HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHCR 4403

BYRepresentatives Rust, Nelson, D. Sommers, R. King, May, Pruitt, Winsley, Anderson, Valle, Sprenkle, Ferguson, G. Fisher, Crane, Wood, Brekke, Inslee, Moyer, Brough and Phillips

Creating a Biospheric Task Force.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (10)

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

House Staff:Karl Herzog (786-7271)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 27, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Greenhouse effect:  The greenhouse effect is a theory describing an increase in the earth's average temperature caused by increased quantities of certain gases in the earth's atmosphere.  Greenhouse gases allow ultra-violet radiation from the sun to pass into the atmosphere, but do not allow infrared radiation (heat) to pass out.  Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3).  All greenhouse gases except CFCs occur naturally.  Human activities, especially the combustion of fossil fuels, are responsible for increased production of greenhouse gases during the past two hundred years.

Though the scientific community has not agreed on the magnitude of global temperature rise, there is a growing consensus that global warming due to the greenhouse effect has already begun or is about to begin.  Possible impacts of global warming include climate change and sea-level rise.  Current climate modeling makes it difficult to predict what the actual changes will be,  where they will occur, and what impacts they will have.  Some possible impacts include desertification of prime agricultural regions, extinction of vulnerable plant and animal species, and socio-economic impacts on global food supply and international politics.

Ozone Layer depletion:  Stratospheric ozone, concentrated in an "ozone layer" approximately 15 miles above the earth's surface, helps shield the earth from ultra-violet radiation from the sun. Studies have shown reductions in total stratospheric ozone of between two and six percent over the past 20 years. Chlorofluorocarbons, a group of human-made chemicals, contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer.  The rate of ozone depletion varies with latitude and season, with the greatest losses occurring over the earth's polar regions during the springtime.  Ozone depletion rates as high as 50% have been measured over Antarctica in recent years.

Increased levels of ultra-violet radiation resulting from a reduction in stratospheric ozone may affect the survival and productivity of plant and marine organisms, and could increase the risk of skin cancer and cataracts in humans.  Increased ultra-violet radiation reaching the earth's surface may also suppress the human immune system.

SUMMARY:

A Biospheric Task Force is created to oversee developments with respect to the greenhouse effect and ozone layer depletion and to make recommendations for needed state action.  Task force membership includes members of the legislature and representatives of state agencies, the academic community, industry, and citizen groups.  The task force must report to the legislative committees represented on the task force on developments with respect to the greenhouse effect and ozone layer depletion, and must recommend in December, 1990, whether to continue the task force beyond that date.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 17, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Don Bockelman representing Citizens Alert, Stu Clark from the Department of Ecology, Kathie Bauer representing the Washington Environmental Council, Stan Dick, and Dick Watson, Director of the Washington State Energy Office.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    There is a need for reforestation to curb the greenhouse effect.  Reducing CO2 emissions through energy efficiency is needed.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.