers, Ranking Republican Member; Brekke, G. Fisher, Fraser, Phillips, Pruitt, Schoon, Sprenkle, Van Luven and Walker.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

House Staff:Rick Anderson (786-7114)

AS PASSED HOUSE JANUARY 29, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Local air pollution control authorities obtain funding from four general sources:  1) registration and service fees from regulated industries; 2) penalties and fines; 3) state and federal grants; and 4) "supplemental income" from counties, cities, and towns.

Counties, cities, and towns belonging to local air pollution control authorities annually pay the authority a per capita assessment and/or a property tax assessment.  This payment is the source of "supplemental income" for pollution control authorities.

Current law limits the registration fees paid by regulated industries in two ways:  1) registration fees cannot be more than 50 percent of supplemental income; and 2) registration fees cannot exceed the cost of specified services provided by the local air pollution control authority.

Current law also requires local pollution control authorities to remit 50 percent of the fines they issue to the counties, cities, and towns within the local authority.

SUMMARY:

Air pollution control authorities are authorized to keep 100 percent of the fines they issue and collect.

The provision limiting registration fees to 50 percent of supplemental income is deleted.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Henry Sharpe, City of Seattle; Anita Frankel, Puget Sound Air Pollution Control; Bruce Wishart, Sierra Club; Charles Peace, Olympic Air Pollution Control; Anne Robison, League of Women Voters of Washington; Elizabeth Tabbut, WEC; Stu Clark, Geology; and Nancy Bagley, American Lung Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    By law, registration fees cannot exceed the cost of administering specified activities.  Limiting registration fees to 50 percent of supplemental income is unnecessary.  The 50 percent limitation restricts the number of industries that can be registered.  This restriction means that registered industries must reduce their air emissions to accommodate those industries not registered.  Removing the 50 percent limitation will distribute the responsibility of reducing air emissions more equitably.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.